Some of the best meals I’ve ever had have been outside, saddled up to the car at the campground or miles into the backcountry. Maybe I was just hungry after a long day kicking around in the mountains. Or maybe food tastes better when it’s eaten outside. Either way, having a dialed camp kitchen makes those meals enjoyable to eat and cook.
Over the years, my setup has evolved as I’ve developed new systems and collected new gear. Once upon a time, my camp kitchen was pretty rudimentary. Those days are long gone, though. Now, I’ve got my favorite stove, table, utensils, cookware, hot sauces, and even a kitchen sink (that’s not a figure of speech).
Sometimes, I worry I’m more equipped to cook outside than in my home kitchen. But there are worse problems to have.
In short: Building your camp kitchen is almost as fun as using it. So, as you prepare for camping season, here are some things to consider to dial yours in, develop your systems, and delve into the wide world of cooking outdoors. We’ve included discussions of gear, cookbooks and recipes, tips, tricks, and hacks to refine — and perhaps perfect — your camp kitchen and outdoor cooking game.
Getting the Gear, Building a Kitchen

It’s rare that anyone buys all their camp cooking and kitchen gear at once. Most of us have cobbled together our camp kitchens over years of camping trips. Some of the gear in mine isn’t even made specifically for camping. A lot of it is, but I also use my camp cooking arsenal as a retirement plan for my actual home kitchenware.
Regardless of where the gear came from, here are the essentials for any camp kitchen.
Tableware

Utensils and Silverware

Choosing Your Stove(s)

Cookware

Camp Kitchen Furniture

Keeping It Clean, Organized

Cleaning Camp Kitchen Gear

Organizing Camp Kitchen Gear

Camp Cookbooks and Recipes

11 Pieces of Our Favorite Camp Cooking Gear

Primus Kenjia Stove: $210

AeroPress Coffee Maker: $40

Jetboil Flash Cooking System: $130

Sea to Summit Detour Collection Camp Cookset: $200

Sea to Summit Kitchen Sink: $23-33

Dometic GO Hydration Water Faucet: $100 and Dometic GO Hydration Water Jug: $70

BearVault Food Canister: $84 and Ursack Bear Bag: $110

Opinel Nomad Cooking Kit: $85

Swiss Advance Crono N5 Pocket Knife: $27

Camp Chef Pro 16: $350

EcoFlow Glacier Portable Refrigerator: $1,100

Frequently Asked Questions

What is camp cooking?
