If the idea of outdoor cooking beyond grilling hot dogs or roasting aluminum wrapped vegetables in the fire intimidates you I hope this list of my essentials for outdoor cooking will help ease any fears.

While I wouldn’t ever consider a backpacking adventure with these supplies I do like to keep a very tight checklist for our outdoor adventures. Partly for ease of loading and unloading and also because I love the challenge of cooking an unforgettable feast with a few tools and pantry staples.

These are the items that always come with me when I’m planning to cook outdoors. Fresh ingredients are either gathered from the grocery store or found right in the woods, lakes or streams. These are the items that are often already packed and ready to go when we say “adventure time!”

We’ve prepared a printable pdf to make packing easier.