Now that you’ve got an idea of what items you’ll absolutely need to cook with when you’re camping, let’s take a look at some items that are not absolutely necessary, but that will definitely come in handy.
The first thing to comes to mind on this list is some sort of camping table. Ideally, it would be big enough and sturdy enough to allow you to do all of your food preparation on it, but even a small table would be very helpful. I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve had to prepare my food for cooking while haphazardly balancing a plate or frying pan on a log or rock. It’s difficult at best, and if your attention wanders for just a minute your food will probably end up in the dirt.
If you’re going car camping and won’t have to carry your gear on your back to your campsite, then a table should definitely be on your list. If you are going to be backpacking in to your campsite, there are smaller folding camp tables that you could take a look at. One of them wouldn’t be too much to take in with you, and as I said, anything at all will be helpful.
Another thing that is helpful but not essential is a long fork or wire clothes hanger. These are great for roasting your food over the fire (like, say, hot dogs or smores) and also come in handy when you accidentally drop your food in the fire (and you will) and need to try and pick it out.
One other thing to consider bringing is a box of wet wipes. Not something many people would think of, but they come in really handy for easy cleaning of your food prep and cooking items. Just use them to wipe down your pots and pans, and then throw them in the fire when you’re done with them. They’re also useful for washing your hands before eating, because after a couple of days in the woods you’re going to be pretty filthy.
The last things to remember for eating on your trip are some plates and eating utensils. Some sturdy paper plates will work great and you can just throw them in the fire when you’re done. Just make sure to get paper and not plastic plates. The plastic either has to be carried out or burned (stinky!) and it’s not good for the environment anyway. I also recommend buying a decent set of metal camping eating utensils instead of using plasticware for the same reasons. You can buy a fork, spoon and knife set that snaps together for just a few bucks.
Cooking out in the woods is generally a bit of an ordeal for most people, especially those who are used to cooking in an actual kitchen. There are no counter tops at your campsite, there never seems to be enough room to get stuff done, and the items you’re using to cook with are often not super duper clean. Despite all of that, cooking when you’re camping can actually be fun and enjoyable if you know how to approach the whole thing properly. Let’s take a look at what you can expect to need to cook when you go camping.
The first thing that you’re going to need is something to do the actual cooking in, such as a pot or pan. Ideally, you want to bring as few things along as possible so you’re not lugging unnecessary items through the woods. If you’re cooking for a family of four, one frying pan and one pot will most likely be sufficient. If you want to buy the snazzy camping sets that have multiple pans that stack together that’s fine, but it’s not necessary at all. Just grab a good-sized pan and pot from your kitchen (hopefully ones that aren’t too heavy) and you’ll be fine.
Another alternative here is to bring a Dutch oven, which is possibly the greatest camping cooking item ever invented. The possibilities for using Dutch ovens on camping trips are nearly limitless and they will easily do the job of both a frying pan and a pot. The only downside to them though is that they are usually fairly large and heavy, so they may not be suitable for every camping trip. You don’t want to be lugging a bulky, 15 pound Dutch oven all the way through the woods to your campsite if you’re going backpacking.
The next things you’ll need are utensils to do the cooking with, such as spatulas, spoons, and tongs. You’ll definitely want to bring at least one large spatula, and a pair of spring-loaded tongs will certainly make your life easier as well. Plastic or metal doesn’t really matter either way here, but if I had to choose, I’d go with metal for the increased durability. It’s also easy to leave one of these items too close to the campfire, and having metal utensils will keep them from melting or catching on fire.
It goes without saying that you don’t want to bring your best stuff on these camping trips. You’ll invariably leave at least one thing, and possibly several somethings, at your campsite. Use your old stuff, and if you buy new, buy cheap.
