Backpacking Kitchen Essentials:
Only Bring What
You Really Need

By Diane Spicer

The best backpacking kitchen essentials work a little magic by transforming the purpose of your kitchen at home into a portable work station that fits easily into your backpack.

But it takes a bit of a mental adjustment.

First, you need to decide which style of backpack cookery you prefer.

And then decide on some carefully chosen backpacking kitchen gear.

So let's work a little cooking magic, shall we?

Backpacking kitchen essentials:
your basic list

Kitchen tools for backpacking are no different than what you have in your home kitchen, in terms of basic alchemy.

Their purpose is to change cold, hard inedible foods into warm, tempting and savory meals.

First time planning a backpacking trip?

• Trust me on this: consuming warm food and hot beverages every day will maintain your well being and physical safety.
• Start your planning with these tips for beginners.
  

Granted, not every backpacker brings every item on the list every time.

But to be complete, let's outline your backpacking kitchen essentials before we get into the details.

It's always a great idea as a backpacker to know where you're headed!

The backpacking kitchen essentials list

Here's an overview list of backpacking kitchen essentials:

• heat source: stove + fuel + igniter
  
• cooking container(s): pot(s) with lid(s)
• utensils for cooking and eating
  
• water container(s) for meal prep
  
• clean up & storage supplies
• accessories to consider
  

If you're in a hurry to get cookin', each link drops you down to the pertinent information.

Hiking For Her is proud to be affiliated with top gear companies which supply these backpacking kitchen essentials, and after 5 decades on the trail, only recommends the best of their best products.

When you purchase through this website, HFH receives a small percentage of your purchase price but it costs you nothing extra to support the sharing of these free trustworthy trail tips.

Now let's get to work and examine each item on the backpacking kitchen essentials list, with recommendations for what I know will work for you on your upcoming backpacking trip.

Backpacking kitchen essentials
begin with your heat source

Or do they?

There are backpackers who eat nothing but cold food for the duration of their trip.

If that's your vibe, why not hop over to a different page, like these backpacking food tips?

But if you're sane and sensible, like me (!), you'll relish the idea of a hot bowl of breakfast yumminess accompanied by a steaming mug of your favorite eye opener in the morning.

And here's the truth: a big part of what motivates me to keep going all day is the thought of a hot, savory backpacking dinner as the day draws to a close.

You, too?

Then let's do some stove talk.

Your backpacking stove options

Take your time with this decision.

Your backpacking stove, if chosen carefully and handled with respect, will provide years of service.

So it needs to be suitable for the style of hiking you prefer.

Example:

If you hike in rocky, windy areas, a wind screen and a non-tippy set up is critical.

Example:

You like to cook up a pot of dinner from scratch, so you'll need a stove that can simmer AND boil some water for after dinner tea.

• Oh, and you've got at least 3 trail buddies.

See what's going on here?

You're honing in on factors like convenience, wait time, and rate of fuel consumption without even realizing what you're doing (yet).

And the number one underlying factor for a backpacker is always weight, along with cost and durability.

So really, the type of fuel your stove burns, and how you transport it, is the biggest factor in your decision and drives those factors above.

Here's a detailed guide to choosing the best backpacking stoves for your style of hiking.

You might want to read it before proceeding, so you'll have at least a rough idea of the type of stove you want as a foundation of your backpacking kitchen essentials.

Even a minimalist backpacker
needs a cooking pot in her
backpacking kitchen essentials

If you disagree, skip this section and read about some "no cook" high calorie backpacking food! (coming soon)

When it comes time to focus on the meal preparation aspect of a pot, you've got to make some more decisions.

Let's tackle the biggest decision first: one, two or three?

Backpacking cooking decision:
how many pots?

The answer to this question is going to vary, depending upon which type of backpacking trip you're on.

So let's run through some scenarios, then recommend some cooking pots that will suit each scenario.

Option 1:
fast, light and solo

One hiker, eating straight out of one cooking unit using a long handled spoon or spork (see below), and preparing small-ish portions at one time, is what this scenario looks like.

If that's you, there are two ways to go here:

• Use an integrated stove-pot system, like this one weighing a mere 11.75 ounces with a capacity of 27 fluid ounces
  

Jetboil Zip Cooking System | REI Co-op

It's also available in a slightly larger capacity, 33.8 fl. oz.

 

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Option 2:
intimate trail buddies

A backpacking duo needs a large enough pot and a lid (to speed up cooking time and maximize fuel supplies) to get a meal into hungry bellies pronto.

Pass the cook pot back and forth until the food is gone.

• Share a spoon, or splurge on two!

