Camping Kitchen Essentials Checklist
Cooking while camping is one of the best parts of being in the great outdoors. This Camping Kitchen Essentials Checklist will show you exactly what you need to have a fully functioning camp kitchen setup while at camp. Easily pick and choose the items from this list that will best fit your camping needs.
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Camp Kitchen Essentials Checklist
When it comes to packing for your camping kitchen, there are 6 areas you should focus on
- Heat Source
- Cookware
- Cooking Utensils
- Dinnerware
- Food Storage
- Clean-Up Gear
This camp kitchen checklist will go over the camping gear you need to consider for each area of your camp kitchen.
Here is a full overview of the camping kitchen essentials to consider for your camping trip. You won’t need all of these items, but they are on the list so you can decide what works best for you.
Tip: If you don’t feel like going through the entire comprehensive camping checklist, skip down to the bottom to see the Beginner Must Haves For Your Camp Kitchen.
Free Printable Camp Kitchen Checklist
Heat Sources For Camp Cooking
The most important thing to pack for your camping trip is your heat source. This will be the foundation on which the rest of your camp kitchen is built from.
There are several options when deciding how you want to cook at your campsite. The most common options are
- Camp Stove or Grill
- Over the Campfire
Depending on which of these options you choose, it will require that you bring specific fuel. Here are the most common fuel items that you’ll need to pack based on your heat source:
- Propane or Charcoal
- Lighter
- Fire Starters
- Firewood
How To Choose Your Cooking Heat Source For Camping
There are several factors you should consider when choosing which heat source is best for your camping situation. (Read this post that covers all the ways you can cook while camping).
Here are a few questions to consider to help you make a decision on your cooking heat source:
- Are you in a national park with fire regulations? Then, you’ll probably want to use a camp stove or grill.
- Are you cooking for a larger group? Then, you’ll probably want more than a one-burner camp stove. A fire or camp grill might be best.
- Is it okay if the food needs to cook for a long time or do you need fast meals? Cooking with a dutch oven on the fire takes longer than heating something up on a camping stove.
- Do you have enough space to bring firewood or will there be enough firewood around the campsite to cook several meals? You might want to go with a different fuel source.
- Does your campsite have a fire pit with a grill grate already in place? Perfect for cooking!
- Are you camping in cold weather where you’ll have a campfire already lit? Use it for cooking!
- Do you prefer to cook with propane or charcoal? This will help you determine if you should use a camp stove or camp grill.
- Are you just cooking for yourself? Then a small backpacking stove might be the perfect option for you. (Check out this solo camping packing checklist for more tips!)
Cookware For Camping
Now that you’ve chosen your cooking heat source, you can decide which cookware to bring.
For example, if you’re cooking directly on the fire, you might want to opt for cast iron cookware.
If you’re cooking on a camp stove, then you have more options of which type of cookware you can bring.
In general, you’re going to need pots & pans with lids. But there might be some other items you want to bring to help you cook on your chosen heat source:
- Pot
- Pan
- Lids
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Dutch Oven
- Cooking Tripod
- Campfire Grill Grate
- Kettle
- Roasting Sticks
Pots, Pans, & Lids
The most common materials to use for camp cooking is cast iron or stainless steel.
You can use stainless steel to cook on a camp stove or over a fire. You just don’t want to set it directly in your fire.
If you want to cook inside fire pits while you’re camping, then cast iron (like a skillet or dutch oven) is going to be your best option.
Regardless, it is a good idea to have lids for your cookware to keep bugs out. (Or covering with a piece of aluminum foil might be a better idea if you don’t have space to pack lids.)
Cooking Tripod or Grill Grate
If you’re cooking over your fire, then you’re going to want something to hold your pots & pans while cooking.
The most common options are a campfire grate or a cooking tripod.
Kettle
A kettle is not a necessity, but I wanted to mention it in case you need hot water for your meals or beverages. Nothing beats heating a kettle over the fire and having fresh coffee in the morning while you’re camping.
Roasting Sticks
Roasting sticks can be made out of sticks or you might want to buy a set to keep in your camp kitchen gear.
Camp Cooking Utensils
Having the right cooking utensils can help you easily cook your camp meals. You can get away with just a few simple items, but here is a comprehensive list of which cooking utensils to consider packing in your camp cooking gear:
- Spatula
- Mixing Spoon
- Sharp Knife
- Oven Mitt or Fireproof Gloves
- Can Opener
- Bottle Opener/Corkscrew
- Tongs
- Cutting Board
You won’t need all of these items for every meal, but it doesn’t hurt to have a kit of cooking utensils for food prep ready to go just in case.
Camping Dinnerware
After you’ve cooked your delicious camp meal, you need to have something to eat it on! Having a set of basic dinnerware for each camper is a good idea.
Each person should have a:
- Plate
- Bowl
- Fork, Knife, Spoon
- Cup (Rated For Hot & Cold Drinks)
Camp Kitchen Storage
Storage for your camp kitchen includes both storage for your kitchen supplies & also your food items. Here are some things that you should consider:
- Bin For Kitchen Gear
- Cooler or Camp Fridge
- Egg Holder
- Food Storage Bags
- Tupperware
- Aluminum Foil
- Bear Container
The best way to pack your camping kitchen essentials is in a camp kitchen box dedicated to all of your cooking gear. This makes it super easy to pack up when you’re going on your next camping trip. You’ll just have to throw the box into your car and you’ll be ready to go.
