camping kitchen

How to Set Up the Perfect Camp Kitchen

/ Bush Cooking / By

Follow these camping kitchen setup ideas, steps, and equipment checklists to take your camping cooking to the next level.


Cooking a delicious meal under the open sky is one of the best parts about camping. Food just tastes better when you eat it from a camping chair under earth a starry sky. 


Although, there’s a fine line between blissful bush cooking and stressed-out camp catering. This really comes down to how well-prepared you are in the kitchen. 


With a few clever tools and tactics, you’ll be able to turn any campsite you set up into the outdoor kitchen of your dreams. This guide will explain exactly how you can do this. 


What Do You Need for a Camping Kitchen Setup

First things first, let’s make sure you bring along all the right equipment. You don’t want to be halfway through cooking a steak in the middle of nowhere, only to realize you left your steak knife behind.


Here is a general campaign kitchen equipment checklist to remember before you head out into the wilderness:


We also recommend always having an essential ingredients box on hand when you pack for a camping trip. Using a large toolbox for this works really well. Fill the box with things like salt and pepper, oil, napkins, skewer sticks, spices, vinegar, etc. Now you can easily grand this box and take it along on any camping trip.


Consideration for Your Camping Kitchen Equipment

Woah, hold up, that’s a lot of equipment!


Don’t worry, you don’t need to bring all of this along with you on every camping trip. While the best campers always come prepared, your camping kitchen equipment setup should depend on:


  • How you’re traveling: If you’re hiking or bike-packing to your destination, then you’ll want to scale back on your kitchen equipment and only bring the basics.

  • Your menu: Try to plan out a menu in advance and only bring the tools you need to make this menu. This will help you avoid dragging around any unnecessary equipment.

  • Cooking options: Will you be able to cook over an open fire, or does your campsite restrict this? This determines what kind of camping equipment, and cooking fuel, you need to bring.

  • How many campers: The more campers you’ll be cooking for, the bigger the cooking equipment you’ll need. If you’ve ever tried to cook for eight people using a pot designed to hold two portions, you’ll know just how important this is.

  • Space-saving equipment: Always try to buy kitchen equipment designed for camping, as this comes with clever features and space-saving designs – like this pot set. It will make your life a lot easier.

These are simple considerations, but they’re super important to make before you pack for your camping trip.


How to Set Up the Perfect Camp Kitchen in 10 Steps

Now that your gear is packed and organized, here are the ten essential steps and tips you need to keep in mind when setting up your camping equipment. 


1. Choose a Flat and Protected Space

To start, locate a level and open area where you can arrange your cooking area. It’s best to choose a spot that provides some protection from gusts of wind. 


It would be best if this spot is within 10ft of your eating table and at least 10ft away from the fire, allowing people to move between the two without any risk. Additionally, if you plan to use a tarp to cover your cooking area, ensure that there are trees close by to fasten the tarp.


2. Be Smart About How You Place Your Tables

After that, arrange your camping table, which will serve as your primary work area. 


If you have two tables, set them up in an L-shape, or if you have three tables, arrange them in a U-shape for more convenient access to all your tools and equipment. If you wish to engage with other campers while cooking, position yourself in a way that allows you to face them while they gather around the campfire.


Lastly, in case you don’t have sufficient tables, you can improvise by using your camping bins, coolers, and picnic table to prepare your meals.


3. Shelter Your Equipment and Food

Once you’ve arranged your tables, it’s a good idea to cover your kitchen using either a pop-up shelter or a tarp. This will safeguard your food and equipment from rain and prevent overheating from a combination of UV rays and heat from the stove when it’s sunny.


If you opt for a pop-up shelter, ensure that there’s sufficient space between the shelter’s pillars and the table’s edges, enabling you to move freely and work comfortably while remaining protected from the elements. 


If you’re setting up a tarp, make sure that the center of the tarp is slightly elevated than the edges to prevent rainwater from accumulating on the roof.


4. Set Up Your Camping Kitchen So That it Flows Well

Now it’s time to set up your actual kitchen, and the key is to consider both the chef’s and the campers’ perspectives. You need to organize your setup in a way that enables you to work efficiently and the campers to move through the line effortlessly from plate-grabbing to seasoning their food.


