Your camping kitchen?

We've decided our TT is just not in the cards for awhile and frankly, anything we can tow won't be as nice as our tent so I'm looking for some good camp kitchen ideas. Usually, I just have a bunch of stuff thrown into totes which does ok, but not quick or easy to throw in the car and go. I'd love to see your set-ups or what portable kitchen you would recommend. We will have a griddle, crockpot, coffee maker and very small cooler/fridge unit. We don't own a camp stove but probably don't need one.

I don't have a portable kitchen, we just use the picnic table and 1 of 2 6 foot folding tables that we picked up at Wally Weird. We have the folding table at one end of the picnic table, that has our wash and rinse basins, then room for the dishes to dry, electric griddle, and 2 electric tea kettles to heat water. Our camp stove is on the opposite end of the picnic table. The gray tote under the folding table has all our extra dishes in it, pots, pans and extra cups, utensils. This has worked out pretty well for us as it keeps the picnic table cleared for what it is intended for, updating on the Camping forums. It keeps the table clean so everything is not cluttered.

The other folding table is in our tent with our towels and duffel bags on it.



Yes, those are two queen size air beds, a fan, carpet and then there is a 3 drawer plastic stand that is kind of a catch all. What else is in there, tent bag, ez-up bag, souvenirs from Destin, extra blankets to stay warm, it got could a couple nights, and a electric heater that the nice man in the motorhome next to us let us use.

We always take an extra table or 2, depending on how many people are with u . We always take our frig, keurig, crockpot, & electric skillet. That's roughing it with a tent! A fan, heater, lamp, rug, container w 3 drawers, table, end tables and a folding chair! Only 1 queen size bed tho in ours! Like to feel like I'm at home when I sleep! Hope to be camping there soon!! Just trying to nail down a date!!

Here is something a buddy of mine built.
http://canvascampers.com/index.php?topic=2418.0

parrothead64 said:

Here is something a buddy of mine built.
http://canvascampers.com/index.php?topic=2418.0

Click to expand...

I have seen instructions for these and similar setups. Although I don't need one for camping, I could use something like that for an "Outdoor Kitchen" at home on the Patio at times.

Loving these ideas!
Quick aside: My DH is a born and bred Coloradan and Eagle Scout. He grew up camping with just a sleeping bag and maybe a little mummy bag over his face if it snowed. I grew up in RVs at Ft. Wilderness. We were living in Colorado and had been married maybe 4 months when I declared I wanted to go camping and without running it by him, I bought a cabin tent and supplies. He says I do not camp. This is before 'glamping' became a common phrase.

I have: an air mattress with full linens (because I do not want to sleep on the ground), medical toilet now camping toilet (for late night tinkling when I am too far from the comfort station), fan (now a/c), the aforementioned kitchen including Crock Pot, small tv or computer hooked to wifi or cable, alarm clock, chairs, rugs and everything else for maximum comfort. He always shakes his head like he's afraid his man-card will be stolen away but secretly, he loves that this is how I camp. I get all the benefits of an RV and camping at Disney and still that sleeping under the stars feeling. We'll boondock if it's island camping, but for us it's pretty much car camping all the way!

I just had a small table with the fridge, griddle, coffee maker, crock pot etc on it and when something wasn't being used, it was tossed in a tote. Hate it. I really want something more organized and quick to throw in the car. Your ideas are great so far, keep 'em coming!

We are planning our first real tent camping trip this December (we've always stayed in a TT in the past). I'm loving all these great ideas! Thanks!!

I love seeing how others set up their camp kitchen when tent camping.

When we had our popup camper, I had a second set of cookware, dinnerware and appliances just for camping. I loved having a place for everything and everything in its place! But we downgraded to just our tents when we moved halfway across the country 8 years ago. So right now I do something similar to what you described: several bins with camping "stuff" and a 2-burner propane stove and I grab whatever else we need from our kitchen right before the trip. We have one camping folding table (like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Finether-Adj...-2-spons&keywords=camping+folding+table&psc=1) that I use for the stove and tuck the bins under it in between meals. While it makes for easy storage, it's not so great having to dig into them every time I make a meal. We have 2 coolers that we refill with ice - one for cold beverages, etc. and one for other foods.

I'd like to have more prep and cooking space, but I haven't found the ideal table/stand just yet. Everything is either too heavy/bulky to bring along or too wimpy/wobbly to feel okay cooking hot meals on it. I miss my popup camper kitchen setup terribly but we just don't have feasible storage solutions for a camper when we aren't using it (and hubby doesn't want to pay for storage away from home) so it's tents for us for now as well. I prefer to leave the picnic table clear for eating/playing cards/etc - and I still have a little one who I need to keep away from hot cooking surfaces, otherwise picnic table could double as meal prep space. Since we hardly ever camp rustic anymore as we always have electric at our sites, we can use a griddle and toaster oven instead of our propane stove and get a small fridge instead of cooler. Always on the lookout for better ways to camp

Ozark Trail Camping Outdoor Use Kitchen Cooking Stand

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Deluxe-Portable-Grilling-Camp-Table/35736761

We use one of these also. Holds everything in one area.

I have a question about the outdoor kitchen. Where/how do you store your food? I have a Cabela's camp kitchen that has two canvas hanging pantries. I've only used the kitchen on one camping trip, but I was afraid to put any food in the "pantries" because it seems like animals would get into it. What's been your experience?

Almost anything that is not in the cooler stays in the back of the car. We do leave some loaf cake in the tent for snacking and never had a problem. The only time we had a problem with the squirrels, DW made her self a peanut butter sandwich and left the newly open jar on the table, we went to the pool, came back and the lid was destroyed. Their was little pieces of it everywhere. We haven't had a problem with the maple syrup that we leave out all the time.

I was two weeks in a tent at FW. Sure camper was right out side... a cot is great. Extension cords & LED work light. Wish I would of had a small vacuum. Like a shark.

Kitchen - there are small/med BBQ grills. but dutch oven goes a LONG way. It's like duct tape and a Swiss army knife..

Make use of the picnic tables. We also take a fish cleaning table to have an outdoor sink. Its new and we drain into hookup with a hose under camper.