My camping style falls somewhere in between bare bones and glamping, but I do love to eat, and a great dinner is one place where I won’t cut corners. Over a lifetime of camping, I’ve managed to whittle my kitchen down to a manageable size so it can be transported easily, whether I’m camping with my hubby in the pop up or camping on my own in my tent.
Full disclosure is necessary, though. I prepare most of our meals at home, freeze them, and thaw and reheat at camp. We usually have fresh salads (I chop the veggies at home). This cuts down on the equipment I need and the time I spend prepping at camp. I would much rather do my chopping and peeling in an air-conditioned kitchen!
1. Pots and Pans
I have two pots and two skillets, in different sizes. So far, I have not missed other sizes and containers in my camping life! My skillets are stainless, not cast iron, and some people are surprised and even scandalized by this. You do you: if you want cast iron, pack it! I love my lightweight stainless and have not missed the cast iron since I gave it up years ago. I have a lid for the smaller of the two pots, but I think I will add one for the larger pot, too.
2. Plates and Cutlery
I have a couple of large ceramic bowls, a few melamine plates, and real cutlery that I store in a rack that goes on the table. The rack includes steak knives, a small set of tongs, and a serving spoon and serving spatula. I have two coffee mugs because, honestly, what good is waking up in paradise if you can’t enjoy the sunrise with a great cup of coffee? I’ve also got two stemless wine goblets because, honestly, what good is winding down in paradise if you can’t enjoy the sunset with a nice sangria?
3. Cooking Implements
Here, too, my kitchen is fairly stripped down. I have a good can opener, which I’m considering ditching now that many canned goods have pull tops. I’ve got a stainless spatula and a big stainless cooking spoon. I don’t have a strainer. I don’t have fancy gadgets, but I do have a French press coffee pot for when I travel on my own. When Steve and I camp together, we bring Mr. Coffee along. I also filter camp water, so we have 2 Brita pitchers. On my St. Augustine trip, I bought a stainless steel bowl for salads.
4. Pantry Items
My kitchen box is large enough to hold some pantry items. I store it in the shed, so humidity is an issue. But I permanently store artificial sweetener, Brita filters, multiple lighters and some fire starter material (along with spark-makers so the fire will start even if all the lighters are empty!), some seasonings, tea bags, and packets of hot chocolate. I’ve got a 2 quart pitcher for iced tea and a stainless steel French press coffeepot. I might throw in a couple packages of ramen noodles as I pack for a specific trip, and of course, I add salt and pepper.
5. Coleman Stove
Since I was a child, I’ve cooked on a Coleman stove, and I don’t think you can do better for most camping meals. I did make the switch from white fuel to propane, and I find it heats very quickly and is very convenient. It starts every time and I think I own three of them. Why? Because I can.
6. Miscellaneous Items
I ALWAYS use a tablecloth when camping. I’ve seen RVers put their waste hoses on picnic tables…ugh. So I have multiple tablecloths. I use Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap for everything, so you’ll always find that in my camp kitchen. I’ve also got hot pads and trivets, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, and a wipe container filled with grocery store bags that we use as trash bags. We produce little trash when we camp, and a single grocery store bag gets us through the entire day.
7. Okay — NOT Kitchen Items but Still Gotta Have Them!
Hmm. I didn’t make it to ten. So I’ll share with you a few more things I love to bring along. We recently treated ourselves to two sets of solar camp lights. They look like the Edison bulbs, and a single string is long enough to go around our 10X10 canopy. I absolutely LOVE everything about these lights. They are convenient, easy to set up, STURDY, and provide enough light to read by without keeping neighboring campers awake. In all honesty, we are usually asleep soon after dark, but we love these lights!
8. Games.
We have SO MANY GAMES, but we always bring Itzi, Pairzi, and Tenzi when we camp. Cards, too. And when I finally master Cribbage, we’ll add a Cribbage board to our must-haves. We get our games here.
9. Small Vacuum Cleaner
Nope, I’m not kidding. I cannot stand sand and dirt all over my tent or in the pop up, and I invested in a small vacuum that keeps my feet happy. It’s rechargeable and has a light so I can see the sand. I love it!
10. Door mat/Ground Cover
To reduce the need for the vacuum, I also bring a door mat and ground cover. These go, of course, right outside the tent or pop up. They don’t stop ALL the dirt, but they stop most of it.
There are things I want to add, like a handwashing sink and maybe an electric kettle for late night cups of tea. But for now, this kitchen set-up helps me stay organized and avoid single use plastics. Other than the paper towels and wipes, it’s an environmentally friendly kitchen. I’m not a recycling nazi, but I do want to be responsible.
Now it’s your turn. What are your must-haves? What might make this a better set-up?