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All articles by My Camp Kitchen – Page 4

How to Camp: Top 5 Tips for Camping

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 January 22, 2014
Happy Family Roasting Marshmallow over Campfire

Swimming in the lake, roasting marshmallows, playing games—what’s not to love about camping? Camping can be ridiculously fun and is a great way to spend quality time with friends and family. To enjoy your trip as much as possible, you should carefully prepare beforehand. If you’re new to camping and aren’t sure how to plan for your camping trip, here are five basic how-to-camp tips that will help make your adventure stress-free.

1. Bring a first-aid kit

Whether you’re out in the middle of nowhere or spending time in a nice, familiar campground, you will want to bring a first-aid kit. Some of the items you should include are prescriptions, Band-Aids, aspirin, antiseptic creams, ointments, sterile wipes, rinse solutions, tweezers, and scissors.

2. Plan activities

More than likely, you’ll have plenty of free time on your camping trip. Fill up those hours where you have nothing planned with a fun game or group activity! Cards are perfect because they don’t take up a lot of space and you can use them to play a variety of different games. Other activities you might consider include swimming, hiking, and canoeing.

3. Pack lightly

People tend to overpack, thinking they are playing it safe. They regret that decision once their camper feels way too crowded. Pack only the essentials, but make sure you are prepared for both warm days and cold nights.

4. Plan out each meal

Planning meals ahead of time will prevent you from running out of food or packing too much. Take into account that some people on your trip may want seconds or even thirds.

5. Always pack bug spray and sunscreen

Out of all the miscellaneous items you pack for your camping trip, you’ll be most grateful for your bug spray and sunscreen. Find a bug spray that contains 20 percent or more DEET and be sure your sunscreen has at least 30 SPF.

Being prepared is an essential part of camping. Follow these five camping tips and make your trip an experience you’ll cherish forever!

For more information on how to camp, check out our other posts:

Daily Bread

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 August 28, 2013
Pogaca Bread

We just started partnering with Daily Bread, a company committed to promoting sustainable living and emergency preparedness. Below are some quick tips from them.

5 easy ways to start your food storage

by Dirk Puckett

Building up your family food storage is a wonderful idea—but if you haven’t started yet, it’s likely that you feel overwhelmed about where to start and how much to spend. Getting started with food storage can be easy and inexpensive if you use common sense and plan ahead. When you break the process down into manageable steps, you’ll soon be on your way to having a versatile, long-lasting emergency family food supply to sustain you during hard times.

Here are 5 easy ways to start your family food storage:

1. Make a list

Forget freeze-dried gourmet dinners and focus on simple, practical food items you can find at the supermarket that are high in nutrients and store well. Focus on versatile, tasty foods like pasta, rice, dried beans, canned meat, pancake mix, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, nuts, and powdered drink mixes. The food items on your list also need to be things your family will actually eat. Don’t make plans to store canned lima beans if you know your children will never eat them. Then, consolidate your list to just 12 to 15 items. Once you’ve built up a basic food storage supply, you can expand on it.

2. Set a budget

Look carefully at your grocery budget and see how much you can divert to building up your food storage. Even with as little as $10 per month, you can get started. Over time, you’ll build up enough to help you and your family out in a crisis. Another good idea is to save up all your spare change during the month and put it toward your food storage budget. Even a little bit of change can generally cover an extra can of tuna fish or a bag of hard candy every month.

3. Buy a little at a time

Once you have a list and a budget, you can begin to purchase a few food items every time you go to the grocery store. Whenever you shop, add some of the food storage items to your cart. Don’t forget to take advantage of the sales on your food storage items, such as two-for-one sales or loss leaders.

4. Set up a purchase schedule

If your food storage items are not on sale, keep organized by setting up a purchasing schedule for your list of items. For example, if you have $15 to spend each month, start by buying a 5-lb. bag of rice, a 5-lb. bag of beans, and three cans of tuna fish. The next month, choose three more things on your list to buy. Keep purchasing until you’ve gotten some of everything on your list, then start over. This way, you’ll have a variety of foods in your storage, rather than too much of one item.

5. Designate storage space

It doesn’t take long for even a basic food storage supply to grow bigger than you thought. Get creative when it comes to storing your food and look beyond the obvious. If you aren’t lucky enough to have empty shelves in the garage or basement, make room elsewhere. Try adding a bookshelf in the closet of the spare room, stacking totes under the stairs, or getting long, flat containers that fit under your bed.

