There’s no better way to celebrate the end of a long day out in the wilderness than with a hearty meal. But with several limitations — from a lack of electricity to space and access to plumbing and running water — cooking while camping can pose a challenge. Fear not: dining alfresco is far more straightforward than you might think. “You can get away with the basic tools and can hack the average campground to make out-of-this-world meals so long as your travel essentials and provisions are properly stocked,” says Dimitri Komarov, owner of 1933 Group, who leads frequent camping excursions. “You can accomplish the quest even with minimal setup.”
When looking for the right camp kitchen gear, you want to focus on durability, weight and functionality, according to Komarov. “I like to do a lot of moto camping, so I either need to be able to keep it on my bike in the panniers or take a pack on our hike,” he says. “Either way, you want to limit the size and weight as much as possible without compromising functionality.” He also recommends planning your meals around the cookware you want to bring instead of the other way around. Due to a lack of electricity, you’ll need to get crafty with your cooling situation. He recommends, for example, having a cooler or ice bag for items you tend to grab more often, like drinks or perishable snacks, while keeping a separate Hydro Flask-style cooler bag with meats or frozen items that you open less often. “It will help keep things cooler longer,” he says.
If you’re anything like Erika Thornton, product and food science team manager at Patagonia Provisions, Patagonia’s sustainable food and beverage company, your camp cooking hinges on the specific needs and limitations of your environment. “I’m often in a leave-no-trace environment with minimal access to plumbing and water. This makes cleaning especially hard, so I try to eat food that is either fresh or requires only boiling water to prepare,” she says. “This also keeps my entire camping kitchen very small and allows me to pack it into a small bin.”
Whether you’ve got a multi-night camping trip or a day hike on the horizon, our expert-backed camp kitchen recommendations are bound to make meal prepping in the great outdoors a breeze.
Best portable camp kitchens
“This is the ultimate camp kitchen table for prep, grilling and storage,” says Underscored contributor Erica Zazo. “It’s super lightweight and packs down flat so it’s easy to pack in the trunk for car camping. I love this table for its versatility and ability to hold everything I need when cooking outdoors. Even though it’s light, it’s sturdy enough hold a double burner stove and cookware without falling over.”
“This comprehensive table may be the best thing we’ve found on Amazon — ever,” says Underscored contributor Heather Balogh Rochfort. “Not only is there tons of counter space for food prep but the system also includes a small sink area and multiple lower shelves for storage. We’ve ‘hosted’ camp dinners for 10 people using this table, and there is plenty of space for everything.”
“In our house, we call this the best thing we never knew we needed,” says Balogh Rochfort. “This hands-free faucet turns any water jug into a faucet to fill camp pots with water, wash hands or brush your teeth. It even lights up at night so you don’t end up wasting water in the darkness. Plus, it works double duty away from camp when you bring it to birthday parties, playgrounds and soccer games.”
Between its sink with an integrated hose, its overhead racks for quick drying and its generous workspace, this camp kitchen island is the perfect way to bring a dose of modern luxury to your campground. Its side-mounted storage also keeps clutter at bay while its portable design allows you to easily bring it from site to site or in and out of your car.
This all-in-one cooking center is bound to keep your entire campground well-fed, thanks to its four removable compartments to organize your utensils and belongings, its generous workspace for meal prepping and its surface that works double duty as a kitchen table. Compressible legs make it as easy to transport as it is to store.
To make the smoothest transition from home life to camp life, opt for this comprehensive kitchen starter set that contains everything you need to get the feasting party started: two storage boxes, a cutting board, a flat burner and a waterproof gear bag for storage as a sink, all stored on a standing steel frame.
Thanks to its aluminum top that resists heat, this stove-set cook station is a great option for camp cookouts. An aluminum windscreen allows for cooking in all types of weather while its tarpaulin fabric surface allows for easy cleanup.
Camping kitchen tables
“I love bringing this camp table with me, no matter if I’m planning on cooking big meals outdoors or just want a convenient place for setting things down at the campground,” says Zazo. “It’s super easy to set up and take down, as the top of the table rolls up and table legs collapse to fit conveniently inside the carrying bag the table comes in. It’s the perfect table for car camping and doesn’t take up too much room in the back of your car, either."
“I also adore this roll table from REI,” says Kai Burkhardt, Underscored outdoors editor. “It’s got plenty of room to put your stove on to cook dinner and can be set up or broken down in under a minute.”
“If you’re looking for a slightly more elevated camp kitchen table, this is your pick,” says Zazo. “Its bamboo top and aluminum frame are sleek and stylish. I love this table for setting out a big camp meal spread or using as a prep table to cook on when making food outdoors.”
