Best camping cookware for family feasts outdoors in 2023
Our roundup of the best camping cookware for family camp cooking
Finding some decent cookware for family camping can be tricky. Cookware sets are often targetted more towards backpacking or are of poor quality (we’re looking at you Coleman).
We’ve done all the work, research and testing to bring you the best cookware to fill the bellies of your beasts AND last longer than one camping season.
In a hurry? Here’s our top 3 picks for best camping cookware for family.
Best camping cookware for family
Stanley Base Camp Cook Set
Best budget camping cookware for families
The Stanley Base Camp Cook Set offers the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to family camping cookware.
The kit has enough plates and cutlery for up to 4 people and includes –
It might seem hard to believe when you look at the amount of cookware you get in this set, but, everything nests inside the large pot for easy storage and transportation.
Made from strong and durable 18/8 stainless steel, it wont burn, stick, rust or warp over time.
The Base Camp Set was made for easy cleaning, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the outdoors with your family. Soap and warm water are all you need, or if someone forgets to take the pan off the burner (again!), you can use steel wool for a deeper clean.
Need more convincing? Stanley offer a lifetime warranty on all of the items in the kit.
Lodge Camp Dutch Oven
If you want one item that can do it all…you’ve just found it
A Dutch oven can, literally, be used to replace your entire cookware for camping and the Lodge 8 quart camp Dutch oven is the perfect size for cooking for an entire family.
A Dutch oven allows you to cook anything from pizza to chili to cakes to french fries to donuts.
You can sauté, deep fry, bake, sear, boil…anything!
The 8-quart size is more than enough to make a large main meal for a family of 4, or 8 side dishes.
If you’ve never used a Dutch oven for camping before, we’ll give you a quick class in how to use one.
The traditional way is to use hot coals underneath and on top, creating an oven effect that allows whatever food you have in there to cook evenly. This is mainly important if you’re cooking pizza or bread, basically anything that requires even heat distribution to prevent burning.
However, if you’re only looking to use it for food such as chili or pasta you can also hang it over a campfire with the use of a Dutch oven tripod, or even just use it as you would any normal pot or pan.
The Lodge Dutch oven comes with a beginner Dutch oven cookbook to get you started.
Acecamp Aluminum Pot Set
A high-quality cookware set featuring the basic necessities
If you’re just looking for the basics to cook up some nice meals while camping with the family, the Acecamp aluminum cooking pot set is ideal.
It comes with 3 pots of varying sizes, plus lids. The different pot sizes make cooking all different meals easy. The smaller pan allows for easy boiling of water or milk, while the large pot allows for army sized portions of pasta and rice.
Each pot has a large handle to allow you to dangle the pots over an open fire if you don’t use a camping stove. The aluminum is more than hardy enough to handle being placed directly into a campfire.
While not quite as versatile as a cast-iron Dutch oven, the pot set will allow you to cook up plenty of tasty meals such as pasta, curry, oatmeal, and soup.
The nesting design of the pots allows for easy storage and transportation. Each pot fits inside the next bigger size, along with the lid for each size.
GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper Cooking Set
A premium choice for avid family campers
The GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper Cooking Set is the perfect premium cookware choice for avid and frequent campers.
The pots and pans are made from anodized aluminum with Teflon non-stick technology. It’s a set that can take a battering and will save a few meal times if the head chef has a tendency to burn things!
The plates, bowls, and cups are made from infinity clear Polypropylene that can withstand knocks, drops, and falls.
The kit has enough plates, bowls and cups for up to 4 people and includes –
While aluminum is hardy and durable, it often doesn’t do too well when put through a dishwasher. So to avoid any sadness, please only wash your pots and pans in soap and water.
Or if you want something you can put through the dishwasher, choose the Stanley Base Camp set instead.
The provided stuff sack also doubles as a washbasin to keep your new cookware in top condition and save space in the back of your car!
Recommended accessories
Sierra Dawn Campsuds
Campsuds work wonders on camping cookware (except cast iron, don’t use soap). It’s biodegradable and kind to the environment.
You can also use it to wash your face, body, hair or clothes!
The New Camp Cookbook: Gourmet Grub for Campers, Road Trippers, and Adventurers
A beautiful cookbook to test out some recipes in your new cookware!