Make sure your stove burner dimensions and your cook pot choice are compatible to get the most out of your fuel.

Look carefully at the handles:

• Easy to pass a hot pot?
• Collapsible for travel, but stable once unfolded?
• Hot to the touch, or are they insulated?
  

Here's a basic option for backpacking kitchen essentials to maximize fuel efficiency and prepare boiling water for a meal & maybe a hot beverage in one stove cycle for two backpackers:

Jetboil 1.5 L Ceramic FluxRing Cooking Pot | REI Co-op

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Option 3:
friends with limits

Same pot as above, just add bowls & eating utensils (see below) to minimize spit swapping.

Or eat out of separate meal pouches or bags.

A mug (tips below) can also be pressed into service for separate portions, but be sure to put the lid back on the pot while you consume each small helping, or you'll have cold food near the end of the meal.

• Not a tragedy, because your big appetite will snarf it up anyway, but you went through all of that trouble fuel!
  

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Option 4:
backcountry gourmand

A backcountry gourmet, wanting a large capacity marine grade stainless steel pot with a strainer lid plus a non stick surface, silicone wrapped handle that folds, and volumetric markings, should take a close look at this one.

Sea to Summit Sigma Pot - 3.7 Liters | REI Co-op

If you like to make a pre-dinner soup, a main course, and a cold pudding for dessert, you'll need more than one pot.

Divvy up the three pounds of these pots among your trail buddies, with the promise of a delicious meal for their efforts ;)

MSR Alpine 4 Pot Set | REI Co-op

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Option 5:
group of backpackers

A group of hungry backpackers is going to require a stove with a large capacity burner, and at least one 10 inch diameter pot.

So pay attention to your selection for backpacking kitchen essentials with this in mind.

• Two pots can make morning meal prep faster, with hot water for beverages available in one covered pot as people roll out of their sleeping bags, and the other pot cooking up the porridge.

Consider the cook set above for even more flexibility (3 pots to work with) in meal prep for a group of 4 or more backpackers.

If cost is a big concern, but you want to make smart purchases to add to your backpacking gear list, consider these hard-anodized aluminum pots with a ceramic nonstick coating for even heat dispersion:

MSR Fusion Ceramic 2-Pot Set | REI Co-op

Group backpacking tip:

If your group is large, consider bringing at least two stoves with matching cook sets.

• No matter how scintillating the conversation, no one wants to wait around, and wait around, for a hot backpacking dinner at the end of the day.

Even worse: Being forced to eat in shifts, which leaves you standing there watching some lucky person scarf down a hot meal until it's your turn.

Grrrr....

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Backpacking kitchen essentials:
cooking materials

After seeing your cookery choices above, you might have noticed that materials used in backpacking cookware matter.

• titanium
• aluminum
• stainless steel

And boy, are you right!

Cook time, fuel consumption, ability to cook a meal without scorching it, all depend upon the construction and materials of your cook pot.

Let's take a quick tour of your options for backpacking kitchen essentials.

Titanium backpacking cookware

Titanium is lighter, heats quickly, and may come with a no stick finish.

If you're in this backpacking thing for the long haul (groany pun), you'll want to invest in the gear that will go the distance with you.

And can go car camping with you!

• For years and years to come, no less.

Titanium backpacking cookware will do that for you, and is considered one of the best backpacking kitchen essentials for some hikers.

So take a look at these options in admittedly high end, but deservedly awesome options, for titanium cooking pots which deliver fast cooking time and durability for the money.

• Options for solo backpackers, duos and groups are covered in that link
  

Aluminum cookware choices

Note the rubber coated handle and lid grip, making it easy to get at the goods.

This type of pot is a few ounces heavier than titanium, but may provide a more evenly dispersed heating surface if you're trying to do more than boil water.

And the price comparison is hard to beat; this pot costs $30 US and if you treat it right, will be around for a long time in your backpacking gear locker.

Stainless steel cookware
as backpacking kitchen essentials

Looking for an indestructible pot with generous capacity and folding handle? Plus a lid?

At a low cost?

Here it is:

MSR Alpine Stowaway Pot - 1.1 Liters | REI Co-op

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An interesting option
for backpacking kitchen essentials
at a budget price

When you're just starting out as a backpacker, it's easy to get overwhelmed with all of the choices.

Plus, your backpacking budget might not be that large.

So here's a great combination of stove and cookset, with not one but two pots and some nice features:

• $45 US (yes, really, at least at the time of this writing)
• canister stove with built in igniter (no need for matches or lighter)
• 500ml pot plus 1L pot, both made of stainless steel
  

Soto Amicus Stove Cookset Combo | REI Co-op

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Solve several problems
for backpacking kitchen essentials
in one go!

