Cooking at camp is an easy task, right?
Well, for a new backpacker, it’s something that’s often overlooked. Small mistakes can ruin a meal—but other mistakes can cause serious injury.
Mistake #1: Bringing Too Much Food
If I was going on a weekend backpacking trip, this is ridiculous. The first mistake is people often bring way too much food.
If you’re a survivalist, you’re going to instantly disagree. You’ll say I should be packing days and days of extra food—because what happens if I get lost in the wilderness and need to feed myself?
But you’re only really going to need maybe one extra day’s worth of food. There are so many ways to contact emergency services if something goes wrong.
The bigger problem is that people carry food that’s just too heavy. Then we worry about pack weight the entire time—only to get home and realize that we never ate that 5, 6, or even 7-ounce meal we brought.
Photo Credit: AlliemTaylor.blog
What I like to do is bring one extra day’s worth of food, or maybe just one extra meal. That way, I’m eating what I need, based on how many calories I burn backpacking—which is a lot.
Rule of thumb: bring about 1.5 to 2 pounds of food per day, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Most of those meals will be dehydrated, so you’ll add water later. But this gives you a solid idea of how much food to carry.
Mistake #2: Sitting Too Close to the Stove
A lot of new campers do this without thinking. They sit way too close to the stove while it’s running.
It feels fine—until it’s not.
Photo Credit: @yusuke_camp_1230 (Instagram)
That stove has boiling water on it. If it tips even a little, it’s going to burn you. Bad.
You don’t want to end your trip with a hospital visit.
Always give the stove some space. Set it up on level ground. Sit back while it’s cooking.
One slip, and that boiling water could land right in your lap.
Mistake #3: Leaving Pot Handles In
Another mistake—something I still make a lot—is leaving the pot handles folded in while cooking.
Most pots used for backpacking are titanium. Titanium transfers heat really well, which means those handles get extremely hot.
Burned hands in the backcountry? That’s an injury you don’t want.
If you’re cooking at camp, always open the pot handles before boiling water. Better yet, turn the stove off and wait for the water to boil.
Or grab something nearby—a buff or cloth—to safely move the pot.
Safety first. Don’t let boiling water spill on you.
Mistake #4: Holding the Food Bag While Pouring
Another mistake people make: they forget to take out the oxygen absorber from the meal bag.
It’s not a huge deal—but the real problem is pouring boiling water while holding the bag.
Don’t do that.
Instead:
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Turn off your stove
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Set the food bag on the ground
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Hold it at one end, and then pour the water
This keeps it safe and away from your body. Boiling water burns are a serious risk—and you’re miles from help.
Mistake #5: Using a Small Spoon
Next mistake—super common—is bringing a spoon that’s too short.
You want a long-handled spoon so you can reach the bottom of your food bags without getting your hands dirty.
Photo Credit: Summerstar.com.au
This bag is short, but some are tall. A short spoon means dirty hands and messy food.
Sure, you can tear the bag lower—but if you don’t, it seals better for trash storage.
I got my spoon from Walmart – it’s Ozark Trail. You can even grab a long spoon from Dairy Queen or McDonald’s for free.
Perfect for digging into food bags on trail.
Mistake #6: Not Sanitizing After Bathroom Breaks
People go to the bathroom, don’t wash their hands, then eat. That’s how you get sick.
It’s not always possible to wash your hands in the wild, but bring camp soap or hand sanitizer.
I pack my sanitizer in a separate plastic bag—it can explode, especially if you’ve flown.
Make sure you sanitize your hands fully. Use river water if you have to. Just don’t risk stomach bugs in the backcountry.
Getting sick—vomiting or dehydrated—when you’re far from help is dangerous.
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