Begin by arranging your camping plates and bowls at one end of the table. Next to that, set up your prep area with chopping boards, and next to that, place your stove or grill, with your pots and pans on top so they don’t take up surface area. 


Next to the stove, lay out condiments, sauces, napkins, and utensils. Move everything a little closer to your side of the table, creating enough space for campers to set down their plates while they add salt and pepper on the other side.


Once everything is set up, walk around to the other side and envision yourself as a diner. You want to be able to pick up a plate, head directly to the stove or grill to serve your food, add any condiments, grab a knife and fork, and move to the picnic table with minimal hassle or backtracking.


5. Under-Table Storage is Valuable Space

You don’t have to unpack everything all at once, and a great spot to keep your bins and coolers out of the way yet accessible is underneath the table. Your food cooler should be placed beneath the area where you’ve set up your chopping boards, while the bin holding your camping utensils can go directly under the stove to ensure you can easily grab a spatula when it’s time to cook.


To keep your drinks cool, it’s best to place your drinks cooler in the shade. However, make sure it’s not somewhere that other campers are constantly underfoot, trying to grab a cold drink while you’re busy cooking.


6. Set Up a Camping Bar

Camping is thirsty work! When it comes to beverages, it’s a good idea to set up a separate drinks station if you have enough space. You don’t want people constantly interrupting your cooking to grab a drink. 


If you have multiple tables, consider setting up a separate table for water, tea, coffee, and mugs. Alternatively, if you only have one table, position the drink station at the end of the table, but facing a different direction, so that people getting more tea or coffee aren’t blocking those seasoning their food. 


Make sure the drink station is close enough that you can easily fetch water for cooking.


7. Be Smart About Dish Washing

When it comes to washing dishes at camp, everyone is responsible for their own. If you have enough space, designate a corner of one of your tables to set up a basin and sponge for washing dishes. 


While you’re cooking, heat up some water and when dinner is ready, empty the hot water and add biodegradable soap to the basin. Soak any dirty pots, pans, and utensils in soapy water while you eat. 


Scrub the dishes after dinner, and let the campers wash their own plates and return them to the table once they’re finished. This way, you’ll have a stack of clean dishes ready for the next meal.


After all the dishes are clean, you can use the leftover soapy water to put out your campfire before going to bed.


8. Have a Clear Trash System in Place

It’s best to have separate trash bags for food scrapings and recyclables. Place them away from the eating area, but near the dishwashing station so that campers can scrape their plates and wash them. 


Keep in mind that these bags should be secured at night to prevent local wildlife from getting into them, and they should be taken with you when you leave.


9. Include a Hand Washing Station

In case there are no toilets with running water, it’s important to have a hand washing station. However, you don’t have to sacrifice valuable table space for this. 


One option is to hang a water bladder from a nearby tree using a carabiner, making sure the spout points downwards. This way, you can soap up, unscrew the spout, and rinse your hands easily. Alternatively, having a bottle of hand sanitizer on the table is also a good option.


10. Keep it Simple

You’re outdoors to enjoy yourself, kick back, and soak up nature, right? So the last thing you want to do is overcomplicate your life with a bunch of unnecessary kitchen gadgets and utensils!


Keeping your camping kitchen setup simple is really important. It reduces the time and effort required for setup and cleanup, allowing you to spend more time enjoying your trip. It also minimizes the amount of gear and supplies you need to bring, making it easier to transport and store. 


A simple camp kitchen also makes the cooking process itself more straightforward and less overwhelming, which can be especially important for inexperienced campers.


To keep your camping kitchen setup simple, focus on the essentials – a stove or grill, a cooler, a few pots and pans, basic utensils, and a way to wash dishes. Avoid unnecessary gadgets and equipment that will take up space and add complexity.


Summary

Your camping kitchen is one of the most important parts of your camping experience, so make sure you take the time and effort to set it up properly. By following these steps, you’ll be able to create a camping kitchen that works smarter, is easier to set up and break down, and helps you access the right tools whenever you need them. 


If you’re ready to level up your camping game (and camping comfort), then be sure to tick off all the camping kitchen equipment items on the list above. Great equipment and being well prepared really is the secret to joyous camping.