“I’m obsessed with this table and used it for the entirety of 2020 when I visited every national park in my minivan,” says Underscored contributor Emily Pennington. “It can easily hold a 5-gallon water tank, plus a propane camp stove, and have a little room left over for chopping veggies with your crew.”
Komorov recommends “anything by Snow Peak,” since it’s “a Japanese camping brand with the best design of gear and great quality.” Start with this bamboo folding table compact enough to store in a backpack and it’ll come in handy during everything from mealtimes to late-night card games.
Camp kitchen organizers
This bestselling bin features a malleable design that allows you to pack far more of your belongings than meets the eye. It comes in your choice of a 100- or 140-liter capacity, features carry handles for easy transport and is made from a water-repellent reinforced polyester-nylon material that’ll keep your kitchen stuff safe (and dry!), even on moist campgrounds.
Whether you’re dealing with more delicate items or those with sharper edges you want to keep away from yourself or young ones, a durable, packable hard-shell plastic bin is always a smart investment for your next camping trip. Its detachable lid features a latch for leakproof security, and it’ll keep all your cooking gear safe, sound and upright if jostled in the car or at your campsite.
A hearty breakfast before an active day on the trails is no yolk. Joy Wilson, an avid camper known as Joy the Baker and author of the Camp Joy zine, recommends this convenient egg holder. “It’s a little plastic suitcase that holds your eggs for breakfast and keeps the cardboard from getting soggy,” she says.
“I love a small toolbox,” Wilson says. “This is where I keep all my kitchen gear that I need to cook in one place.”
If you’re in a leave-no-trace type of environment, Thornton recommends a garbage bag in the form of a Ziploc you can seal shut for extra cleanliness and packability.
“In some situations where it will be hot and sunny, I use a bag like this to dry out remains of fresh food like apple cores or any compost,” says Thornton. “This is specific to certain environments but very useful to cut down on weight and garbage.”
“If I’m car camping, I bring a cooler,” says Thornton. “The size varies depending on the situation and number of people.”
For a typical camping trip, Philip Tessier, an avid camper and chef at Press Restaurant brings “a paring knife, utility knife and a chef’s knife, carefully rolled.” For an added layer of security, pack your knives in this handy storage luggage that fits up to five knives, comes in several funky colors and is highly portable.
Camp kitchen utensils
“This knife set has all the tools you need for meal prep in the outdoors, minus a cutting board,” says Zazo. “My favorite part of this kit is the canvas wrap the knife set comes in, which helps keep your knives sharp and secure. The tongs are super helpful for pulling food off a grate over an open flame, and it’s helpful to have all your cooking utensils in one place so you don’t forget to bring them with you when you travel.”
“If you want to just grab one bag and go, this utensil kit from Front Runner is the one for you,” says Burkhardt. “With enough pieces for four people to eat, I love how fully equipped this set is. Plus, you can even hang it around camp for easy access.”
“It’s everything you need sealed inside your bowl,” says Balogh Rochfort. “The bowl is the container, but the lid flips off to become a plate. Inside, you’ll find a fork, knife and spoon. We keep one for every family member so you don’t have to worry about packing various dishware. Just throw the kit into your camp bag and you’re ready to go. Plus, the whole thing is constructed from post-consumer recycled plastic.”
“Fun fact: Biodegradable soap is better than traditional soap but it can still cause environmental harm,” says Balogh Rochfort. “That’s why we always use this food scraper while camping and (especially!) backpacking. The hard plastic end helps scrape off burned bits and stuck food scraps from pots and pans while the flexible side helps clean out food, sauce and other softer bits. Oftentimes, we can use just this food scraper and water to get our dishes back to normal (at least until we make it home to a dishwasher).”
“If your cutlery pulls double duty between the campsite and your work lunch, I really like this set by Opinel,” says Balogh Rochfort. “It comes with a stainless-steel folding knife, fork and spoon, so it won’t crack or chip. Plus, the wooden handle adds a little class to go with the included microfiber napkin that also doubles as a carrying case for the entire kit. Très chic.”
“Sometimes you’re cooking outdoors and you want to get a little fancy,” says Pennington. “That’s why I love having this handy all-in-one kitchen utensil set at the ready on all my road trips. It comes with a spatula, microfiber towel, small cutting board and knife, plus so much more. Get ready to go big at your next camping cookout.”
“I keep this nifty utensil set in my camp cook box because it’s got nearly everything you need to cook a full-blown meal in the woods,” says Burkhardt. “I use the silicone spoon on nearly every trip, and the tool holder acts as a carrying case for all the utensils so you can keep everything nice and tidy.”
