An Easy Guide On How To Cook Food While Camping

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There are many aspects to consider when you’re in the great outdoors.  One of the biggest things to plan for is how to cook food while camping.  This can be as simple or as luxurious as you want, but you definitely need to make a plan before you go.

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Cooking While Camping

There are countless ways to cook while camping, especially if you like a challenge. Here is a list of most of your options for how to cook while you’re out in nature:

• Camp stove (propane)
• Outdoor grill
• Open fire
• Grill grate
• Dutch oven
• Foil packets
• Hanging tripod
• Campfire grill grate
• Cast iron skillet
• Electronic cooking gadgets (with generator)

After a long day of hiking, cooking food while camping might be the last thing you want to worry about.  Or it could be your favorite part of the whole day and you want it to take a long time.

Regardless, you have to decide the best way for you to cook meals while you’re out in nature.

The type of camping you do will help determine how you can cook. For example, car camping versus backpacking will change which options you have for how you cook food while camping.  If you have a fire pit, then your options really expand. 

There are many different ways that you can prepare your food, so it’s important for you to weigh your options and decide on the best method for camp cooking.

Video

Check out our video about the different methods of cooking while camping:

Tips On Meal Planning While Camping

When you’re getting ready for a camping trip, you need to have a tight packing list.  That includes your food list.

It is a good practice to plan out all of your meals completely before you go on your camping trip.

You might even prepare your meals into large freezer bags so you don’t have to bring a whole bunch of different ingredient containers.

For example, pack your beef, beans, tomato sauce, & seasoning into a freezer bag.  When you get to camp, all you have to do is dump and cook your chili dinner.

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You can also plan your meals around each other.  Maybe you plan breakfast burritos for breakfast and then ground beef tacos for dinner.  Then you only have to pack one jar of salsa, one pack or tortillas, & one bag of shredded cheese.

When you’re planning your meals for camping, it’s a great idea to maximize your cooler space and pack as simply as possible with your ingredients.

You could also plan to use canned foods & other non-perishable food items during your camping trip.

Water While Camping

You want to make sure you have plenty of water for drinking, cooking, & cleaning while you camp. 

Your meals will need to be planned around your water supply.  Do you plan to boil noodles?  How much water is that going to take?

One great option is to have a water filtration system with you so you can easily replenish your water source if needed, especially if you’re camping right next to a water source.

We always bring a LifeStraw with us so we can drink water safely if we run out of our own supply.

Make sure you consider all the water you will need for cooking your food & washing your dishes when you’re planning on how to cook while camping.

How To Clean Up While Camping

Cleaning is by far the worst part of camping, but it doesn’t have to be!  Figure out what works best for you.

If you don’t camp often, you might opt for paper plates & bowls so you can easily dispose of them instead of cleaning.

When it comes to cleaning up after cooking, the BEST TOOL we’ve found is this pan scraper.  You can scrape all of the food debris from your pan & dishes so it is super easy to clean afterwards.

A lot of the time, we don’t even have to use soap and water to clean our pans because the scraper does such a great job.

Otherwise, you’re going to want to figure out how to wash your dishes with biodegradable soap and water (remember you need to be conscious of how much water you use!).

One option is to use your largest cooking pan as your washing bowl.  This eliminates having to pack an extra item just for washing.

Cooking Methods For Camping

Let’s look at all of your options for how to cook food while camping.  Then, you can decide which cooking method is going to be the easiest way for you.

• Camp stove (propane)
• Outdoor grill
• Open fire
• Dutch oven
• Foil packets
• Hanging tripod
• Campfire grill grate
• Cast iron skillet
• Electronic cooking gadgets

These are all of your options for a heat source to cook on while camping.  You’ll need to choose which one is the easiest for you to transport and cook on.

Camp Stove

A camp stove is generally run on propane.  There are many different options when it comes to a camp propane stove.

There are single burners, double burners, or even small backpacking stoves.

Single & Double Burner Camp Stoves

Single & double burner camp stoves are a great choice for camping.  You can typically buy a small propane canister and cook on it for several days.  

You just need to make sure you have room to transport the stove & also the proper pots, pans, & utensils to cook on it with.

A single burner stove is great if you’re by yourself or if you’re only cooking for a few people. 

You can plan to cook one-pot meals on the single burner.  Then, you don’t have to worry about multiple pots cooking at the same time.

A double burner propane camp stove works well when you’re cooking for a group of people.  This gives you the option to heat several food items up at the same time for your camping crew.  You could boil noodles on one burner and heat tomato sauce on the other.

You also have the option to heat up water for coffee while you cook your breakfast on the other burner.

A single or double burner camp stove is a good idea if you are camping at a campsite and can transport it easily.

Backpacking Stove

If you’re hiking and need to make your meals on the trail, then a backpacking stove is a great option for you.

These small camp stoves are easy to haul in your backpack as they weigh very little and don’t take up much room.

One thing to consider is how much fuel you’ll need for your trip.  It wouldn’t be fun to run out of fuel in the middle of your trip leaving you with no way to heat your food.

If you choose a backpacking stove, you can plan easy camping meals like instant oatmeal & freeze-dried dinners.  Then, all you have to do is heat water up on your stove and pour it into your meal.

