Outdoor Kitchen Essentials
Curious about what kitchen essentials you might want to invest in as a regular overlander (other than food & water)? We asked Marc about what he brought with him on his trips, and created a checklist to use. This is by no means the end all, be all to overlanding kitchen essentials, so if you find something you like better, use it!
Appliances
We know what you’re thinking: what appliances could I possibly bring with me while I’m overlanding? And we’re glad you asked!
Propane Tank (Gauge, Tube)
Marc mostly uses the propane tank for his Coleman Stove (see below), with a tube to deliver the propane from the tank. The gauge he has is a handy tool to have as it displays how much propane you have left in the tank without having to do that water trick to find out.
Water Tank
Now, you could just use water bottles (and should bring some just in case), but water tanks offer a bigger volume with less waste.
Coleman Stove
Marc swears by this stove! It falls into the Goldilocks area of stoves (not too big, not too small) and it stores well too. He connects it to the Propane Tank via the tube and is able to cook all sorts of meals on it.
Jet Boil
Another appliance Marc swears by! It’s convenient, easy to use, and the fuel tanks last forever despite their size. Storage is simple as most of the attachments fold up and fit in the cup.
LED Strips
Marc often cooks out of the back of his rig, so he installed an LED strip along the trunk window so when open, light shines down on his cooking area.
Utensils (& Other Tools)
Wait, there’s also utensils (and other tools) Marc likes to keep with him while overlanding!
Cutlery & Crockery
If you’re planning on cooking meals, you’ll need stuff to eat with. While your crockery (plates, bowls, cups, etc) and cutlery (knives, forks, spoons, etc) can be disposable, we recommend either plastic or metal cutlery/crockery so that they all can be washed and reused. A utensil set that Marc is particularly fond of is Magware: Magnetic Flatware. These metal utensils are easy to clean and magnetic, so they’ll stick together when you store them. Insulated cups of any kind come in handy for keeping a drink warm or cold. You might already use one in your day-to-day life, and can just as easily bring it with you (if you have space). For convenience and safety, Marc has a knife that is stored in a case when it’s not in use, BUT the case itself is a sharpener, so he doesn’t have to worry about the knife being loose or dull.
Cooking Tools
You could use your eating utensils for any cooking you plan on doing, but nothing can really replace a spatula, can opener, tongs, or serving spoon. If you’d like, you can buy some specifically for your rig, or you can just bring your own from home. For the cooking itself, you don’t want to grill everything (or maybe you do; we won’t judge!). But if you don't, small pots and pans will come in handy. Marc has ones with detachable or foldable handles for easy storage.
Ziploc (Or Other Plastic Bags)
Ziplocs always come in handy, so don’t forget to pack those, or another plastic bag of your choosing. Food storage? Smelly trash? Sudden bouts of nausea? Ziploc is a convenient solution.
Lighters (Refillable or Otherwise)
Like a lot of other products on this list, refillable lighters like the one Marc has cut down on waste. You can always bring regular lighters if you prefer those instead.
Seasonings
Season your food! Your food will taste even better after a long day with some good seasonings you can find anywhere. Marc particularly enjoys a coffee rub he found at Trader Joe’s.
Paper Towels
Paper towels for clean-up and drying off. Something cool that Marc has are Porta-Wipes, which are paper towels compressed to the size of a coin that expand when wet. These are great for a quick wipedown of your cooking station, slightly dirty plates and utensils, or even yourself (we won’t tell ;) ).
We’ve created a comprehensive list of all the kitchen essentials Marc believes to be important in his trips as an overlander. Use what you like, and enjoy your trips to the max!