Camping families, can I ask you about kitchens?

[Alte Veste Academy]

I am looking at this one and think it might be nice if Santa brought it to me this year. ;) Any experience with this or something like it? Suggestions? Advice? :bigear:

[Parrothead]

It looks nice and user friendly. For us though, we don't get that fancy when we camp.

[SailorMom]

Holy Moly!

I can't imagine trucking that thing around. I could see using it for Boy Scouts....

Think about the time you'd spend keeping it clean... blech.

I recommend a two burner camp stove that you can set up on a pic-nic table, or a small portable table.

That looks like major overkill to me.

[AK_Mom4]

If I were camping for a long period, maybe a week or so, then something like this would be cool. However, bears are an issue everywhere here, so I would not get much use out of the cupboard space. Depending on where you are, this could be fun.....now, if it only made the coffee in the morning for me..... :D

[Alte Veste Academy]

It looks nice and user friendly. For us though, we don't get that fancy when we camp.

 

Cooking is the thing that intimidates me most about camping. I think it's because I like to have a place for everything and everything in its place, especially in the kitchen.

 

Holy Moly!

I can't imagine trucking that thing around. I could see using it for Boy Scouts....

Think about the time you'd spend keeping it clean... blech.

I recommend a two burner camp stove that you can set up on a pic-nic table, or a small portable table.

That looks like major overkill to me.

 

It only weighs 53 lbs. It doesn't actually come with the stove (we already have one) or pots or anything you see (just the frame, hooks, fabric cupboards). I already have a pretty elaborate picnic basket that people are shocked by, so maybe overkill is the way I do outdoor outings. :lol:

 

If I were camping for a long period, maybe a week or so, then something like this would be cool. However, bears are an issue everywhere here, so I would not get much use out of the cupboard space. Depending on where you are, this could be fun.....now, if it only made the coffee in the morning for me..... :D

 

Yes, this would be for week long camping/fishing trips. The fishing part added in is what makes me really want a dedicated kitchen area vs a picnic table. Because ew. :lol:

 

DH will be making the coffee over the fire or on the stove.

 

ETA: Crud. Bears. Not a problem in TX. Are they are problem in WA?

Edited December 12, 2011 by Alte Veste Academy

[KungFuPanda]

Be still my heart. I love it!

[justasque]

Hmm. Well, it's just the tables and the hanging pantries. The cooktop, lantern, etc. are not included. I'd wonder if the pantries would be useful to store the foods during transit, or if it would have to be moved into the pantries - that would be a pain, and it seems like there are better ways to move and store food. I don't think I'd want the pots and pans stored out in the open like that, or the condiments, etc. For the actual cooking, it would be a nice set-up, but not necessary unless you're feeding a ton of people for a large number of meals. For a semi-permanent post-emergency temporary kitchen, it might be quite nice. Like if you're camping/living on land where you are building a house. Tempting at first glance, but perhaps not as practical as it at first looks.

[Sara R]

We use what I think is that kitchen for a girls camp of 40. It might be a little much for a family. It wasn't too hard to take down IIRC.

[CalicoKat]

It looks nice and user friendly. For us though, we don't get that fancy when we camp.

 

:D us too. Just the end of the picnic table. When we camp there's limited amount of space in the van. When we get to the campground it's a limited amount of energy so a quick, minimal set up is what we've learned we like best.

[catz]

It would be too much for us for sure. Many parks in our area do not allow kitchen stuff set up unless you are in camp (raccoons, bears) and we've hit similar regulations in national and regional park on our further flung travels too. We rarely camp in 1 place longer than 3 or 4 nights.

 

Fwiw we use Rubbermaid bins for food and kitchen gear and have a double burner stove we set up at the end of a picnic table. We keep the bins well organized.

[DawnM]

we have 2 folding tables we got from Costco. I just got a Coleman propane stove and some camping pans. That is as fancy as we get.

 

Dawn

[Alte Veste Academy]

Be still my heart. I love it!

 

Thanks! Me too! I think my love of it might be clouding my judgment (at least according to most of those responding to this thread). :lol:

 

Hmm. Well, it's just the tables and the hanging pantries. The cooktop, lantern, etc. are not included. I'd wonder if the pantries would be useful to store the foods during transit, or if it would have to be moved into the pantries - that would be a pain, and it seems like there are better ways to move and store food. I don't think I'd want the pots and pans stored out in the open like that, or the condiments, etc. For the actual cooking, it would be a nice set-up, but not necessary unless you're feeding a ton of people for a large number of meals. For a semi-permanent post-emergency temporary kitchen, it might be quite nice. Like if you're camping/living on land where you are building a house. Tempting at first glance, but perhaps not as practical as it at first looks.

