11 Cooking Essentials For An Elevated Camp Kitchen

Camping is a great way to unplug, relax, and recharge, especially when the world feels more overwhelming than ever. And while a good tent and a comfortable place to sleep are definitely important, few things are as critical to an enjoyable camping experience as amazing food. Sure, sticking a hot dog over the fire is meal enough for some campers, but many of us prefer to get a little fancier with our wilderness grub.

Thankfully, you don't need to be gourmet chefs or even seasoned campers to cook up a spectacular meal in nature. The following items are specially designed to make whipping up a meal in the wilderness a breeze.

This cute little grill allows you to easily cook up your favorite dishes no matter where in the world you are. Powered by gas, the grill only weighs 22 pounds and comes with a wooden lid that doubles as a cutting board, making easy work of chopping meats and veggies.

If you need a little more than the basic grill above, then you can step things up a notch with this no-flame stainless steel grill, which is virtually smokeless and safe to use both indoors and outdoors. It needs to be plugged in, but once it's set up near an outlet, it can be placed in the back of a car or on any tabletop surface at your campground.

While you're doing all of that grilling, you'll definitely need some cooking utensils to get the job done right. Folding neatly into a small travel case, this five-piece cookware set has all the essentials, including a knife, stainless-steel grater, and an oak spatula, fork and spoon.

Rounding out the Primus section are these durable, but super lightweight, pots and pans. These are designed with camping in mind, made of high-quality, hard anodized aluminum and have a nonstick ceramic coating so they are a cinch to clean up.

This genius guy works over a wood fire, charcoal, or gas grill to make up to three quarts of popcorn in just a few minutes. Pro tip: BYO popcorn seasonings to really give your snack full flavor.

Just because you're out in the wilderness doesn't mean you need to sacrifice the perfect temperature for your drinks. This magnetic flask and tumbler set is vacuum insulated, keeping your summer cocktails hot or cold for up to 24 hours. And with three different finishes, ranging from copper to charcoal, it will look great doing it.

Enjoy perfectly cooked grilled protein-and-veggie kabobs with these easy-to-use grilling baskets. Each member of your camping crew can build their own depending on their diet and preferences and cleaning will be a breeze.

One of the most difficult aspects of cooking in the wild is finding ways to organize all of your ingredients. Enter: the Deluxe Roll Top Kitchen. This foldable, lightweight camping essential provides a bug-free place to store all of your food as well as plenty of counter space to prepare entrees, sides, and the ever-important desserts.

You can go to all the trouble in the world to create a scrumptious meal, but if you don't have a comfortable place to enjoy it, then it's all for naught. This portable picnic table folds up into one neat rectangle that you can easily slide into your trunk or backseat. It's also sturdier than many of the folding tables out there, so you don't have to worry about accidentally feeding your yummy meal to whatever critters are on the ground.

This picnic-basket-meets-backpack has everything you need to dine on the go, including an insulated food compartment designed to fit a four-person meal and a waterproof pouch for ice and chilled drinks. It also features four sets of stainless steel flatware, plates, wine glasses, a cutting board, a blanket, and more, all while being easy to slip on your shoulders and take with you on your adventures.

Big, bulky coolers can be a pain to lug around, but they're necessary to enjoy cold, refreshing beverages. Thankfully, YETI redesigned the standard cooler with this tote, which comes with an ergonomic shoulder strap for easy travels. But that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this cooler's innovative features. It also comes with a Hydroshield magnetic closure to prevent leaks, Coldcell Insulation that can keep your items cool for days, and a Dryhide shell that resists mildew, punctures, and UV rays.