spend any time At a campground in a backcountry or even a local state park, you’ll quickly realize the importance of eating outdoors. Not only do you need the calories needed for a hike, but a good meal can help ease the pain of a long day and turn a rainy trip into a trip that at least we eat well.
Taking your kitchen outdoors is not always as simple as it sounds. I used to be a professional chef and led quite a few groups through the wilderness, and during that time I discovered what every professional guide knows: Food makes or breaks a trip. Here, I’ve rounded up ideas for everything from gear you’ll need to meal planning advice. There’s something here for everyone, whether you’re new to camping or a seasoned tent spreader. Be sure to check out our outdoor guide for more tips, including the best camping gear and best tents.
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The Basics: A Good Stove
For car camping, I recommend a two burner stove. The size of the furnace really depends on the size of your team. For groups of five or less, your best bet is this Coleman Classic 2-Burner Propane Camping Stove. It strikes a good balance between cost, cooking power, and size. If you’re going out with a larger group, you’ll either want to use a few stoves or something like the Camp Chef Pro 60X Deluxe ($320). Our guide to the best camping stoves includes more suggestions if you feel neither is right.
Finding a good backpacking stove is trickier because weight is more important. In fact, ultralight hikers will argue that you don’t even need a stove, just bring ready-to-eat meals. But for the rest of us, a good hot meal can really mark the difference between survival and true pleasure. I have used and love the Primus Firestick ($90), perfect for a meal for two.
If you’re going out alone, the Jetboil MiniMo ($155) is your favorite. If you have a larger group, my suggestion is to split the food into two pairs, one stove for every two people. Sure it’s possible to cook more on a backpacking stove, but I find it more of a hassle than just bringing an extra portable stove.
a good cooler
The best coolers are the Yeti Tundra series. I wish the most expensive option wasn’t the best, but it is, and it’s impressive. I’ve been testing the Yeti Tundra 45 for a couple of months now, regularly cooling it from a block of ice for a week. At 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, even a few bags of ice cubes usually last three to four days. Once it gets hotter, performance drops (and humidity makes it melt faster), but it’s still better than anything you’ll get from other coolers. Yetis aren’t cheap, but they’re nearly indestructible and outperform everything else we’ve tested.
If you don’t have enough camping to justify the snowman’s cost, I’d recommend picking up anything from your local store. In terms of performance, most other coolers are about the same.Be sure to have something with enough space for your food and ice. Most cooler manufacturers recommend a 2-to-1 ice-to-cargo ratio, but I’ll admit I rarely do this while camping for a week with a family of five. In my testing, the 1-to-1 ratio was more realistic and still seemed to keep my food cold enough.
Whatever cooler you use, it should be stored properly. If you’re in bear country, that usually means in the provided metal storage bin. Wherever you are, keep your refrigerator out of direct sunlight as much as possible, and make sure the lid stays sealed. Open the food cooler as little as possible to retain the cool air inside. One way to reduce airflow and make the ice last longer is to bring a separate beverage cooler so you don’t keep turning the main cooler on and off just to get another drink. I also recommend making your own ice cubes if you have space to freeze.
camping table
If you’re going to a campground, you might have access to a picnic table, which you can use to cook, but that takes up space for dining. A good camping table is essential if you have a larger group or don’t have access to a picnic table. Unfortunately, as of this writing, I haven’t used a camping table that I really like that is still available for purchase. The best thing I’ve used lately is this table from Alps Mountaineering, it’s fairly stable, packs nicely and is small, although it feels cheap.
Another option is the more affordable plastic folding table you can find at most big box stores like Walmart. I’ve used this 4ft Mainstays model ($40) while camping, and it does the job, although it warps over time; the metal stove also slides on it, so be careful when cooking.
Camp Cooker
You’ve safely stored your food on plenty of ice, and your stove is on the table, now it’s time for the actual cooking. what do you cook with? First, just bring some pans and cooking tools from home. I happen to cook almost entirely out of cast iron, which is great for car camping as it is very durable and holds heat very well. But it is very heavy.
If you don’t want to bring a nice frying pan from home, another option is to go to your local thrift store and get some cheap frying pans that you don’t mind messing around in camp. But if you’re looking to take camp cooking to the next level, consider a Dutch oven. Dutch oven cooking takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, there’s almost nothing you can’t do. I own and recommend the Lodge 6-quart model with a flat lid. The lid doubles as a frying pan.
meal plan
Photo: Westend61/Getty Images
Cooking in a campground or backcountry can be as simple or fancy as you want. Whether you prefer hot dogs on skewers or alder smoked trout with radishes and herb aioli, there are a few things to keep in mind when planning a camping meal.