 

I believe I read that you can transport the food in the bags and then hang them. I thought that was cool, as it would eliminate packing and unpacking. The bear problem will be a problem if there are bears though. Didn't think of that. I would not keep my pots out like they have in the picture. I would be feeding 5-10 people for a week at a time, but "real" meals that involve some prep, which is why I like the idea of it. That and the sink...and standing up. I cannot chop sitting down.

 

We use what I think is that kitchen for a girls camp of 40. It might be a little much for a family. It wasn't too hard to take down IIRC.

 

Thanks. :)

[Alte Veste Academy]

:D us too. Just the end of the picnic table. When we camp there's limited amount of space in the van. When we get to the campground it's a limited amount of energy so a quick, minimal set up is what we've learned we like best.

 

I probably wouldn't bring out this thing until the morning if we were arriving late in the day. Although our usual campground is only an hour away so if we leave mid-day, it's no biggie. Van space isn't a huge big deal because we've got stow and go and a rooftop carrier.

 

It would be too much for us for sure. Many parks in our area do not allow kitchen stuff set up unless you are in camp (raccoons, bears) and we've hit similar regulations in national and regional park on our further flung travels too. We rarely camp in 1 place longer than 3 or 4 nights.

 

Fwiw we use Rubbermaid bins for food and kitchen gear and have a double burner stove we set up at the end of a picnic table. We keep the bins well organized.

 

I should call our usual campground. The problem is that we're moving to WA in about 6 months and I don't know anything about that...campgrounds, bears... The rubbermaid bins wouldn't be a problem. I think I just like the idea of working away from the picnic table and at a better height. I'm 5'10" and working at picnic table height hurts.

 

we have 2 folding tables we got from Costco. I just got a Coleman propane stove and some camping pans. That is as fancy as we get.

 

Dawn

 

That's what we've got so far. I was thinking an upgrade would be nice. This was going to be part of our big surprise Santa gift but this might be one item I should ask DH about in advance. Hmmm....

[justasque]

I like the idea of the sink, but if you're cooking fresh-caught fish you're going to want to use the 3-dishpan method of washing dishes, so one sink isn't going to help much.

[NorthwestMom]

We camp in here in Washington and most of the campgrounds do warn of bears although I have not seen any (thank God! :svengo: ) . Raccoons, crows, and squirrels can aggressively pillage your food, though. I usually store our food inside the car.

 

I can easily see the attraction here, but I would probably just use two folding tables from Costco and call it good. We camped with an Eagle Scout family last year and they did an awesome set up with some folding tables and a propane tank that they wired to their stove and a light. It was impressive.

 

53 pounds is heavy if you are dragging it out of your vehicle and down to your site. However, the reviews are really positive. I say, go for it if that's what you think will work the best for you!

[livingnlearning]

I've known outfitters that used similar setups for their camps-even in bear country. They just clean them up and hang the food/pans/ect so they're ok to leave for a few days.

 

for me bringing the dutch oven is more work than it's worth most of the time so this would be way over the top for me, no matter how many people I'm cooking for.

 

And we haul all our gear in on horses and this would be a pain to pack.

[Alte Veste Academy]

OK. I'm pretty sure I am now experiencing the same feeling that my kids feel when they tell me they want something they saw on a commercial. It is just the coolest, most wonderful thing they have ever seen and they just have to have it. Then I make them read reviews and watch them deflate like a balloon with a slow leak. :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm halfway deflated...enough to ask DH for his opinion instead of making it a total surprise anyway. Thanks though. Seriously. Perspective is always good. Plus, our new tent is AWESOME and I have got the most incredible hot dog and marshmallow toasting sticks on the market waiting to go in everyone's stockings. That should salve my wounded camper's soul. :lol:

[justasque]

...I have got the most incredible hot dog and marshmallow toasting sticks on the market waiting to go in everyone's stockings. That should salve my wounded camper's soul. :lol:

 

Now THAT is great camping equipment!!! :D

[TravelingChris]

We never camped in WA state but did in OR and had an encounter with a bear while we were cooking hamburgers. It wanted to come and get them. We banged pots and it went away. It also stopped a temper tantrum that my middle one was having.:lol:

[livingnlearning]

