Having a complete cooking for camping set does not come easy. Outdoor gear can be expensive, and usually has to be bought in small doses. You might have a stove, but no spice kit. You may have a knife, but no fry-bake.
It’s a smart idea to figure out which friends have which items so you can divide and conquer, but if you are on a mission to have your own complete cook set, here are the essentials you will need.
Stove
Photo courtesy of Alex Chang - Cornell Leadership Expedition.
First, invest in a stove. Go for something lightweight and reliable (MSR has plenty of affordable options). Check out the Pocket Rocket, Whisperlite (a NOLS classic), or make your own!
Pot
Photo courtesy of Charlotte Klein.
Next, you will need something to cook with on your stove. You will definitely need a pot with a lid for boiling water and other simple meals. (Consider getting pot grips too, they are great if your pot doesn’t have a handle to prevent burnt fingers.)
Spatula
You need to have something to flip your pancakes and stir your mac and cheese. Spatulas can also double as knives for cutting cheese.
Knife
Photo by Anton.
A knife is useful for cutting your veggies and cheese. I don’t know what a backcountry chef would do without one!
Cutting Board (Improvised)
You can improvise and use the lid of your Nalgene bowl for a cutting board, or pack a small one if you are car camping and don’t care about extra weight.
Spice kit
Photo from Pixabay.
Spice kits are 100% necessary, and will rock your world if you don’t want bland food. Great additions to spice kits: salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, sugar, oil, yeast, hot sauce, soy sauce, and cinnamon, just to name a few.
Get creative and decide how you want to store them: small bottles, bags, straws, or pill containers work great. And make sure you label them; no one wants to mix up the soy sauce and the vanilla!
Soap
Photo from Pixabay.
Gotta stay clean, especially in the kitchen. Make sure to wash your hands before cooking and eating every time!
Bowl + Spork
Get a bowl with a lid. If it’s a short trip, your own tupperware works fine. If it’s longer, invest in a sturdy bowl with a lid. Having a lid is great for your leftovers and keeping dirt out of your bowl. For the spork (or spoon), get one that’s tough and won’t break. (I prefer titanium over plastic).
USEFUL EXTRAS
Fry-bake
Photo by Charlotte Klein.
If you are going to be out for longer than a weekend or want to eat like a king, get a fry-bake. Spend a little extra money and get a lightweight one—it will make all the difference. You can virtually make anything you want on a fry-bake: grilled chicken, cake, quiche, pizza ... you name it.
Food bags
You can use these to keep your food organized. TIP: If you don’t want to spend money on an expensive dry bag, waterproof your food bags by lining them with a trash bag to protect your precious food.
Bandana
Great for drying your dishes or wiping your hands after eating greasy food.
What are your backcountry kitchen essentials?
Photo by Autumn Mott.
Practice your backcountry cooking skills on a NOLS Expedition.