Dirk Puckett writes about food storage, emergency preparedness, and self-sustainable living for Daily Bread.

From Our Friends at Date Night Doins

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 July 19, 2013
Kebabs

Tailgating Kabobs

If you are in the mood for some kabobs for your next campout or tailgating party, take a look at this collection of tailgating kabobs recipes from Date Night Doins.

Enjoy!

Memories of Camping: Create Yours This Summer

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 December 12, 2011
Family on Beach at Sunset

My earliest memories are of waking up at 2:00 am and getting in the car (which my dad had already packed for our annual two weeks of camping at Sheep Creek, Kings Canyon, California) and then singing or counting animals or seeing how many state license plates my brother and I could find (with mom’s help). That time spent in the car together was just the beginning. We spent the days swimming, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, and playing hide and seek in the dark forest, sleeping under the stars and never being afraid. My brother, cousins, and I are now (65+ years later) the best of friends. I think these experiences together of total freedom are so important. Take your kids camping so you can start creating their wonderful childhood memories!

So You’re Wondering What a Chuck Box Is?

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 December 1, 2011
My Camp Kitchen ProCamper with Cooking Gear

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard from people seeing our products for the first time, “Wow, I remember when my grandfather built one of these for camping. My brother (or sister, or aunt, or … ) still uses it today.” That, in an nutshell, is a chuck box: a kitchen cabinet made of solid wood (historically heavy plywood) and built to last through the generations.

The My Camp Kitchen Summit and Outdoorsman are the chuck boxes of your dreams. We build them with Baltic Birch plywood, which is very lightweight while maintaining its strength. It is also beautiful, with a gorgeous golden grain. We use brass and zinc-plated hardware, creating a sleek and high-quality look. Our kitchens are built to be passed on from generation to generation.

Family Leisure Time: Creating Happy Kids

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 October 20, 2011
Family Spending Time Together Outdoors
by Analisa Macias (daughter of Richard and Eleanore Snogren)

As parents, we have goals and expectations of ourselves and our children. But what, really, are we expecting our children to gain from all of our parenting? What do we really want for our kids? What do they need to launch them into a successful and happy adulthood?

We want our kids to be good, smart, respectful, and happy. We want them to make us proud and to feel good about themselves. But in reality, these terms are elusive and subjective. How do you teach someone to be happy? Or good? Often teaching “respect” ends up instead teaching fear and intimidation. Smart is relative and unique to each individual.

Good and happy comes from within, it is implicit in our beings—not a personality trait. Respect for others is treating someone well and as an equal and can only come from a strong sense of self-respect. So as I ponder how to help my children develop a happy, good, smart, and respectful inner self, I often go to fearlessness.

More than anything, I want to help my kids be fearless. I don’t mean literally to feel no fear, but rather to feel unafraid of failure enough to try whatever they feel inclined to try. To give things a shot, to take initiative, to not be afraid of judgment or rejection, and to not fear not being good at something. We learn by being and by doing. And if my kids are not afraid to be and not afraid to do, then they will grow up pretty fulfilled. This will translate into a happy and respectful human being.

Nature and Movement Stimulate Neurological Growth

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 May 5, 2011
Little Girl Playing in a Field of Flowers

Nature and movement stimulate growth. Not just muscular growth, but neurological growth. When we experience and move our bodies in nature, we are taking in through our senses varied stimuli, and we are moving our bodies in relation to these stimuli. We are unconsciously learning something about ourselves and developing a deeper identity.

Research on the brain and nature conducted by the University of Michigan shows that after walking in a nature environment, people have better concentration and memory than those who walk down a city street. When we are overburdened by too much information, we make more impulsive choices. Daily life devoid of the calm of nature can lead to more habitual behaviors that keep us stuck in the status quo. When our brains are quieted by nature, reduced stimuli, and more natural rhythms, there is an opportunity to make different decisions that lead to personal growth and greater life satisfaction. It is totally different from the passive experience of watching television or being overstimulated by shopping in a mall.

Giving this gift to our children on a regular basis creates an opportunity for a healthy identity to arise. The more rich and rewarding experiences a child has with her family (where she feels most safe), the more curious and capable she will become. Not just because she learned how to cook a hot dog over a fire, but also because her creative self was given the opportunity to experience and move in her own unique way. She got to attend to what was interesting to her, do something with it, and share it with others. Perhaps she finds the stream of water near the campsite intriguing, enjoys whittling a piece of wood into an arrow, likes watching the squirrels chase each other while gathering nuts, or simply tends the fire while lost in thought. Whatever her natural inclinations, camping offers a way to enrich her understanding and experiences of those interests.