You also want to consider what items you’ll need to store your food while you’re camping, especially any leftovers that you have from your camp meals. This might be in extra tupperware you bring or ziplock plastic bags.
Regardless, make sure you have something to properly pack & store your food in. (Read this post on how to pack your food for camping.)
Cooler or Camp Refrigerator
Choosing the right cooler or camping refrigerator for your camping kitchen essentials is super important. (Here’s a list of non-perishable food items to bring camping that won’t require refrigeration).
Make sure to bring a cooler that is the right size for your camping trip & that can keep your food cold for the proper amount of days.
We love using a camp refrigerator so we don’t have to deal with ice melt soaking our food. This is a little bit more expensive. Plus, you have to have a power source (here’s what we use) to power your refrigerator during your trip.
Egg Holder
This item is not necessary, but could really help if you plan to bring whole eggs on your trip. Here is a whole post showing you all of the different ways you can safely pack and store eggs while you’re camping.
Bags, Tupperware, Aluminum Foil
Reusable bags, tupperware, and aluminum foil are all great ways to store leftover food while you’re camping.
The last thing you want to happen is having to waste portions of your meal because you have no way to store the leftovers.
Bear Container
There are a lot of coolers out there that are bear proof. If you need to store dry food items at your campsite, then you might consider using a bear container.
This is a great idea if you’re backcountry camping where bears might be more prevalent.
Camp Kitchen Clean-Up
In my opinion, the worst part of camping is washing the dishes. But, it is necessary so you can enjoy more camping meals!
The easiest way to do this is with a small bin filled with water & biodegradable soap. Simply scrape your dishes off first, & then wash them in the soap bin. Then, give them a rinse and dry so they’re ready for the next meal.
Here are the items you should consider to help you clean your camp kitchen area:
- Trash Bags
- Paper Towels
- Biodegradable Soap
- Sponge
- Pan Scraper
- Small Wash Bin
- Dish Towels
Tip: Using your cooking pot as a wash bin is a great way to wash dishes so you don’t have to pack an extra item in your camp kitchen box.
Miscellaneous Camp Kitchen Items
These items can all be helpful when you’re cooking in your camp kitchen. You might not want to bring any of them, or you could just bring the few items that fit your needs while tent camping.
- Water Container
- Water Filtration
- Lantern
- Table Top
- Camp Chairs
- First Aid Kit
Water Container & Filtration
You could always bring water bottles to your campsite, but this isn’t a very efficient way to store water while camping.
Having a large water jug that holds several gallons will make drinking, eating, & cleaning much easier.
Plus, bringing a filtration system will ensure that you don’t run out of water while you’re camping.
Lantern
You will most likely have a flashlight or lantern already in your camping gear, but consider having one specifically for your cooking area just in case it is dark out while you’re cooking.
Table Top & Camp Chairs
If your campsite doesn’t have a picnic table, then you might want to consider some other form of a table top to cook on & chairs to eat on.
If you’re bringing a camp stove, then it’ll be a good idea to have a surface to cook on.
We usually get away with cooking on our truck tail bed or on our large camping cooler, but you might want to bring a small camp table with you just in case.
First Aid Kit
Accidents can happen, especially while you’re cooking. If you burn yourself or cut yourself, then it is a good idea to have a small first aid kit with you in your kitchen gear.
Camping Pantry
It makes camping so much easier when you have the small pantry items packed and ready to go for each trip.
Nothing is more tedious than having to pack salt, pepper, cooking oil, & other cooking essentials for EVERY camping trip.
Here is what we have on the camping kitchen essentials checklist that we keep in our camping bin to use for every trip:
- Cooking Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Spices
- Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate
- Powdered Creamer
- Sugar
Must Haves For Camping Kitchen
If you’re just getting started camping, then it’s a good idea to start small with just the bare essentials.
The following items are the must haves that we started out with in our camping kitchen:
- Stove or campfire grate
- Fuel (propane or firewood)
- Lighter
- Pot & pan
- Collapsible bowl/plate
- Utility spork
- Camping mug
- Sharp knife (or pocket knife)
- Oven mitt
- Trash bags
- Biodegradable soap & sponge
- Paper towels
- Plastic Ziploc bags
- Can opener
You can easily get away with cutting, prepping, & cooking your food with your dinnerware items instead of having separate cooking utensils.
This list is the bare minimum that we felt like got us by on our first few camping trips. The best part is that you already have most of what you need at home and won’t need to purchase these items.
As always, choose what works best for your camping situation. Just know that you don’t have to have it all right away. You’ll slowly build up your camping kitchen to fit your own needs over time.
Conclusion
Cooking while camping can be the best part of your trip. Make sure you have all of the camp kitchen essentials in your camping bin so you can cook delicious meals on your next trip. Using this camping kitchen essentials checklist will do just that.
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Basic Camping Packing List
If this is your first time camping, or you need a refresh, then here is a free download for our Basic Camping Packing List. It is a full list of the basic items you need to bring for a successful camping trip.
