What to buy for a camping cooking competition

A camping cooking competition needs more than ingredients and portable stoves. Teams also need shared cookware, serving equipment, coolers, washing supplies and a reliable way to work after dark. Buy or bring reusable tableware, cutting and measuring tools, pans, pots and serving platters before dividing ingredients between teams. Check dietary requirements before shopping, and chill drinks and perishable food in the coolers before participants arrive.

Organize this event for free with Lizzt

What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 2
Foldable tablesqty 10
Folding chairsqty 40
Judges' table
Registration desk
Waste binsqty 6

Tableware

Reusable platesqty 50
Reusable bowlsqty 40
Reusable cupsqty 80
Knivesqty 50
Forksqty 50
Spoonsqty 50
Serving spoonsqty 16
Serving plattersqty 16

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 16
Paring knivesqty 16
Mixing bowlsqty 16
Measuring cupsqty 8
Pansqty 16
Cooking potsqty 8
Colandersqty 8
Kitchen tongsqty 16
Aluminum foilqty 8
Coolersqty 8

Equipment

Portable gas stovesqty 8
Gas cylindersqty 8
Kitchen timersqty 8
Extension cordsqty 4
Megaphone
Fire extinguishersqty 4

Lighting

LED lampsqty 8
String lightsqty 4

Decorations

Team number signsqty 8
Information boardsqty 4
Directional signsqty 8

Cleaning

Dishpanqty 4
Spongesqty 12
Dish brushesqty 4
Hand brushes and dustpanqty 2

Catering

Groceries
- Chicken breast - 4 kilograms
- Ground beef - 3 kilograms
- Vegetarian pieces - 2 kilograms
- Salmon fillet - 2 kilograms
- Eggs - 60 pieces
- Potatoes - 8 kilograms
- Rice - 4 kilograms
- Pasta - 4 kilograms
- Tortilla wraps - 48 pieces
- Bread - 8 loaves
- Onions - 3 kilograms
- Garlic - 6 bulbs
- Peppers - 3 kilograms
- Courgettes - 3 kilograms
- Mushrooms - 2 kilogram
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 2 kilograms
- Carrots - 2 kilograms
- Corn - 8 cans
- Kidney beans - 8 cans
- Coconut milk - 8 cans
- Diced tomatoes - 12 cans
- Cooking cream - 4 liters
- Grated cheese - 2 kilogram
- Feta - 1 kilogram
- Butter - 1 kilogram
- Olive oil - 3 liters
- Sunflower oil - 2 liters
- Mayonnaise - 2 liter
- Ketchup - 2 liters
- Soy sauce - 1 liter
- Barbecue sauce - 1 liter
- Mustard - 1 liter
- Vegetable stock - 2 packs
- Salt - 1 kilogram
- Black pepper - 250 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Curry powder - 250 grams
- Italian herbs - 2 jars
- Chili flakes - 1 jar
- Cumin - 1 jar
- Fresh parsley - 6 bunches
- Fresh coriander - 6 bunches
- Lemons - 20 pieces
- Apples - 40 pieces
- Grapes - 4 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Sinas - 6 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 8 bottles
- Still mineral water - 12 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Beer - 48 cans
- Alcohol-free beer - 24 cans
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 6 liters
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Coffee milk - 2 bottles
- Ice cubes - 12 bags
- Trash bags - 4 rolls
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Disinfectant spray - 4 bottles
- Hand gel - 4 bottles
- Cleaning cloths - 2 packs
- Nitrile gloves - 2 boxes

Tips

Plan ingredients by team before shopping, then add a clearly labelled reserve portion for spills, burnt food or last-minute substitutions. This prevents one team from using another team’s ingredients.
Allow at least one cutting board, paring knife, mixing bowl and set of measuring cups per cooking station. Shared tools create queues when several teams start prep at the same time.
Use one cooler for drinks and separate coolers for perishable ingredients where possible. Pack food into sealed containers and keep the ingredient coolers closed between distribution rounds.
Bring serving spoons and platters in addition to the cookware. Teams may finish a dish in a pan, but judges still need clean, presentable portions at the judges’ table.
Take LED lamps and extension cords even if the competition starts during daylight. Cooking and judging often run late, while gas cylinders and fire extinguishers should be positioned before the first burner is lit.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to buy for a camping cooking competition?: Plan for ingredients, portable gas stoves, gas cylinders, pans, cooking pots, cutting boards, knives, mixing bowls, measuring cups, tongs and timers. Add reusable plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, serving spoons, serving platters, coolers, foil and safety equipment.
How many coolers do I need for a camping cooking competition?: Use at least two coolers for a small competition: one for drinks and one for perishable ingredients. Add a separate cooler for each additional group of around 10 to 12 participants if food would otherwise remain unrefrigerated during distribution.
How much tableware do I need per person?: Pack one reusable plate, bowl, cup, knife, fork and spoon per participant, plus at least 10% extra. For 30 participants, that means 33 of each item so replacements are available if something is dropped or left at a cooking station.
What should I bring for cooking after dark?: Bring at least one LED lamp for each cooking area, plus extension cords and string lights for shared spaces. Set up lighting before sunset and test it at least 30 minutes before cooking begins.

Start this plan in Lizzt

Every task and item on this page, ready in your own event. Invite people, split the work, and see who has done what.