To prepare campsite meals and feed yourself or family during your camping trip, at least some camping cook ware will be needed. Camping cook ware that is small in size and portable will make your camp cooking and packing for your trip less complicated. Backpackers who are camping will especially appreciate compact, portable camping cook ware. Camping cook ware can range from a simple single pot to a number of skillets and pots in different sizes that nest into each other for easy storage and transportation.
A main choice you will have when shopping for camping cook ware is the type of cook ware material. Aluminum, cast iron, titanium, and stainless steel are all available and each has their own merits. Aluminum, titanium and stainless steel cook ware sets will be lighter and easier to tote around. Aluminum camping cook ware sets may come in non-stick varieties, which will be slightly more expensive. Metal cook ware sets will all be prone to rusting, so be careful that your cooking pans are dry before you store them. Cast iron cook ware sets are especially durable, and can last you a lifetime with proper care. Because they are so sturdy, cast iron cook ware sets will be much heavier and harder to transport than cook ware sets made out of other materials.
Besides pots and pans, utensils and cutlery are other essential pieces of camping cook ware. Depending on what type of campfire foods you want to prepare, you may be able to get away with just a simple knife and spoon, or you may need a more elaborate utensil set including a spatula, measuring cups, tongs and forks. Folding utensil sets are available that allow for easy storage. If you are worried about storage space, a simple and cost effective solution is to purchase an all-purpose wooden spoon and saw off most of its handle, being careful of splinters from the sawed off end. Also, look for plastic cutlery sets including forks, spoons, and knives, for another cost saving way to find camping cook ware.
To minimize the need for lots of camping cook ware, there are a few camp cooking strategies you can follow. For example, much cooking preparation can be done ahead of time in your own kitchen. Vegetables can be chopped up and sauces can be prepared and stored in small containers or plastic bags. This allows you to leave behind the knives, cutting boards, stirring spoons, and other equipment that will take up room and need to be cleaned. Also, sticking to simple camp cooking recipes will allow you to reduce the number of camping cook ware pieces needed for your meal preparation. Aluminum foil cooking is a simple and easy method that creates hot, delicious dishes and the only cook ware needed is a roll of foil.