There are a lot of options for cooking but again your ability to carry the gear will
be the deciding factor for what to bring.
Camping outfitters sell most of what you would need.
There are single burner propane cook stoves that are light and pack very small so that you can carry it in a bag.
Canister stoves are small and portable they attach to the top of a canister of fuel, usually propane, butane, or a butane propane mixture.
You can also use the two burner propane stoves that are a bit bulkier. I don't think you'd want to carry much more than that as far as the stove is concerned.
If you have a trailer, or whatever, you can carry a charcoal briquette type barbecue.
You can bring what you need to build a wood fire.
Bring a machete, a hatchet or an axe if you need to get your own wood.
A lot of campgrounds sell bundles to campers.
Your tool kit should have something to start the fire.
Bring dry matches kept in a plastic bag or container or a cigarette lighter.
If you feel like spending a bit more $ get one of the propane barbecue lighters with a long shaft to keep yourself away from the fire.
Outdoor campfires are probably fun, but really the least practical way to cook. You have safety issues, and effort to build it as well as the clean up.
Water:
Safe drinking and cooking water are important. If you boil it, it should be OK, but there are some iodine tablets that you can add to purify water.
Follow the directions.
I remember that it made the water taste bad, but we avoided dysentery and other intestinal miseries.
Food:
This is definitely up to your taste, but some favorites are:
- Hot Dogs on a toasted bun with mustard and relish
- Bacon and eggs
- Pancakes
- Hamburgers
- Canned beans
- Corn on the Cob
- Sausages
- Steak
- Vegetable salad
- Veggies (frozen will keep other things cool in the cooler.)
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Macaroni
- French Toast
- Marshmallows
- Trail Mix - Beef Jerky
- Fresh caught fish (If you are near a fishing area)
- Pita Bread is better for sandwiches. It doesn't get crushed into a pulp like a loaf bread.
- Frozen fruit juice keeps other things in the cooler cold
- Coffee - Milk -Sugar
- Salt and Pepper etc.
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Above:
A trailer hitch cooler carrier with a cooler tied down with bungee cords.
These are the type that plug into the receiver for the trailer hitch.
Remove the trailer hitch and plug the cooler carrier shaft into the receiver.
It is held in place with a locking pin.
Below
Cooler mounted on the trailer.
This is a simple square rack that was welded on the bar.
Bungee cords are used again, to make it secure.
Be sure to keep the weight somewhere under 25 lbs.
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Ice:
You can get ice at most service stations in the summer, and if not a store close by will sell it.
It is a great way to keep food from spoiling and gives you something to cool your beverages.
You can buy the chemical ice packs that you freeze in a home freezer ahead of time.
They stay cold for a longer time than ice, and don't melt leaving a watery mess in the bottom of the cooler.
Remember to put them or ice on the top of your food.
Cold falls and heat rises. |
Pots, pans, dishes, silverware
The aluminum or stainless steel pots and pans are practical.
There are campers cook kits that are a nest of two cooking pans that double as a plate/bowl and inside you can carry a small cup and knife, fork and spoon.
Don't carry more weight in that stuff than you need. |
Washing the dishes:
You really don't want to pack dirty dishes so clean them all before you travel again.
Some campers use sand from a stream or pond to clean the pots.
The abrasive action works well.
There are "Green" dish soaps available that won't harm the ecology. |
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