OK. I'm pretty sure I am now experiencing the same feeling that my kids feel when they tell me they want something they saw on a commercial. It is just the coolest, most wonderful thing they have ever seen and they just have to have it. Then I make them read reviews and watch them deflate like a balloon with a slow leak. :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm halfway deflated...enough to ask DH for his opinion instead of making it a total surprise anyway. Thanks though. Seriously. Perspective is always good. Plus, our new tent is AWESOME and I have got the most incredible hot dog and marshmallow toasting sticks on the market waiting to go in everyone's stockings. That should salve my wounded camper's soul. :lol:

 

Dang, it's not fun to have a busted bubble! LOL

 

Think about how you could make something similar with some tubs and milk crates and see if you use and enjoy it so much this next summer that you know you want the full monty. :)

 

Look at their camping tables, then you can make a kitchen area and not have to do the whole cutting board on my knees in a folding chair chopping experience-I don't really enjoy that either!

 

I'm always trying to figure out how to do it without dishes, at all, so we have extreme camping differences. :)

[Ellie]

Oh, I'd love to have that!! :001_wub:

 

The more I can get off the picnic table, off the ground, more easily cleanable, the better. Of course, we didn't go camping at places that wouldn't allow camp kitchens like that. I guess we weren't serious enough. :D

[Just Another Jen]

We camp for a week each summer at myrtle beach and that would be perfect for us. We use a pop up camper so the weight wouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't leave food out overnight cause of the squirrels and raccoons.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

AVA, I'm eyeballing that kitchen, too, but not so much for camping purposes.

 

My whole family is on a gluten-free diet. When we go to visit relatives we get sick, no matter how careful and meticulous I try to be.

 

I daydream about setting up a dedicated GF camp kitchen in my Mom's backyard when we go to visit for a week or so at a time. It's cheaper than an RV (which is what we really need and want, but can't possibly afford)!

 

We would also use it when we camp at days-long music festivals. It would be perfect.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I'm also too tall to hunch over a picnic table to cook or wash dishes. Ugh.

[Unicorn.]

Dh and I drooled over that last year while Christmas shopping. We would totally love it, BUT, do not store any food stuffs in those hanging pantries. Even in Tx you would have to worry about raccoons, and yes in WA you would have to worry about bears. You could use them for paper towels, plastic bins for washing dishes, soap maybe, towels, plastic/paper cups, plates etc. Just not food stuffs!

[RoundAbout]

We got this mini camp kitchen at REI for around $50 and love it! It has compartments for our two burner camp stove, propane cannisters, dishes, and some nice little storage bags inside. The table folds up into a side pocket. The duffle bag shape and small size makes it easy to store and transport. We keep spices and all utensils in there and just store our food in a separate rubbermaid bin. Everything goes into the car at night to discourage bears and raccoons.

[Jana]

I too have looked at that camp kitchen. Here's why I've never bought it:

 

1) We (often but not always) camp where we have to use bear boxes. It makes no sense to load and unload all my food into those hanging bags. Even without bears, I wouldn't want any of my food in a nylon bags, the raccoons are far to clever.

 

2) I need a sink, a table to work on, and a stove. That's the real deal breaker for me--that kitchen doesn't have a sink with a drain. I had my husband jimmy-rig a plastic dish pan with drain spout. He attached tubing so I can drain my dish water to an appropriate place. Also, we hang an outdoor shower bag (from Cabela's) to use as our faucet.

 

Here is a picture of a pre-fab kitchen with a sink. I think it's more practical--just my opinion though.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I too have looked at that camp kitchen. Here's why I've never bought it:

 

1) We (often but not always) camp where we have to use bear boxes. It makes no sense to load and unload all my food into those hanging bags. Even without bears, I wouldn't want any of my food in a nylon bags, the raccoons are far to clever.

 

2) I need a sink, a table to work on, and a stove. That's the real deal breaker for me--that kitchen doesn't have a sink with a drain. I had my husband jimmy-rig a plastic dish pan with drain spout. He attached tubing so I can drain my dish water to an appropriate place. Also, we hang an outdoor shower bag (from Cabela's) to use as our faucet.

 

Here is a picture of a pre-fab kitchen with a sink. I think it's more practical--just my opinion though.

 

Thank you for posting this! You make great points and that kitchen is very nice! Good reviews on it too.

[Lady Marmalade]

I've been looking at that camp kitchen for years!

 

We have raccoon issues here in Wisconsin- bears too, depending where you camp, and that's the only thing that's stopped us from getting this kitchen.

 

But now that I've read this thread, and it seems you can pack those "cabinets" from home, I don't see why they couldn't just be taken down at night, put in the vehicle, and then hung back up in the morning. It's only the overnights that we really need to worry about animal issues.

 

We cook a lot when we're camping- and often for our whole extended family group, and I would LOVE to have this space to work on in addition to the picnic tables.