Here's your stove, 2 liter anodized cook pot with strainer lid, 2 bowls, 2 insulated mugs, an integrated pot handle, and 2 folding sporks, for those of us who hate making a bunch of individual decisions.

If you've already purchased a stove, or don't want a canister fuel option, here's a cook set that gives you two pots, along with dishes for two backpackers.

Pick and choose what to leave behind when you go solo.

MSR Quick 2 System Cookset | REI Co-op

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Re-purpose your backpacking
cooking pot!

That metal thing (with or without) a handle is way more than a pot for cooking a meal.

Let's count the ways a cooking pot does more for you, and know that you're following a time honored tradition among backpackers:

• Make each piece of gear do at least double duty.
  

Rely on it to scoop surface water for filtering or purification.

It's a kitchen sink after your meals.

Use it for washing out dirty underwear and socks, or for rinse water after you shampoo your hair and body (away from surface water: Leave No Trace).

It collects rain water if you're needing that in an area where surface water is a long distance from you.

A noise maker sometimes comes in handy in bear territory, so pair your pot with a stick or a rock, and have at it.

Stumble upon a scrumptious berry patch? You got it covered!

And don't forget, it's the best place to store your stove and cooking accessories.

• Just wrap any sharp edges before stowing to keep your pot pristine.

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Water containers
are backpacking kitchen essentials

If you decide that one or two hiking water bottles are going to be just fine for providing all of your cooking water, please take a careful look at your water treatment and purification method.

If you're a backpacking water filter pumper, you will have to pump several times a day to keep yourself hydrated as you hike, and again for meals to stay fueled up.

Ditto for purifying small volumes of water via UV light or chemical treatment.

To make kitchen duty as easy and fast as possible at the end of a long day, or to shorten breakfast prep time, consider a collapsible, easy to pack water reservoir for storing treated water in your backpacking kitchen essentials.

MSR makes a series of lightweight dromedary bags, beginning with 2 liters and going up to 6 liters capacity.

Note that you can also purchase a heavier, ultrabuilt version of this bag if you're headed into a dry area where carrying water for long distances inside a backpack is your plan.

MSR DromLite Bag - 2 Liters | REI Co-op

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Cooking & eating utensils
are considered important
backpacking kitchen essentials

Unless you enjoy eating hot food with your hands, and don't mind watching your trail buddy dish out your food with hers, you're going to need a few utensils.

Backpacking cooking utensils

GSI Outdoors Essential Spoon - Long | REI Co-op

Forget about bringing flimsy plastic spoons from fast food and take-out.

They're just going to snap and leave you staring at your meal.

This lightweight spoon is silicone-tipped to protect your cooking pot's interior.

And it's going to handle (oooh, spoon humor) deep dives into a food pouch or full cooking pot.

Note that this spoon could snap under a heavy load of mashed potatoes, so be careful, or bring a back up.

Or pack this long handled spoon made of aircraft-grade 7075-T6 aluminum alloy:

Sea to Summit Alpha Light Spork - Long | REI Co-op

It's double the price of the plastic long handled spoon, but its durability and spork-y end gives you a bit more for your money.

A multi-tool option that is handy to have
in a backpacking kitchen kit

The Devour multi-fork was awarded Backpacker's seal of approval in 2019 because of its versatility.

At 7.6" in length, 1.6: wide, this aluminum multi utensil will be used at every meal and then some!

It weighs less than an ounce (0.83 oz), yet offers you tools for meal preparation, eating and clean up:

• serrated opener
• bottle opener
• pry bar
• large and small flathead screwdrivers
• deep basin spoon
• offset fork with long tines
• flat cut/scrape edge

Best part? It has a little kickstand built into the textured handle. No licking dirt off your spoon, thank you very much ;)

Don't burn your fingers!

Once you commit to your stove and cooking pot(s), be sure you have a convenient method for removing the pot from the heat source when it's heavy and full of boiling water.

Wait, isn't that the handle?

Sure, if it has one.

Also note that a full (as in heavy) pot of boiling water or hot soup with a slender handle might mean trouble, so bring a work around.

A pot lifter is one way to achieve a safe lift off.

This ingenious, lightweight gadget will stay in your backpacking kitchen essentials kit forever (or until you lose it).

MSR PanHandler Pot Lifter | REI Co-op

Note the protective sleeve it lives in.

You don't want to scratch up the inside of the pot this device travels in, do you?

• That makes cooking and clean up much harder.

