Cooking tips for campers generally include food recipes. These cooking tips are meant to serve as a start-up guide to help new campers prepare for camp cooking. They’ll also help new campers learn how to handle and store food while camping.

1. If you plan to do a lot of camping, you should consider buying a set of dishes, cookware, silverware, washrags, towels, dish rack, soap, and all those other necessary items, and put them aside just for camping. You can store everything in a plastic bin that has a lid. Having these necessary items packed and ready to go can save a lot of time when you’re packing for a camping trip.
2. Don’t skimp on your camping stove. Camping stoves come in three styles: family camp stoves, backpacking camp stoves, and mountain cook stoves. Research each kind of camp stove and decide which one will suit your needs. Most general campers who are feeding a family opt for the family camp stove, but if you’ll be doing a lot of climbing and hiking with your gear attached to you, you may want to consider one of the other stoves.
3. Plan to bring a cooking grate to put over the fire or grill in case the campsite you stay at does not have a grated grill.
4. Plan out your camping menu well in advance so you know exactly what you’re serving at every meal. Plan at least one meal that the entire family can get involved in cooking—such as hotdogs.
5. Measure out all of your dry ingredients and put them in zipping plastic bags. Be sure to label the bags so you’ll know what each contains.
6. When possible, cook your first couple of meals at home in advance of the trip, even if it means you may have to reheat them. This is truly an energy saver after a long day of traveling and setting up a campsite.
7. Instead of using ice cubes in your coolers, freeze a few blocks of ice in your freezer. They won’t melt as fast ice cubes.
8. Make sure any raw meat you are taking on your trip is completely frozen before you place it in your cooler.
9. Have a backup can opener in case your original quits cranking. Aluminum foil is a camper’s best friend. Use it to wrap foods that can be cooked on the grill like sliced vegetables. Just be sure you seal the ends well so all the yummy butter and seasonings don’t drain out.
10. Always pack instant rice and dried soups. These can be fixed quickly and can save the day when you have hungry campers needing a quick meal.
11. Store your matches in a waterproof container. If you’re going to be camping where it’s very cold, put your matches in a metal container. Plastic containers can bust if they get dropped when they’re very cold.
12. Food smells can get into your tent from the food itself and from the smoke that comes off the stove/grill. This can attract wild animals, specifically bears, to your campsite. When it comes time to do your cooking, don’t cook anywhere near where you have pitched your tent. It’s recommended that you do your camp cooking a few hundred yards downwind of your tent’s location.
13. Only cook what will be eaten. If you do have leftover food, dispose of it far away from the campsite in bear proof containers, if possible. Your goal is to keep food smells away from your campsite.
14. Clean your cooking utensils and dishes immediately after you’ve eaten, and if you smell like food or smoke, wash up and change your clothes.
15. Don’t leave leftover food sitting out, and make sure your food is out of sight and in locking containers when you’re not eating. This will cut down the likelihood of a bear wandering into your campground to eat a watermelon or cake, you have on your picnic table.