Gluten-free Camp Cooking: What to Pack (Part 1)

Heading out on a camping trip? Whether using a camp stove, fire pit, or outdoor grill, this packing list has you covered! The items on this list make it easy to create delicious and healthy meals in the great outdoors. While this article focuses on cooking gear, Part 2 details your shopping list for that pre-trip grocery run.

Welcome to your gluten-free haven: the Great Outdoors! While there are a few exceptions (ahem... a wheat field, or maybe a really popular picnic table), the great outdoors is your most versatile gluten-free oasis.

Here's why camping is perfect for the gluten-free lifestyle:

1. Everyone brings their own food. Public parks are not restaurants, so you're not considered a weirdo for packing a picnic!

2. No one is cooking with flour in the park. No particles in the air, no accidental spill, and just in case there is the rogue pancake maker, there is lots of space to   s p r e a d   o u t !

3. Look at all those gluten-free surfaces: the ground, logs, rocks, sand, you name it! You may want to be a little wary of the top of the picnic table. I bring a tablecloth with me if I’m planning to use it.

4. Someone (or thing) to pick up all the nasty gluten crumbs for you! And since they're in the magical form of cute little animals (birds, chipmunks, squirrels, etc.) you get to feel like Snow White.

Packing and cooking are easy and fun when you're outside. Here is my cooking-related packing list for a multi-day camping trip:

Core Kitchen Kit

If you’ve been part of the community for a while, you already have most of these items assembled! Use the Flight-Friendly Packable Kitchen for a minimalist approach, and the Packable Kitchen 101 if you’re looking to use items that are already around your house or are more into “glamping” (short for glamorous-camping). Links to specific products I use are included in the posts. You will need to bring enough bowls/eating utensils to accommodate each person in your group. 

Optional Add-ons:

•  Hot beverage mug

•  Coffee maker (french press, or if going lightweight, I bring this drip filter)

•  Cooler with ice

•  Tablecloth

Depending on your method of cooking, you will also want to bring some of the items below:

Cooking over a fire or on an outdoor grill

Many campsites have a grate/cooking surface you can put over the fire. There are often also charcoal grills in established campsites. In this case, you will want to bring:

•  Aluminum Foil - You can create foil pouches of food and throw them on a grate/grill. I also recommend putting a layer of foil over the surface of the grill (before it gets hot) so you are not placing your food on the same surface where others are toasting bread.

•  Oven Mitts

•  Fire Starters (recommended)

Optional:

•  Pot or frying pan that you don’t mind getting sooty. You may want the pot for boiling water if you are a coffee/tea drinker in the morning.

•  Metal skewers for marshmallows, sausages, etc

Cooking with a camp stove

You will want to bring:

•  Stove - I use this Coleman single burner stove. There are many options, but this is the one I use currently for packability, versatility, and frugality. While I sometimes wish I had a two burner stove when traveling locally, I am glad this one fits nicely into my luggage when my trip involves flight travel.

•  Fuel - Most camping stoves use propane, but you will want to double check your model. The stove linked above uses a very common sized propane canister. You can find it at any outdoor store in the USA and in many places internationally. They are often frequently available at gas/petrol stations as well as outdoor stores.

•  Lighter/Matches

Simple and easy, am I right? If you keep your packable kitchens assembled, getting ready for any trip is a breeze. Your next step is to plan your camping grocery list with these helpful guidelines. Bon voyage, and have fun!

❤ Jamie

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