Last updated on June 24 2021
We love cooking and that doesn’t change when we go camping or road tripping in our campervan. We don’t subscribe to the thought of eating rubbish just because we aren’t at home. In fact, some of the best meals we’ve eaten have been done on tiny stoves in the camper or in our dutch oven. Here’s a list of items that make cooking in the outdoors much easier.
Dutch Oven
I love these things so much I wrote a separate article on why you should have one. In our opinion, they are an absolute must for any camper. There is nothing better than a hearty roast cooked in one of these. It cooks quickly, keeps everything super tender, and we’ve been known to keep the leftovers in here on a cold night out in the open air. Nothing can get into it.
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Pie irons
These are the best and can be used for cooking all kinds of things. We love to put some cheese, or spaghetti mince in between some fresh bread and toast them away. Nothing better on a cool day or night.
Grill
These are great for toasting and for the ones that go over the fire, great for cooking meat and burgers.
Portable gas stove
These often come in handy when we are camping or in the campervan. Sometimes the weather is too foul to be outdoors, or raining so difficult to have a good fire. Sometimes, it’s just an easier option. They are small enough to carry around and can be bought in one-burner or two-burner options.
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Electric stoves
Alternatively, if you are going to be in campsites where electricity is accessible, you can go the electric option. We don’t use these but I know plenty of people who prefer these over gas. The reason we don’t use them is because they are reliant on sourcing power which isn’t always possible. It also means you have to move your cooking into communal areas, away from your own patch.
Spirit burner stoves
We also have one of these and we love it. Whilst it does mean you have to top it up with spirits, they are so economical that you don’t need to do this very often.
Utensils
We’ve always got plenty of these on hand too. Spoons, spatulas, tongs, flips, They all come in handy at various times.
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Fridge or cooler
In the campervan we have an Engel refrigerator built in, but there are many portable ones you can buy. We also have an Engel fridge that is more portable. Alternatively, grab a cooler. They come in all sizes but are an important part of camping to keep food and drinks cold.
Camping pots and pans
If you are using the gas, spirit or propane stoves you will need some pots and pans of different sizes.
Coffee maker and teapot
There are some of us that can’t go without a cup of coffee or tea to get things going in the morning. I’m not one for coffee but I love our folding kettle.
Camping crockery
There’s no point cooking great food if you don’t have somewhere to put it.
Spare takeaway containers
We always have leftovers, so it’s important to have the proper containers to be able to store effectively.
Water bottles
We always take our own water when we can as we can’t always be sure of availability or quality.
Washing up items
It goes without saying that if you cook, you need to clean up.
Sticks for marshmallows, hotdogs and smores
What would camping be without these?
Tablecloths
It’s always nice to dine in a bit of style, or to cover a dirty outdoor picnic table in a public area.
Camping heat resistant gloves
Always a good idea when handling things that have come out of the fire, especially dutch ovens.
Fire tripod
These are great for hanging dutch ovens or other cooking devices from.