Tip:

If you bring along a multi-tool which has a knife and pliers, you can eliminate the pot lifter.

Just be sure your multi-tool pliers can lift a full pot off the stove before you leave for your trip.

Kidding!!! JK!

If you're really going to bring cans of food, contact me ASAP and I'll talk you down.

Ditto for the corkscrew, wine bottle and glasses.

Unless you know something about gravity that I don't know?

• Contact me ASAP!

Here's where it gets personal
for your backpacking kitchen essentials list

A heat source, a pot to cook in, and a way to get water into the pot and food out of the pot, check!

Now let's turn your attention to some deeply personal decisions you're going to make to round out your backpacking kitchen essentials list.

We'll start with a very important piece of backpacking gear:

• what to use to shovel food into your mouth.

And I'm not kidding. (sorry about the can opener)

Backpacking eating utensils

Welcome to the Spork Clan!

Backpackers make do with this one eating utensil, because it morphs between a fork and a spoon as needed, and totally eliminates the need to carry two items.

• A hiker's dream backpacking kitchen essential!
  

Absolutely refuse to give up your fork?

Backpacking meals are soup-y, so think carefully about complete reliance upon that pronged utensil.

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A mug is just a mug ...
right?

Nope.

The cup or mug a backpacker bonds with is a big deal.

Some of us like handles, others simply scoff at the unnecessary weight and added geometric challenge for packing up.

Some of us enjoy a large capacity mug that works for a big dose of tea or coffee, and also can be used to sip a generous quantity of noodle soup.

Other backpackers sip 8 ounces and are good to go.

Lid?

• Maybe not if you're a fast slurper.

And you may be the backpacker who fancies a collapsible cup rather than a mug.

• I can't in good conscience recommend those, sorry.

But seriously, slow down and consider which option you want to have in your hands meal after meal, day after day.

• And even more days and nights at a campsite, if you re-purpose this kitchen essential for car camping or base camps.

It's a long term commitment!

But a bowl is just a humble bowl

Not much you can do to fancy up a bowl.

Just make sure it's durable and resistant to temperature changes.

And deep enough to accommodate generous portions of food!

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Backpacking kitchen essentials
include accessories

Bring a few items to make your job as a backpacking cook not only easier, but safer.

A hot pad, kitchen glove, small microfiber towel or extra sock helps you handle the stuff that could burn you and ruin your day trip.

And for the love of all that is flavorful, avoid mutinous taste buds.

Flavor hacks answer the dilemma of craving something a little different, or one flavor in particular, on a backpacking trip of long duration.

• For me, I know my craving for garlic is going to kick in, so I bring granulated garlic as my own personal stash. Yup, even on oatmeal! No clue why, but I'm prepared ;)

A multitool can be a life saver for gear repairs in the field, but also quite handy around the campsite kitchen.

If it includes a sharp blade, so much the better.

Read my review of a Leatherman here.

• Still waiting for the Leatherwoman edition...

Backpacking kitchen essentials,
or luxuries?

Now we get even more personal: the things that every backpacker cherishes, sometimes beyond reason.

Here are a few of my favorite essential luxuries that could make your backpacking trip a lot more than just survivable.

• Not every backpacker will agree with my choices, but why not take a look at what a seasoned hiker relies upon for creature comforts?

Hot beverages throughout the day

Hiking For Her prefers high alpine hiking destinations in the United States, Canada and beyond, which means cold winds, snow fields and the possibility of some heavy weather each and every month of the year.

If you're headed into terrain like this, consider carrying the luxury of a double walled insulated metal bottle with a sip cap.

• In addition to your "regular" water
  

In the morning, boil extra water and fill your bottle.

Slip it into an easy-to-access place on or in your backpack, along with a tea bag, packet of electrolytes or hot cocoa, instant coffee - whatever will warm you up fast.

It's going to feel so delightful to take that first sip of a hot beverage when you're chilled and possibly wet, and your campsite is still far away!

Tip:

Pre-heat the bottle with hot water by filling it to the top.

Then pour it out into a pot and use that water for dish washing, rinsing, or personal hygiene tasks.

• A preheated bottle will stand up to cold conditions more robustly.

If conditions are awful, stash the bottle inside an extra sock inside your backpack.

This 7.7 ounce stainless steel bottle holds 17 fluid ounces, so roughly enough hot water for 2 cups of delicious tea or instant coffee.

Another option to consider if you like to mix up your beverage right along with the hot water and sip as you go:

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Backpacking kitchen essentials: knife

There are a few scenarios when carrying a knife on a backpacking trip makes sense.