This works great for cooking your food during backpacking and day hiking trips.  

We personally use the Jetboil & it has come in handy on so many occasions. It even has a french press accessory!

Outdoor Grill

If you have extra space for packing, you might consider bringing an outdoor grill with you on your next camping trip.

This is a great way to cook as you can just bring a bag of charcoal or a propane tank to last you for your trip.  Then, you won’t have to worry about hauling or finding wood every time you cook.

A portable grill, whether charcoal or a propane grill, is a good idea to cook for a whole group while camping.

You can easily cook raw meat on the grill, like steaks or hamburgers, and then heat up other foods on it if needed.

You can also use a grill basket to cook veggies on your grill.  Everything will have a heavenly, grilled flavor!

Open Fire

If you’re considering how to cook while camping, then you probably thought about cooking over an open fire.

If you have the right tools, campfire cooking is so rewarding.  You feel like you’ve accomplished something great after heating food over an open fire.

Everything tastes better when cooked over an open flame.  Even cooking hot dogs over an open fire can feel like you’ve made yourself a gourmet meal.

Just make sure you have the right tools to cut fire wood & start a fire if you are going to use this method.

Below are some options when cooking on a wood fire.

Roasting

If you plan your meals right, you can roast on a stick over your fire.  Hot dogs is an obvious, but you could also roast other meats over a fire.

We’ve had success roasting bratwurst and small chicken tender cutlets on a roasting stick over the fire.

You could also use a pie iron to heat foods.  This is a cast iron square sandwich holder with roasting handles. It is a great way to heat sandwiches or any other small food items that will fit into it over a fire.

Directly In Fire

Planning ahead for meals to cook directly in your fire is another option.  This is great because you don’t have to bring large cookware or a campfire grate with you.

“Hobo meals” or foil packet meals are a classic type of camping meal that can be cooked directly in your fire.  You just wrap simple ingredients in aluminum foil and then let it cook inside the fire until ready.

Make sure you have tongs or something to grab your foil pack meal from the fire when it is ready.

Cast-Iron Dutch Oven

Dutch ovens are another way you can cook directly in your fire.  Or you can also cook above your fire with it, but either way works great.

Dutch ovens are made of sturdy cast-iron and can withstand really high heat.  They heat your food beautifully. 

You just use hot coals and embers directly on top of your dutch oven to cook your food while camping.

We love using our dutch oven directly in the fire so we don’t have to travel with a grill grate or hanging tripod.

Hanging Tripod

Another method that campers use to cook while camping is a hanging tripod.  These come with attachments to hang your pots or a wok over the fire to cook on.

They can work great to keep your cooking materials out of the fire & also store nicely when folded down.

Cast Iron Skillet, Wok & Griddle

Cast iron is the best material to use when cooking on an open fire.  It is sturdy and won’t be discolored from the heat.

Depending on how your fire is set up, you can sometimes cook directly on it.  Otherwise, you’ll need a campfire grate to go over your fire to hold your cast iron.

If you’re in a pinch, then you might be able to set up some rocks close to the fire or in the fire to stabilize your cast iron.

Electronic Cooking

If you’re at a campsite with electricity or you use a generator, then you could always cook with electronics.

Some options for how to cook while camping with electronics are an Instant Pot, crockpot & electric griddle.

Cooking with electricity is only a good option to use if you can ensure you will always have electricity available to you while camping.

What Camping Gear To Bring For Cooking

Figuring out your heat source is only part of figuring out how to cook while camping.  You also need to know what gear and gadgets to use with your heat source.

Here is a list that you should consider when bringing your cooking gear for your next camping trip:

• Heat source
  • Stove
  • Grill grate
  • Firewood
  • Lighter
  • Fire starters
  • Propane cans
  • Campfire tripod
• Cooking pots & pans
  • Cast-iron
  • Dutch oven
  • Pot & pan for camp stove
• Cooking utensils (wooden spoons work great!)
  • Cooking spoons
  • Spatula
  • Tongs
• Coffee pot (like a french press or percolator)
• Oven Mit
• Seasonings
• Cooking oil (like olive oil)
• Cutting board
• Cooler & ice packs for food storage
• Ziplock plastic bags (for leftovers)
• Eating Utensils
  • Fork
  • Spoon
  • Knife
• Dinnerware
  • Bowls
  • Plates
  • Cups
• Paper towels or hand towels

Camping Meals That Don’t Require Cooking

There are also some options for you to have a quick meal without cooking.  Here are a few:

• Yogurt & granola
• Deli Sandwich
• Pinwheels
• Cheese & cracker plate
• Veggie plate
• Chicken wrap
• Chicken salad
• Peanut butter sandwich
• Overnight oats
• Precooked quiche
• Boiled eggs
• Salad packs
• Premade pasta salad

Full 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.

It covers what to bring for sleeping, clothes, personal care, food, cooking, & more.  Just fill out your email & we’ll send the download directly to your inbox.

Conclusion

Cooking while camping doesn’t have to be stressful.  Once you decide on your heat source and which cooking method will work best for you, you can easily plan for delicious meals while you’re out in nature.

There are many options when it comes to how to cook while camping, so you just need to choose which method is best for you.

FAQ About How To Cook While Camping

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