Camping Accessories
The usual assumption about camp cooking is that it's main meals that matter but breakfast, lunch, tea breaks, snacks and picnics are always on the agenda. Totting up the variety of meals and ingredients needed means that food storage has to be considered. The camping larder needs to be wildlife proof but handy to access. Plastic or metal food storage boxes with lids are practical and durable; easy to gnaw cardboard boxes and loose food will attract unwelcome visitors.
Keeping drinks, particularly milk, cool has never really been a problem. If you're on a simple farm site, you could use a bucket full of water kept in the shade with a damp cloth draped over it or a gas-powered fridge. Using a power outlet on your car is asking for a flat battery unless you have a split charge system. On more sophisticated sites, you may have the option of a mains hook-up for a cool box or fridge. Many sites will freeze 'ice' bricks for you to use in cool boxes. Mark yours with your name (use an indelible pen), have two sets (one in use; one in the freezer) and put yours in a marked plastic bag to make finding them easier.
Bangers and burgers are BBQ staples but there are many more interesting meals. So many
barbecues focus on meat leaving out fish, potato salad, green salad, marinated tomatoes, and pasta and so on. It pays to experiment at home and crack barbecue cooking rather than join the ranks of the enthusiastic failures. As skill develops, a barbecue outfit might become your sole means of camp cooking.
Setting up to cook and eat on the ground can lose its appeal very quickly when camping, especially if the weather takes a turn for the worse and the ground is wet. A table can transform food preparation and cooking, as well as eating. If you haven't already, invest in a fold-up table and couple of chairs to sit at for meals, as this will make the whole experience much more enjoyable and prevent temptation of cooking inside the tent which is very dangerous. Even touring around with a small car, there should be room for a small table and folding chairs.
Lighting isn't usually a priority when you're buying camping gear. Most of us think a torch would be handy but you may need a light where you're preparing food and cooking. Then there's eating, relaxing, getting ready for bed, reading, getting up through the night. A general area lantern (gas or electric) combined with a couple of head torches should do the trick. A hanging electric light is the safest option for lighting up the inside of a tent and great way of lighting up the general living space.
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