• If you're using a wood stove for cooking, you might need to shave some starter materials from downed tree limbs.
• If you fish or forage along the trail, you'll need a sharp instrument to prepare food.
• If you have dental problems and that big chunk of jerky is unmanageable, slice it up.
  

$13 US and 1.4 ounces is all you need for basic camping tasks like those.

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Coffee drinkers

There are backpackers among us who relish a well prepared cuppa at least once, but more likely, several times per day.

Technology has provided a way to indulge in the wild.

Another choice, which looks familiar (see blue cozy encased mug above).

GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug | REI Co-op

Beneath the insulated nylon cozy, you'll find a 30 fluid ounce copolyester carafe.

The insulated lid and plunger mechanism do the hard work of brewing your coffee and keeping it warm.

This isn't a lightweight item to bring along on your backpacking trip: 10.3 ounces per manufacturing specs.

But if coffee makes you feel human, why deprive yourself?

Drip coffee drinkers, you're covered right here.

At 0.4 ounces, it's not much of a weight (or price) splurge, now is it!

The bright orange cup with the handle is not included, but we've already covered some great backpacking mug choices above.

Bonus: Discover seven different ways to make outdoor coffee from NOLS.

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Tea brewers

Go ahead, try to explain the profound satisfaction of a perfectly brewed cup of tea to a coffee drinker.

I know, I've tried.

• They just shake their heads and slurp more coffee.

But if you're like me, you realize how wonderful a pot of tea can be at the end of a long, satisfying day.

Or how plentiful brewed tea helps get you hydrated at breakfast, before you start your long day on the trail.

So here's an indulgence that won't resonate with everyone:

• a tea kettle that weighs 8.7 ounces, lid and all.
  

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Backpacking chefs require additional
backpacking kitchen essentials

Kitchen tools are mighty important if you're trying to do more than boil water.

This kitchen kit is lightweight and has some great traditional kitchen tools.

Most unique: the pot scraper!

GSI Outdoors Gourmet Kitchen Set 11 | REI Co-op

But there's a lot more to like about this kit:

• Tools rotate into a closed position for easy storage: tongs, spoon and spatula
• 4 compartment spice storage
• Cutting board
• Tiny containers for cooking oil or vinegar

So what's the weight penalty?

17 ounces, which you can customize for each trip: leave behind stuff you won't be using, based on your backpacking menu.

And keep this in mind as a nice gift for your trail buddy who whips up amazing backcountry meals for you.

At the very least, invest $5 US in the pot scraper.

• Flexible rubber end chases that last bite of food down and delivers it to your bowl
• Hard plastic end scrapes any burned on gunk out of the pot

GSI Outdoors Compact Scraper | REI Co-op

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Food & garbage storage options

Your backpacking food might already be bagged up and ready to go in your plastic bag system.

Or maybe it's all pre-prepared in pouches and packaged in individual portions.

• No matter which food prep system you use, bring several heavy duty freeze bags of various sizes that lock shut for left overs, broken bags, berry or mushroom picking, etc.

You will also need to pack out every scrap of food waste, wrappers, pouches & paper, so bring at least one heavy duty garbage bag per two people per five days.

• More clean camp ideas here (coming soon)
  

To keep critters on all sizes completely out of your food and garbage, you'll need to hang a waterproof food bag, use a bear canister, or invest in a critter proof sack.

• Bear canister tips here
• How to hang a food bag here (coming soon)
  

 

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Backpacking kitchen essentials
for cleaning up after a meal

Oatmeal stuck to the bottom of the cook pot needs to be dealt with right after a meal.

• Avoid ant infestations.
• Don't tempt the ground squirrels.
• Welded on oatmeal is an even bigger chore later (especially if you ignored my sincere and hard won pot scraper advice).

To make dish washing on a backpacking trip easy, use these detailed tips and suggestions.

And consider that kitchen kit above, because in addition to cooking tools, it's got a towel, soap dispenser, scrubby pad and storage tote to make clean up easier.

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Got your backpacking kitchen
essentials all dialed in?

Whew! Lots to think about!

We've covered all of the best backpacking kitchen essentials you need to keep your belly full on a backpacking trip while keeping weight, cost and chores to a minimum.

Now it's time to make some decisions about your own kitchen gear list.

Or maybe take a little break, grab a snack, and turn your attention to the food you'll be eating.

These tips will make you hungry help.

• Backpacking food ideas for beginners
• Best backpacking food ideas
• Paleo backpacking food
• Gluten free backpacking food
• Best backpacking snacks

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Backpacking Kitchen Essentials For Good Eating