CAMPING | Camp Kitchen Essentials For Your Next Camping Trip
🕒 3 minute read
Being able to prepare and cook proper food when camping really can make a huge difference to your enjoyment. With not a ration pack or tin of beans in sight, we share some essentials to help you kit out your camp kitchen in style!
If you eat well at home, it stands to reason that you are probably going to want to do the same whilst you’re away and being in a tent, caravan or campervan doesn’t mean you have to resort to eating rubbish!
Looking for some inspiration? Check out one of my favourite quick and easy camping meals, or see 6 handy food and camping hacks.
With some well-chosen essentials, basic camp kitchen equipment and some forward planning you can eat well under canvas.
Basic Camp Kitchen Essentials List
There’s nothing wrong with having a basic kitchen set up, it’s all down to what works best for you, and the way you prefer to camp.
If you’re short on space, planning a single night trip or you need to carry everything with you, we’d recommend the following;
- Gas stove or Trangia (see our review of the Primus Lite+ stove)
- Spare gas canisters
- Kettle
- Mess tin(s)
- Cutlery
- Mug
- Washing up supplies
Family Camp Kitchen Essentials List
Not keen on sitting on the floor to make a cuppa? Don’t like the idea of living on Pot Noodles or dehydrated food packs whilst you’re camping?
If you’ve got the space and would prefer to be able to prepare and cook full meals whilst camping, this is the essentials list for you;
- Gas stove (see our review of the Primus Kinjia double stove)
- Spare gas bottle(s)
- Kettle
- Frying pan (try the Primus LiTech frying pan)
- Saucepan
- Spatula/stirring/serving spoon (check out camping cutlery here)
- Tongs
- Carving knife
- Chopping knife
- Colander
- Mixing/salad bowl
- Chopping board
- Bowls & plates (eco-friendly disposable, tin or melamine work best)
- Scissors
- Cutlery
- Mugs, drinking tumblers and wine glasses (plastic)
- Kitchen storage unit (see our review of the Outwell Padres XL camp kitchen)
- Camp table & chairs
- Washing up supplies + washing up bowl (collapsable ones are best)
- Water carrier
- Camping cool box (see our camping cool box recommendations here)
Handy Store Cupboard Extras
- Tin foil/beeswax food wraps/food storage bags
- Food storage boxes
- Bin bags
- Anti-bac spray/wipes
- Kitchen roll
- Tin opener
- Bottle opener
- Condiments
- Salt & pepper
- Spray cooking oil/olive oil
- Tea, coffee and hot chocolate
- Long-life milk
- Assorted spices
Cooking Safely When Camping
Please remember that cooking inside your tent is not recommended, a well-ventilated open-sided awning to protect you from the elements is better.
When using a gas stove, please ensure you follow all relevant safety instructions and ensure you are using a carbon monoxide alarm too.
Where to next?
- GEAR | The Best Tent Shelters For Your Post-Lockdown Garden Get-Together
- How To Keep Warm Camping In A Tent
- CAMPING | Your Guide To Choosing The Best Portable Camping Toilet
From open water swimming, snowboarding and kayaking to hill walks and meditation, Shell shares her travels and microadventures here on the blog and in various publications she's written for, Shell has a particular interest in promoting wellbeing and the many benefits of nature therapy.
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We really need to get some of the collapsable bowls – we’re camping in May for 3 nights with the kids! Sarah #outdoorbloggers
They are great little space savers 🙂
Great advice! Cooking set up for me depends on what kind of trip I’m on. If I’m going away for a night or two on my own in my little two man tent then it’s gas stove, kettle and mug, pan and spoon – I’ll eat porridge, soup, tinned stuff (nicer than dried for an evening meal when there’s space) or pasta and sauce. If I’m going away in the bigger tent then I’ll make more of an effort, take plates and cutlery, a knife and other bits, and cook a fried breakfast and one-pot meat and veg dish for dinner. Or there is always the pub.
lol I must say we are starting to eat out more at local pubs when we go camping 🙂 Pasta and sauce is a life saver for camping!
Great tips as always. We try to cook as much as possible and are finally getting it down to a fine art. I’m looking forward to this year as I think we might have nailed it. Although space is an issue so will definitely be looking at some collapsible kitchenware! Food always tastes better outdoors anyway 🙂
I totally agree about food tasting better outdoors! It does take a lot of trial and error doesn’t it, but once you do nail it life becomes much easier – happy camping! 😀