Essentials for a Campsite Kitchen

There are few experiences that bring you closer to nature, and to your loved ones, than a family camping trip. Whether you’re loading up the pop-up camper to head to your favorite campground for a long weekend or planning to use a tent in the woods as a home base, the connection to the outdoors that camping creates is tough to describe. The sounds of the breeze through the trees and the solace of the fresh air are just plain invigorating. You’ve got to experience it to know the feeling.

Three key questions to ask before embarking on any camping excursion are how will food be prepared, what’s the plan for beverages, and how will said food and drink items be transported and stored once the camp site has been established?

When planning on which cookware items to take on the camping trip, keep these tips in mind:

Make sure they’re compact and lightweight, especially when tent camping. Versatility is another feature to consider. When trying to build out a makeshift kitchen or when working with limited space, it’s important to have items that can serve dual or multiple purposes. Durability and ease of cleaning are other features you will enjoy.

Cookware for Anywhere

Depending on the length of the camping trip, prepared, packaged foods are always an easy way to get by, but who doesn’t like a freshly made, warm meal cooked over a fire? A small propane camp grill is a great option if burgers, chicken or hot dogs are on the menu, but if a grill isn’t available, those three options can all be cooked using the Stanley Adventure Full Kitchen Base Camp Cookset. The name says it all: The 21-piece Base Camp Cookset provides nearly everything you need to prep, serve, and clean up meals. The 3.7-quart stainless steel pot is a quality option if preparing chili, soup or boiling potatoes. The stainless fry pan has a fold-out handle to make sautéing veggies or cooking eggs for breakfast a breeze. Four plates, four bowls, sporks, a cutting board, a spatula and serving spoon make serving campsite meals for a family easy and eliminates the need to haul disposable plates and cutlery from home.

When it’s time to clean up, there’s even a drying rack for the plates to rest on. The whole package weighs less than six pounds and takes up less room than a regulation size basketball.

Making meals ahead of time, especially for that first night, can save the hassle of having to unpack and prep a meal upon arrival at the campsite. To make that process easy, Stanley’s Adventure Stay Hot Camp Crock is a no-brainer. The leak-proof, 3-quart crock will keep your soup, casserole or pulled pork hot for up to 12 hours, giving you the luxury of having a warm meal at the ready once the campsite is set up.

Best Options for Hot and Cold Drinks

Camping and relaxing go hand in hand and let’s face it, whether it’s a hot cup of coffee or cocoa on a chilly morning, or a cocktail by the fire in the evening, a tasty beverage can enhance the experience.

Along the lines of the Base Camp Cookset, the Stanley Adventure All-in-One Coffee System provides everything you need to brew a wicked cup of coffee. The system includes a pot for boiling water, a French press, two drinking cups and a hidden compartment in the stopper that provides storage for your coffee grounds.

Stanley’s Classic Legendary Camp Mugis another campsite workhorse. The double-walled vacuum-insulated mugs can keep your morning joe piping hot, your Moscow mule chilled at night, and they’re also very kid-friendly!

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If a morning hike to do some birding is on the itinerary,, the Classic Trigger Action Travel Mug is the perfect way to take along 20 ounces of fresh-brewed coffee, tea or ice water. The slender design and push button operation make for easy one-hand drinking while the grip wrap and finger loop are hiker-friendly features.

Top Ways To Keep Food Cold

Getting the food to the campsite and keeping it chilled is always a consideration, and if fresh meat or poultry cooked over a fire or on a grill is on tap, a reliable cooler (or two) is possibly the most important key to any camping trip.

The 30-quart Stanley Adventure Cold For Days Outdoor Cooler will keep food and drinks cold for up to 4 days, and it’s deep enough to accommodate 2-liter bottles of soda. The gasket on the underside of the lid creates an ultra-tight fit when closed, ensuring what’s inside stays chilled. When closed, the cooler is big enough to be used as a seat, a step stool or even a side table next to a camp chair.

The 16-quart Adventure Easy-Carry Outdoor Cooler is a great take along option if camping plans include excursions away from the campsite, like a canoe trip. Its rugged design and roomy interior allow for myriad uses and it can hold 21 12-ounce cans while keeping ice frozen for more than a day. With the summer camping season in full swing, it’s important to be equipped with the right kind of gear, especially when setting up a mobile kitchen at the campsite. Versatility is key and Stanley has a host of solutions for getting maximum enjoyment out of family time spent outdoors – and making it delicious, too.