The Minimalist’s Guide to Camp Kitchen Essentials

Planning your camp kitchen essentials, whether for a weekend or a month, takes preparation and a lot of trial and error.

I aim to pack only what I need and nothing else—not even what if items—if I need something, I’ll pick it up along the way or do without (I find there are few needs, but many wants).

Since trial and error is a significant factor when deciding how to kit out your camp kitchen, learn from my trials (and errors) and check out my minimalist’s guide to camp kitchen essentials.

Everything I’ve listed below I use unless otherwise stated (some items are labeled wish list). Also, all Amazon links are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I earn a little gas money to keep me rolling. If you don’t want to click the links, that’s fine—just do a Google search as you would—but if you do click and purchase, I do appreciate your support.

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KITCHEN & COOKING

What’s better than camp coffee or a bone-warming soup on a chilly evening? One of my favorite things about traveling in my van and camping is cooking. I love waking up and grinding fresh coffee beans for my morning cup as much as I love prepping fresh veggies for a hearty lunch or dinner.

Here are the tools that make cooking (and clean-up) a breeze:

Coffee & Cookware

• Aeropress Coffee Maker
• JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
• Docooler 1.1L Ultra-Light Kettle
• Snow Peak Cook Set

I have added a small stockpot with lid from IKEA to my cookware set-up. It’s useful for a variety of things: salad bowl, soup pot for 2-4 people, and a place where I store easily bruised fruit and veg while I’m driving. Also works as an ice bucket.

Camp Stoves & Grills

• Stansport Propane Camp Stove, 20,000 BTUs
• Ohuhu Portable Stainless Steel Wood Burning Camping Stove
• Sunnydaze Portable Heavy Duty Campfire Cooking Grill (wishlist)
• UCO Flatpack Mini Portable Stainless Steel Grill and Fire Pit (wishlist)

Coolers & Water Storage

• Orca 20 qt. Cooler
• AO Coolers Canvas Soft Cooler with High-Density Insulation, 48-Can (wishlist)
• Hydroflask Insulated Stainless Steel Growler (64 oz.)
• Bluewave Lifestyle BPA Free Portable Refrigerator Bottle with Valve, 3 gallon
• WaterBrick – 2 Pack Blue with Spigot Container (wishlist)

I love my Orca cooler.

It’s adequate for two people. It’s heavy, and not cheap, and it holds ice for up to a week. The cooler has a simple drain plug—I save the water from the melted ice to use for dishwashing.

 

Cooking Tools, Knives, and Utensils

• Zyliss Set of 2 Paring Knives
• Toaks Titanium Sporks
• Zanmini Kitchen Cutting Boards, BPA Free (set of 3)
• DRAGONN Premium 12-inch and 9-inch Stainless-steel Locking Tongs (Set of 2)
• OXO Good Grips Brushed Stainless Steel Turner/Spatula
• Collapsible Measuring Cups and Spoons set—BPA Free Silicone
• OXO Good Grips Can Opener

Storage Containers & Organization

• Storex Small Cubby Bin, Assorted Colors, Case of 6. I use a similar type bin to keep spices, canned goods, utensils, etc. wrangled and neat.
• Glass Spice Jars (Set of Six)
• Steel Loose Leaf Tea and Spice Canisters with Latch Cover (4) (Definitely on my wishlist!)

Clean Up

• Collapsible Dish Tub
• Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap Citrus, 32 oz.

I use Dr. Bronner’s for everything—dishes, body, hair, muddy/dirty puppy paws, etc. In addition, Dr. Bronner’s can even be used for tooth brushing, but I’ve yet to try that!

BUT WAIT! I’ve just discovered No Tox Life’s dishwashing bar and it’s amazing! Plastic-free, vegan, no dyes or fragrances–truly zero waste!

As I think of things I may have forgotten, or add to my gear, I’ll update this list (while still trying to keep it an actual minimalist’s guide). I hope this gives you a start on building your camp kitchen—and remember—if you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me, here.