Setting Up Your Outdoor Camp Kitchen for Summer 2026

Build a Kitchen That Makes Campsite Cooking a Pleasure

A well-organised camp kitchen transforms the cooking experience. Instead of crouching over a stove balanced on uneven ground, rummaging through bags for utensils and washing up in a puddle, you have a proper workspace where everything is accessible, stable and efficient. Summer 2026 is the season to do this properly.

The Essential Components

A functional camp kitchen needs five things: a cooking surface (your stove), a preparation surface (a table), a water source (jerry can or tap), a washing station (bowl and drying area) and storage (for food, cookware and utensils). Everything else is optional but nice to have.

Choosing Your Cooking Setup

Your stove is the centrepiece. For family camping, a double burner from Campingaz or Coleman provides the most versatile cooking platform. Supplement with a single burner for the kettle if your budget and space allow. Position the stove on one end of your kitchen table, with prep space beside it and ingredients within arm's reach.

If you enjoy grilling, add a camping BBQ as a separate station — keeping it away from the main kitchen table to avoid smoke interference while cooking.

The Kitchen Table

A dedicated camp kitchen table or a sturdy folding table at waist height is essential. Working at ground level for extended periods is uncomfortable and unsafe with hot liquids. The table needs to be:

• Stable enough to support a stove plus heavy pans without wobbling
• Heat-resistant where the stove sits (aluminium or steel tops work best)
• Large enough for stove, chopping board and a few containers simultaneously
• Ideally with storage shelves or hanging hooks below for cookware

Water Management

If your pitch has a water tap nearby, you are set. Otherwise, a 10-litre collapsible jerry can provides enough water for cooking, drinking and basic washing up for a day. Position it on the table edge with a small tap for easy dispensing. A second smaller container (5 litres) can serve as your dedicated drinking water supply.

Washing Station

A collapsible washing-up bowl, biodegradable soap, a scourer and a couple of microfibre drying cloths are the minimum. Position the washing bowl at the opposite end of the table from the stove, or on a separate surface. Having the washing station ready before cooking starts means pans can be cleaned as they are freed up, preventing a mountain of dirty dishes after the meal.

Food Storage

Cool boxes keep perishables safe — essential in summer heat. Position your cool box in shade, ideally under the kitchen table. Non-perishable ingredients (pasta, rice, tins, spices) go in a dry bag or sealed container. Keep everything off the ground to deter insects and wildlife.

Lighting

Summer 2026 evenings stay light until 9:30pm or later, but you will still need a light source for late cooking and cleanup. An LED lantern hung above the kitchen area or a headtorch provides hands-free illumination. Avoid candles near the cooking area.

Layout Tips

• Prevailing wind: Position the kitchen so wind blows smoke and steam away from the dining area
• Distance from tent: At least 3 metres from any tent or awning fabric
• Shade: Under a tarp or awning is ideal — it protects from rain and sun
• Workflow: Arrange left-to-right (for right-handed cooks): ingredients, prep surface, stove, serving area, washing up. Reverse for left-handed cooks.

The Complete Kitchen Kit List

• Double burner stove (Campingaz or Coleman)
• Single burner for the kettle (Go System or Camp Bistro)
• Cookware set — two pans, frying pan, lids
• Camping kettle
• Windshield
• Utensils — spatula, tongs, ladle, sharp knife, chopping board
• Plates, bowls, mugs, cutlery for each person
• Washing-up bowl, soap, scourer, cloths
• Cool box and ice packs
• Gas canisters — at least two more than you think you need
• Bin bags and recycling bags

Start building your camp kitchen from our camping stove collection and related ranges. Summer 2026 cooking is coming — be ready for it.