A weekend camping trip can be a delightful way to relax and enjoy some quality time in the great outdoors. But between a sunrise breakfast with fresh coffee and kicking back around the campfire while roasting s’mores, keeping your camp kitchen clean and organized is important if you want to avoid small messes around the picnic table from quickly devolving into chaos or a free-for-all for hungry critters. Fortunately, with a few clever tips and tools, you can keep your camp kitchen organized, dishes clean, and mealtimes streamlined.
Organize Ingredients
Don’t wait til you’ve arrived at your campsite to get everything in order. Organization starts before you even pack up the car and get on the road. When you’re assembling ingredients, consider not just how it’ll all fit in the car, but how easy you can make meal prep once you arrive. One way to streamline food prep once you get to camp is to store ingredients by meal in separate bins or boxes.
For example, instead of cramming all your food items into one large tub, pack breakfast items into one smaller box, lunch items in another, and dinner items in a third. Then pack condiments and seasonings together in smaller storage containers. That way, no matter what meal you’re preparing, you can simply grab the corresponding box plus your container with seasonings and easily whip up a meal (or hiking snacks) without having to dig through a massive pile of foodstuffs. Label each clearly so there’s no confusion, especially if other campers will be chipping in to help with different meals
Have Dedicated Camp Cookware and Utensils
To make packing your camp kitchen supplies quick and easy so you can get out the door, consider having dedicated cookware and utensils that are just for camping, like a set of cooking utensils and this travel-friendly Outdoor Camp Cookware Set that comes with a handy storage bag.
Not only will it reduce time spent scrounging through kitchen cabinets for different pots, pans, and tools to pack before every trip (and then return to their rightful place when you’re back), but it helps ensure you have all the cookware you need whether you’re making your favorite chili, sauteing veggies, or whipping up any of these easy, one-pan camping meals. No more trying to improvise when you realize you forgot the tongs or spatula.
The cookware set also has a removable handle that fits all the pots and pans so your cookware takes up less space in your trunk or trailer. And the included silicone trivet means you won’t have to worry about burning your hands or a ring into the picnic table when you’re ready to serve.
Having a separate set of cookware just for camping also means you can simply wash them at the campground after you use them and store them so they're ready to go for the next trip. No unpacking, washing, and re-packing required when you get home.
Streamline Cleanup
Speaking of washing dishes, while the task is rarely anyone’s idea of fun on a camping trip, having a system in place can make the chore quicker and easier, so you have more time to spend with friends, family, and marshmallows around the campfire.
While some campgrounds have dedicated dish washing stations, it can be a hassle to lug your greasy plates across the property just to clean up after each meal. An easier solution: Bring your own wash, dry, and stow system.
Two bins with drainage plugs offer space for cleaning dishes (one for soapy water and one with clean water for rinsing) and a dish drying rack gives you a clean surface to rest plates, pans, and utensils as you towel them off.
Don’t forget a dish brush and dish soap to get everything squeaky clean and an absorbent towel for quick-drying and stowing.
Stash Securely
When mealtime is over and everything is clean and fully dry, keep all your camp cookware stored together and securely. You can do so by simply stashing plates, bowls, cups and utensils in your empty wash tubs which double as storage.
Instead of nesting the tubs into each other, simply slide your clean servingware into the bottom of one tub, stack the dish drying rack on top, invert the other tub and place it on top, and snap the lockable handles together for an easy and compact storage solution with all your dinnerware stashed in one, tidy place so it’s easy to find before the next meal (or next trip).
Bottom line
With the right tools and organizational techniques, you can keep your whole camp kitchen clean, streamlined, and a breeze to use every time you head outdoors.
