Kelty Base Camp Kitchen

Wanna spice up your camping repertoire?  Literally?  Making elaborate meals outside is so much fun, and if you're car camping, why hold back.  Kelty's Base Camp Kitchen will keep you organized, facilitate preparing more complicated meals (bye bye ramen and oatmeal), and keep picnic table space free.  Also--it's light weight at 18lbs which is important.  I once had an REI camp kitchen, but it was so big and heavy (around 30lbs) that it was unwieldy for me to manage myself and ultimately too much trouble to bother with.  The Kelty is something I can handle on my own and find well worth the effort.

It comes in a carry case, and set up is simple, the whole thing unfolds and comes together with ease and tears down just as easily.  There's a storage compartment for gear (it's a pantry, but I'd be very careful about storing food in there, we put ours in the car while we sleep lest racoons or bears decide to raid the kitchen).  The whole unit is compatible with Kelty's Binto system, but works wonderful without it. 

There's a space for your two burner stove with a removable wind screen, and two counters for food prep.  There's also plenty of extra space for hanging tools and towels, and a handy shelf under the stove which we used to store water.  It really makes cooking at camp such a pleasure.  We made black beans and rice, stir fry, and blueberry pancakes, among other things, and it couldn't have been easier. 

Having a kitchen area at your camp site just makes things run smoother, particularly if you have kids.  The more organized you are, the more time you have for play, and this definitely makes food prep go faster.  Once you use this, you won't want to go without it and you'll wonder how you managed before.  It's a big upgrade to the car camping experience.  Find it HERE.

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Wholesome Sweeteners: AGAVE TO GO

Are you an agave nectar user who wishes you could take it everywhere with you?  Well now you can with Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Agave Packets.  This is so great for travelers, campers, and folks that just want to take it to work or school. 

Wholesome Sweeteners is a great brand, they are Fair Trade, Organic and quality.  I like every single product I've tried and was thrilled to find this new option.  Agave can be messy and you would probably never consider taking a bottle traveling.  This solves all of that--brilliant idea!  Perfect for all your summer needs (picnic anyone?).  Find it HERE.

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Gourmet on the Go with GSI's Kitchen 23

GSI's Kitchen 23 was designed with camping in mind, but I think it's great for travel too.  With pretty much everything you need to create healthy gourmet dishes, this 23 piece portable kit is fabulous for car camping and for car travel.  It comes in a sleek carry case with a semi-hard shell to keep your supplies organized and protected.  You can remove certain items and add your own preferences, and there's room inside for more stuff if you'd like to include extras.  I added some Dr. Bronners biodegradable soap and some utensils and additional spices and there is still room for more.

A hearty well prepared meal is such a treat on camping trips.  Food tastes so much better outdoors and after a day of adventure, it's even more pleasurable.  Figuring out all the stuff you need for food prep can be tedious, as well as trying to keep it all organized.  The Kitchen 23 does it for you.  You got your silverware, your salt and pepper shaker, condiment containers, grater, whisk (for those blueberry pancakes), cutting board, and more.

I love it for travel because when you are on the road, it can be hard to find healthy food.  With this and a knowledge of where the organic foods stores are, and maybe a few other things like a hot plate, you can create healthy meals right in your hotel room.  Hint:  The holidays are coming and his would make a fabulous gift for the outdoorsy gourmet type.  Find it on the GSI Outdoors Website.

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Meal Ideas for Camping

Need some ideas for what to take camping for meal time?  Here are some kid friendly ideas ranging from easy to a little more complicated, all are relatively healthy and vegan).  Always buy organic and local when possible.

Veggie dogs and veggie burgers--easy, easy, easy!

Oatmeal--perfect for breakfast when it's chilly, just add boiling water and you're done.

Pancakes (bring a mix and cast iron griddle, you can get vegan pancake mix right at the co-op in the bulk section)

Bars for kids--some handy organic bars are great for when you've ventured away from camp and you hear those words, "mama, I'm hungry," even though you ate just an hour ago.

Fruit--bananas are nature's power bars and they come in their own wrappers.  I also love watermelon during the summer, it's refreshing and hydrating and how could you go camping without it? 

Chia makes a great little raw porridge and is hydrating and energizing and easy to pack.  Ideal for backpackers, but super nutritious and wonderful for all.

Organic Corn Chips and Salsa are always nice for those moments when you need something to eat Right Now.  Throw in some avocado and you have a mini meal.  Add hot black beans and you have a hearty meal that will infuse the camp with that home-cooking fragrance.

Hummus and Tabouleh with Pita Chips.  Tabouleh is particularly refreshing in the Summer and when made with quinoa is a nutrition packed dish.  I load mine with tons of parsley, mint and cucumber.

Smores.  That's the classic camp dessert and I never really liked them.  That is until I tried them as an adult, with quality organic dark chocolate and graham crackers (I love the Health Valley organic Amaranth graham crackers) and vegan marshmallows.  Still not my favorite thing in the world, but the kids love them and there's something sweet about tradition.

Image Credit: Kirti Poddar

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Camp Kitchen Gear

Need supplies for your camp kitchen?  I just discovered Sea To Summit a few months ago and I'm so impressed with their innovative gear.  These X-SETS  are a great way to save space and stay organized in the camp kitchen and can be used over and over.  The bright colors are fun and enable you to color code, and the collapsible silicone rims on the X-Bowl, Mug, and Plate maximize your space.  The bottom of the plate and bowl also function as a cutting board which is a big bonus for backpackers. These would also be great for traveling, slip a bowl into your bag for morning oatmeal or cutting up and serving fruit in your hotel room.

At home I don't use teflon, so why would I use it camping?  GSI OUTDOORS makes a great stainless steel option for those of us who prefer to avoid the non-stick.  The GLACIER STAINLESS COOKSET is a set you'd buy once and pass down to your kids and grandchildren.  It's light weight but made of sturdy 18/8 grade stainless steel.  The gripper that comes with it works great and I like the substantial feel of these, I don't feel like they're going to topple over with hot food.  They come nested in a handy mesh bag and include two cutting boards.

GSI offers all sorts of supplies for the camp kitchen, whether you are car camping or "gourmet backpacking," as they say.  I love that they have an entire line devoted to the concept of gourmet backpacking.

Good food is a great way to treat yourself when backpacking, the food (ie--weight) gets consumed and you don't have to carry it back.  And after hard play, a nice culinary reward is always appreciated.  To the left is their Crossover Kitchen Kit that contains utensils for more complicated cooking.  Find more HERE.

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