Camping has proven to be a true natural heritage experience. This being said, there will be so many activities to be done; this makes food much more necessary. Have you ever had an impromptu barbeque with no preparation? Well, for the most part, planning makes everything run so much smoother. So please have a look at our list of top 5 camping cooking necessities. You and your team of campers surely do not want to be the group that ate random wild berries for three days because someone forgot the stove.
1. Pots and Pans
In at number 1 we have the essential pots and pans. Having a large fire or propane stove would not do you much good without having the proper cooking ware. Ideally, titanium-cast pots and pans would be ideal, but due to the high price we suggest non-stick coated ones that will make cleaning much less laborious. A grill may seem like a better option, but the versatility of pots and pans cannot be compared. Having the ability to boil water may be the most key aspect of your whole trip.
2. Compact Stove(s)
The best camp foods are the ones from the fire or stove. On the market, there are several larger grills and stoves that weigh upward of 80+ pounds. The 1-3 pound(s) lightweight designs of the newer compact stoves are one of the propelling reasons to why campers love using them. In addition, they are relatively easy to clean and are much more affordable than say, your Coleman Portable range top. Compressed gas stoves are ideal for camping because of their adjustable temperature gauges and easiness of maintenance. Cooking with a campfire can be dangerous and very difficult in terms of temperature control; this stove will be more forgiving to novice cooks and mitigate burnt food.
3. Cutlery and Cooking Tools
One of the most commonly forgotten pieces of camping cookware tends to be the cutlery and cooking tools. We have combined the two at our number 3 spot because of the difficulty in determining which one is more important. In a more primitive past, lavish cutlery and cooking tools were nonexistent and our hands were ultimately, our utensils. This being said, we no longer live in such a primal state and understand the significance with both cutlery and cooking tools. When we are cooking burger patties for example, it certainly is not worth getting oil burns every time we need to flip them over. Another famous camping delicacy like soup would benefit greatly from cutlery. Therefore, do not forget these vital utensils, as we are no longer cavemen/cavewomen and can all enjoy eating in peace.
4. Disposable Plates and Cups
Some backpackers and campers prefer to buy non-disposable plates and cups made of materials like polypropylene and stainless steel, but this is generally not very cost effective when shopping for a larger group. To compromise with our advanced backpackers, we have put disposable plates and cups in at our number 4 spot. This alleviates some of the cleaning at the end, as well as, accommodates more careless campers who tend to put things down then walk away forever. Unless your whole group consists of veteran backpackers, I highly suggest choosing plates and cups that are disposable. This will definitely propel the cleanup stage of your trip and in the end will save your group water and time from washing dishes.
5. Cleaning Supplies
It is often that we get so excited for our camping trips that we do not bother to think about the less enjoyable moments that are to come. Be sure to include cleaning supplies like sponges, dishtowels and some robust biodegradable camping soap. By using soap meant for camping, the amount of water and detergent needed is much more sparing then the conventional dish soap. Please remember to wash your dishes about 200 feet away from any natural water source, as it causes harm to the aquatic life. In addition, wildlife will be attracted to the smells of that burnt bacon, so find a nice spot 200ft from the lake, but away from your site when doing dishes.