Recommended dishes (cookware) for family camping

What kind of tableware (cookware) do you need?

First, choose the material

The main materials are aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium.

Aluminum is relatively light, has high thermal conductivity, and is less likely to scorch when simmering.

Many aluminum products are also inexpensive, making them ideal for beginners.

Stainless steel is a bit heavy but durable and won't deform even if handled roughly.

The luster of stainless steel is also appealing, and if weight is not a concern, it's a top contender.

Titanium is overwhelmingly light and strong. It's a good choice for mountain climbing or when you want to lighten your load as much as possible. Many titanium products are expensive, but their ability to satisfy your desire for ownership is also attractive.

However, it has low thermal conductivity, so heat doesn't spread across the entire bottom of the pot, making it prone to scorching. While you can improvise by using a burner pad, for example, on its own, it's mainly useful only for boiling water.

What kind of set should I choose?

If you're just starting camping and wondering what kind of tableware to get, there's no problem if you choose a set that includes a deep pot and a frying pan for now.

With this, you can cook, simmer, and fry.

It's common for the lid to also be usable as a frying pan.

For solo camping, choose a single set; for families, choose a set with enough individual plates for the number of people.

For children, prepare stainless steel or aluminum items.

Paper and plastic plates are too light and will blow away with a slight breeze. Paper plates become trash, and plastic plates are difficult to clean.

For solo camping, I believe you don't need separate dishes as you eat directly from the pot.
For parents, how about enjoying the atmosphere even more with wooden dish plates while relaxing with a drink?

Recommended tableware (cookware) sets

Coleman Pack-Away Solo Cooker Set

This is a cooker set from Coleman for solo use.

It's made of aluminum, and the lid is slightly deep, so you can also warm soup in it.

The deep pot has measurements, which serve as a guide for计量. It also has a spout, showing attention to detail.

HAC Montana Outdoor Cooker 4-piece set

This product is a set of large and small pots and a frying pan.

It's perfect for those who want to enjoy cooking even on solo camping trips, or for camping with 1 or 2 people.

Although there are many pots, they can be stacked (this is called nesting), which is appealing because they don't take up much space when stored.

Snow Peak Titanium Trek

This is a titanium cooker for solo use.

As mentioned earlier, its primary use is boiling water, so if you're absolutely committed to reducing weight, this is a viable option.

Also, applying heat gives titanium its unique "焼き色" (burnished color), so there's also the joy of using it over time.

CAPTAIN STAG BBQ Pot Set Laguna Stainless Cooker

Stainless steel for 3-4 people.

This product, which also includes a kettle, is perfect for families.

This product can also be stacked, so despite its size, you won't have trouble storing it.

I can imagine a scene where a family cooks rice and eats curry.

How to wash dishes

I’d like to say just wash them with regular dish soap, but since you've come all the way to nature, it would be nice to wash them in an environmentally friendly way if possible.

1 Eat cleanly.

I want to avoid sending even a small amount of food scraps down the drain.

Of course, it's about not leaving uneaten food, but it also reduces the amount of washing up and fosters a sense of gratitude for food.

2 Wipe off

After eating neatly, wipe it off with tissue paper.

By doing so, you can reduce the amount of detergent used and further lessen the burden on the environment.

No wet wipes are necessary. If you wipe immediately after finishing eating, regular tissue will suffice.

I use toilet paper.

This way, I can adjust the amount I want to use precisely, and it becomes smaller than tissue when wet, reducing waste. Of course, it can also be used for its original purpose.

3 Use minimal detergent

To wash, fill the largest pot with water and use that water to wash. Turn off the faucet during this time.

Unless the dirt is really stubborn, it will come off with water.

There are also sponges sold that clean with just water.

Lec Gekiochi-kun Cube 30 pcs Melamine Sponge

I use detergent only for stubborn stains and for the final finish.

Here, as I mentioned earlier, plastic items are difficult to remove grease stains from, which consequently leads to using more detergent.

4 Rinse

When rinsing, try to use as little water as possible.

If you have a pot, put all the dishes in it and rinse them while filling it up.

If you don't have a pot, stack the dishes from largest to smallest, and rinse them one by one on top of each other.

By doing so, the rinsing water can help wash off some of the soap suds on the dishes below.

How to dry dishes

You might want to wipe them with a dishcloth, but if you drop it and it gets sand on it, it becomes unusable. Also, things with only one use are not suitable for camping, so tissue paper comes in handy here too.

After washing the dishes, shake off the water and wipe them dry.

Then, stack them on the table from smallest to largest.

If you're concerned about insects, there are nets for dishes sold, but they can be bulky, so just use a laundry net from a 100-yen shop.