“As a chef, I always like to have my tools wherever I go,” says Tessier. “On a day hike, I would say just bring a sharp pocketknife. Out here we’re always looking for miner’s lettuce, wild fennel, radish blossoms or something to spice up that sandwich or charcuterie.”
“You don’t need every kitchen gadget on a camping trip, but a sturdy spatula and long set of tongs will go a long way in making your camp cooking experience delicious,” Wilson says. Specifically, she looks for large utensils that are heatproof, and this comprehensive 15-piece set including a slotted spoon, kitchen tongs, a spatula and more certainly fits the bill with its noncorrosive silicone and stainless steel material, ability to withstand temperatures up to 446 degrees Fahrenheit and easy-to-clean properties.
For a seamless, litter-free dining experience, Thornton recommends a multi-combination utensil like this one featuring a fork, knife, spoon and bottle opener.
Camp kitchen stoves
“Despite my primitive goals and campfire cooking, context is critical to consider,” says Tessier. “Usually, I’m cooking for our family of five plus a few more, so as much as I’m having fun cooking over the fire, nobody wants to wait two hours for dinner after a long day of hiking. Additionally, we often have campsites that don't allow campfires due to the fire season, so being prepared for that is critical for us in California. For these moments I turn to the good ol’ Coleman camp stove. It’s compact, has two simple burners and is no fuss. It has enough output for a dinner for five in 30 minutes or less and provides a quick startup to the day if breakfast needs to be quick. I've had my stove for nearly 20 years and it still works like a charm.”
“I’m a big fan of one-pot meals and saving space when I car camp, mostly because my van is a tiny, space-efficient vessel,” says Pennington. “Coleman’s single-burner stove gives me everything I need to simply and effectively cook chili mac, stews and more on the go.”
For delectable hot meals on the go, grab this two-burner camp stove, perfect for larger (and hungrier) groups. It fits up to two 12-inch pans, features adjustable nonslip feet that keep the appliance secure even on uneven terrain and ignites immediately with the push of a button to provide 10,000 BTUs of cooking power.
Whip up hearty meals in a flash with the Jetboil Flash Cooking System that boils two cups of water in under two minutes. Its design is incredibly practical with its two-in-one burner and cooking (and drinking) vessel, its bottom cover that serves as a measuring bowl and its thermochromic heat indicator that changes color to promote safety and fuel efficiency.
Camp kitchen pots and pans
“This cooking set is truly amazing,” says Pennington. “It’s flexible, easy to clean and packs down to an ultra-thin pan size that’ll fit in the most cramped camp bin. Boil water in the kettle for hot cocoa, fry eggs in the morning in the nonstick pan and enjoy the ease of the silicone pot’s built-in pasta strainer lid. It’s high-concept design at its finest. Tack on the Alpha 2 Pot Cook Set if you want some extra mugs and bowls.”
“I bring this cook set on every single camping trip I go on,” says Burkhardt. “Whether I’m backpacking or car camping, this ultra-packable set makes cooking at camp so easy. The silicone sides of the bowls mean they fold down flat, but the largest pot opens up big enough to boil nearly three liters of water.”
“I’m a minimalist when it comes to camping kitchen gear,” says Tessier. “Nothing makes me happier than a Lodge pan straight on the coals and nothing else.”
You’ll likely be boiling lots of water on your trip either to sterilize your water or cook your frozen or raw foods. Thornton recommends this small pot made of titanium that keeps it lightweight.
With its nesting design for easy storage, integrated measurements and lightweight builds with built-in straining holes to omit the need for a colander, this 3-liter camper cook set will make it a dream to cook up your favorite meals that remind you of home.
Camp kitchen accessories
“I like to have something that protects me from the heat, like a pair of gloves,” Wilson says.
In case there isn’t a table or other cleaner surface available, Thornton relies on this thin diaper changing pad “to put down for my food prep surface.”
Thornton suggests a small cutting board for food prep preferably made of plastic since it’s lighter weight and easy to clean.
Instead of logging wood for each meal, an easy-to-reach BBQ lighter will go a long way in making food prep so much simpler, according to Thornton.
Thornton loves these small refillable liquid containers with a packable 1.7-ounce capacity for the likes of olive oil and other essential condiments.
Tessier doesn’t camp without the Bodum French Press designed uniquely for taking on the road. “It's just a good way to make a solid cup of coffee,” he says.
Thornton recommends this Underscored-approved mug with a lid and a handle “so I can carry my cup around on a belt or backpack and keep it clean,” she says.