[Alte Veste Academy]

We never camped in WA state but did in OR and had an encounter with a bear while we were cooking hamburgers. It wanted to come and get them. We banged pots and it went away. It also stopped a temper tantrum that my middle one was having.

 

:w00t: and :lol: about the tantrum. I could totally see that!

 

Dang, it's not fun to have a busted bubble! LOL

 

Think about how you could make something similar with some tubs and milk crates and see if you use and enjoy it so much this next summer that you know you want the full monty. :)

 

Look at their camping tables, then you can make a kitchen area and not have to do the whole cutting board on my knees in a folding chair chopping experience-I don't really enjoy that either!

 

I'm always trying to figure out how to do it without dishes, at all, so we have extreme camping differences.

 

Good advice. We've been doing minimalist, no dishes camping for a while and I do love it but for longer trips, I have been thinking I need to go the opposite route and kind of embrace preparedness. Or not. I'll have to think about it. :lol:

 

Oh, I'd love to have that!! :001_wub:

 

The more I can get off the picnic table, off the ground, more easily cleanable, the better. Of course, we didn't go camping at places that wouldn't allow camp kitchens like that. I guess we weren't serious enough. :D

 

Yes, we haven't been serious and we're going to get more serious, with the kids getting older. Who knew that getting more serious meant less serious gear. Quite the paradox. :D

 

We camp for a week each summer at myrtle beach and that would be perfect for us. We use a pop up camper so the weight wouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't leave food out overnight cause of the squirrels and raccoons.

 

It's a good point about leaving the food out. I'm thinking the other kitchen Jana posted makes more sense.

 

AVA, I'm eyeballing that kitchen, too, but not so much for camping purposes.

 

My whole family is on a gluten-free diet. When we go to visit relatives we get sick, no matter how careful and meticulous I try to be.

 

I daydream about setting up a dedicated GF camp kitchen in my Mom's backyard when we go to visit for a week or so at a time. It's cheaper than an RV (which is what we really need and want, but can't possibly afford)!

 

We would also use it when we camp at days-long music festivals. It would be perfect.

 

It would be perfect for that! No bear issues, either. :tongue_smilie:

 

Dh and I drooled over that last year while Christmas shopping. We would totally love it, BUT, do not store any food stuffs in those hanging pantries. Even in Tx you would have to worry about raccoons, and yes in WA you would have to worry about bears. You could use them for paper towels, plastic bins for washing dishes, soap maybe, towels, plastic/paper cups, plates etc. Just not food stuffs!

 

Good point. Without the hanging pantries, I prefer Jana's kitchen rec, I think. At the very least, it weighs half what the Cabelas one does.

 

We got this mini camp kitchen at REI for around $50 and love it! It has compartments for our two burner camp stove, propane cannisters, dishes, and some nice little storage bags inside. The table folds up into a side pocket. The duffle bag shape and small size makes it easy to store and transport. We keep spices and all utensils in there and just store our food in a separate rubbermaid bin. Everything goes into the car at night to discourage bears and raccoons.

 

Cute!

[Oakblossoms]

My dh usually brings a campstove if he wants to heat up water for the french press and he cannot get the fire going fast enough. But, i think all camping cooking should be done on the fire. I don't make any extra work for myself. My mom used to do the kitchen thing and she ended up cleaning and cooking the entire time we were camping. I want to play and hike and read and let the kids get dirty.

 

We use cast iron, pokers and a whole lot of foil.

 

And, yeah it just looks like bear bait. My husband would never help me with it all. If your husband likes to help with the kitchen stuff then great. I can give my husband a knife, cutting, board, and foil and he will cook all the food.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

My dh usually brings a campstove if he wants to heat up water for the french press and he cannot get the fire going fast enough. But, i think all camping cooking should be done on the fire. I don't make any extra work for myself. My mom used to do the kitchen thing and she ended up cleaning and cooking the entire time we were camping. I want to play and hike and read and let the kids get dirty.

 

We use cast iron, pokers and a whole lot of foil.

 

And, yeah it just looks like bear bait. My husband would never help me with it all. If your husband likes to help with the kitchen stuff then great. I can give my husband a knife, cutting, board, and foil and he will cook all the food.

 

I don't understand this post. How does Mom running a camp kitchen keep anyone from playing, hiking, reading, or letting the kids get dirty?

 

Unless you mean eating hot dogs and marshmallows all the time or otherwise foregoing nutrition, doesn't someone have to cook? Unless you're going to use disposable dishes, which is wasteful and bad for the environment, doesn't somebody have to wash dishes anyway? The idea of a camp kitchen is to have everything set up in a handy and convenient way to save steps and time.

