Camp Kitchen Checklist

Track & Canopy · Updated 2026-10-16 · Tick items as you pack — print or save as PDF from your browser.

Cook crate

The stove, the pans and the tools that touch food. One crate, set down once, unpacked last.

  1. Two-burner stove with wind shields, levelled at setup Essential
  2. Saucepan and frypan that nest, sized to the crew
  3. Long-handled spoon, tongs and a wide spatula
  4. Sharp kitchen knife and a board, both washed at every break Essential
  5. Folding table set at elbow height for prep, not phone height
  6. Heat mat and trivets for the picnic table's shared surface

Cold crate

Everything that must stay below the danger zone travels together and opens least.

  1. Esky or fridge with a thermometer you actually read Essential
  2. Ice bricks frozen solid at home, layered under and over
  3. Melting-water drain or a tip-out routine at every stop
  4. Separate sealed containers for raw meat, kept below the ready food Essential
  5. Shade and a blanket for the esky, out of the afternoon sun line

Fuel and fire

Counted at the servo, stored in the open, never inside the sleep box.

  1. Gas canisters counted per meal plus two spares Essential
  2. Regulator and hose checked for leaks before the first light
  3. Lighter plus matches in a dry tin, two ignition paths Essential
  4. Baking tray or grill plate for oven-style cooking on coals
  5. Fire bucket, shovel and a drowned-not-buried habit where fires are allowed

Wash crate

Three basins, one cloth each, and the water that leaves the site.

  1. Two wash and one rinse basin, scrubbed not shared Essential
  2. Camp sink or strainer for greywater solids
  3. Biodegradable soap, hot water from the kettle, cloth per job
  4. Drying rack or lines with a clean towel for the final wipe
  5. Hand wash station: jug, basin and soap at the kitchen corner

Prep and storage

The quiet work done at home shows up here as speed and fewer open packets.

  1. Airtight tubs for dry goods, decanted from soft packets
  2. Pre-chopped marinades and veg in dated, flat-frozen bags
  3. Spice box with oil, salt, acid and two workhorse flavours
  4. Kitchen roll, foil and a bag for the compost-style scraps
  5. Can-opener, corkscrew and a small paring knife on a lanyard

After-dark and comfort kit

The night shift in the kitchen needs light, hands and a plan for the cold.

  1. Hanging lantern over the table plus a torch clipped to the stove Essential
  2. Head torch for the cook so both hands stay free
  3. Windbreak panel for the cook station on the cold side
  4. Apron or cloth for splash, and a seat for the long simmers
  5. Flask of hot water for the late tea without another boil