Camp kitchen

Three easy one-pot camp meals

Warm, flexible dinners with a short shopping list and very little washing up.

A vegetable meal cooking at an outdoor camp kitchen.

Tomato and chickpea couscous

An unlit camp stove, cooking pot, mug and spoon.
Camp kitchen

For two people, bring about one cup of dry couscous, a drained can of chickpeas, a small carton or can of chopped tomatoes and your favourite seasoning. Heat the tomatoes and chickpeas, add the couscous and the amount of extra water needed by its packet instructions, then cover off the heat until the grains soften. Adjust portions to your appetite.

Quick bean chilli

An unlit camp stove, cooking pot, mug and spoon.
Camp kitchen

Warm drained canned beans with canned tomatoes, a little chilli seasoning and sweetcorn. Stir often and add a splash of water as needed. Serve with tortillas so you do not need a second pot. Open cans only when you are ready to cook and plan a quantity your group will finish.

A meal in a camp cooking pot.
Worth remembering

Plan the cleanup when you plan the meal.

Peanut noodles

An unlit camp stove, cooking pot, mug and spoon.
Camp kitchen

Cook quick noodles as directed, keeping a little cooking water. Stir in peanut butter, soy sauce and a squeeze of lime, thinning with the reserved water. Add shelf-stable vegetables if you like. Check allergies first and use a suitable alternative when needed.

Make the kitchen easy to reset

Measure seasonings into small labelled containers before leaving. Bring a pot with a lid, a stirring spoon, bowls and a way to clean up according to campground rules. Keep food and scented items in the storage arrangement required by the site, including when you are away from camp.

Guide overview