[PiCO]

For my family, that would be overkill. Plus I wouldn't want to take the time to set it up and take it down. But I guess it depends on what kind of camping one does.

 

I would never leave the food out overnight, though. Even if there are no bears in the area you are camping, you will still get racoons.

[Alte Veste Academy]

My dh usually brings a campstove if he wants to heat up water for the french press and he cannot get the fire going fast enough. But, i think all camping cooking should be done on the fire. I don't make any extra work for myself. My mom used to do the kitchen thing and she ended up cleaning and cooking the entire time we were camping. I want to play and hike and read and let the kids get dirty.

 

We use cast iron, pokers and a whole lot of foil.

 

And, yeah it just looks like bear bait. My husband would never help me with it all. If your husband likes to help with the kitchen stuff then great. I can give my husband a knife, cutting, board, and foil and he will cook all the food.

 

Thanks for this. Do you have a list of ideas or recipes for cooking over fire and/or in foil? I would want some variety for a week plus trip. I have this cookbook on my wish list. I'm wondering if I should just get it and invest in this and a bigger cast iron dutch oven. I have this cooking grate in an 18x36 size already.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I don't understand this post. How does Mom running a camp kitchen keep anyone from playing, hiking, reading, or letting the kids get dirty?

 

 

I think she meant that was how her mom did it, busy with the kitchen all the time and that she doesn't want to do it that way so she can be free to do other things.

[kalphs]

I am looking at this one and think it might be nice if Santa brought it to me this year. ;) Any experience with this or something like it? Suggestions? Advice? :bigear:

When we were camping this past summer the family next to us had one which was similar. They liked the kitchen and were pleased with their purchase.

:)

[Alte Veste Academy]

For my family, that would be overkill. Plus I wouldn't want to take the time to set it up and take it down. But I guess it depends on what kind of camping one does.

 

I would never leave the food out overnight, though. Even if there are no bears in the area you are camping, you will still get racoons.

 

Thanks.

 

When we were camping this past summer the family next to us had one which was similar. They liked the kitchen and were pleased with their purchase.

:)

 

Decisions, decisions... Thanks for this though. :)

[KungFuPanda]

BUT it's SOOOO cool! LOOK at it! I say get it! I want it for my patio :-) it looks like those bags can be packed and organized at home and moved to the van overnight. That's way better than rummaging through bins all week. If it makes the week easier for you, I'd say go for the gear.

 

 

And it HAS a sink with a drain!

 

Edited December 12, 2011 by KungFuPanda

[Alte Veste Academy]

BUT it's SOOOO cool! LOOK at it! I say get it! I want it for my patio :-) it looks like those bags can be packed and organized at home and moved to the van overnight. That's way better than rummaging through bins all week. If it makes the week easier for you, I'd say go for the gear.

 

And it HAS a sink with a drain!

]

LOL I love you! Now I want two, one for the science center on the patio (GENIUS, by the way!) and one for camping.

 

Have you ever worked in sales? :lol:

[KungFuPanda]

LOL I love you! Now I want two, one for the science center on the patio (GENIUS, by the way!) and one for camping.

 

Have you ever worked in sales? :lol:

 

I didn't even think of it as a science lab! That's awesome!

 

Actually, I'm the person people take shopping when they want to be talked OUT of spending money, but I have a weakness for camping gear. We tent camp, but we do it with a propane stove, air matresses, and gourmet cheeses. I can have dinner ready while the kids gather wood and start the fire. Who wants to wait for coals and darkness to cook?

[Harriet Vane]

We camp extensively. This kitchen would be serious overkill for us, plus it doesn't look critter-safe at all. Raccoons are an issue virtually anywhere, so I would not be able to store anything in something that open.

[Jana]

One more thought. I use two sets of plastic drawers for camping. I keep them packed all year long with the non-food items I need for my camp kitchen. Coffee mugs, plastic utensils, pots, sharp knives, cutting board, zip locks bags, paper plates....you get the idea.

 

That way I don't have to think about what to pack--I already have everything I need except for food. The larger one with my cooking items goes under our table and the smaller one one top.

 

I also have a first aid drawer--with all the stuff we need antibiotic cream, band-aids, tampons, eye drops..you know all the stuff I usually would forget.

 

The next thing I need to do is make a check list for packing. One year we left (for a week) with all of the duffle bags full of our clothes sitting on the living room floor. As you can imagine, there was much rejoicing when we unpacked at our campsite.