Family Ritual and Routine Correlates with Lower Mental Illness in Teenagers

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 May 3, 2011
Family Dinner

Numerous studies point to the benefits of family traditions. Regular family dinners were shown to be a consistent factor in the family life of Rhodes scholars. Research shows family ritual and routine correlates with lower mental illness in teenagers.

According to one of the largest federally funded studies, “Teens and Their Parents in the 21st Century: Trends in Teen Behavior and the Role of Parental Involvement,” family dinner times reduce teenagers’ risks of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, smoking, and early sexual behaviors. Routine creates predictability, which is critical for children. Ritual creates meaning and consolidates an experience into a memorable moment to identify with throughout life.

Planning the menu can be the first ritual of a family campout. Letting everyone pitch in ideas and list their favorite foods kicks off the fun. You begin to anticipate the enjoyment of the trip. Shopping, packing the car together, making a bag of snacks for the drive, and picking out the music for the road trip all increase the excitement. Then the family hops in the car, feeling free as a bird. The vacation has begun, and you have everything you need to relax into a rich and rewarding experience.

Rave Reviews of My Camp Kitchen

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 May 2, 2011
Overland Journal Review of My Camp Kitchen Summit

Overland Journal gave My Camp Kitchen rave reviews! When comparing My Camp Kitchen chuck boxes to other field kitchens, Overland Journal ranked us first in our class (kitchens with container for cooking gear as well as surface upon which to cook) in its Spring 2011 issue. See below for excerpts from the review.

Overland Journal ranks Summit at the top for versatility, convenience, and features

From lightweight to luxurious, we look at the best kits for cooking outdoors.

Photograph by Chris Marzonie for the Overland Journal

Overland Journal, “Spring Field Test”

Excerpts from the review discussing the My Camp Kitchen™ Summit:

Overland Journal Review of the SummitThe My Camp Kitchen [Summit] is a new product. Constructed entirely of Baltic birch and red oak, the Summit Traveler is a fine example of good old-fashioned woodcraft using a simple, cleverly executed, elegant design. This is a camp kitchen your grandfather might have built in his workshop and passed down as a family heirloom. I met the maker, Richard Snogren, at the International Sportsmen’s Expo in Phoenix and got the impression that his product is a labor of love. After using it in the field, it’s obvious that it’s also the result of personal experience. He’s obviously spent some culinary time in the field and knows what he is doing.

The Summit scores impeccably on volumetric efficiency, thanks to the folding base and wood panel construction…. Put together with dovetail and dado joinery, the build quality is high. Years of use will only add character and a patina of adventure.

Once set up, the Summit is a joy to use. Swing open the cabin doors and you have three compartmented areas facing the chef, with a large counter in front. Additionally, there is a voluminous area below the counter and inside the base available for food boxes or any other large items you want accessible.

The Summit scores at the top

Overland Journal Review of the SummitThe Summit scores at the top for ease of use and ergonomics…. The working height and accessibility to cutlery, tools, specs, and paper towels couldn’t be better. This kitchen is immensely comfortable to use.

If you can afford the required cargo space for this kitchen and you’re serious about having a first-class work area to prepare fine meals, the Summit Traveler is a wonderful choice. The simple set-up and takedown, coupled with proper ergonomics and high-quality construction, score high points.

My Camp Kitchen Summit ranked first in these categories:

  • System Versatility
  • Convenience
  • Features

Learn More

If you have any questions, please give Richard a ring at 303.972.4721 or contact us today.
Thanks for reading, and happy camping!

Note: the Summit was referred to in the original article as the Summit Traveler. Since printing, the name has been changed.

Thank you for your interest in My Camp Kitchen!

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“You make an awesome product! … Arrived home today to My Camp Kitchen waiting on my porch. Couldn’t wait to open it up and see the new improvements. I could not be happier!! The new legs are fantastic!! And having the extensions be able to stay with the box and not have to tote separate is just the ticket. We just placed our three kids’ names in a hat and drew the lucky winner of our old unit. Our oldest daughter won and promised to share with the other two and keep it in the family always. Thanks again for making a great quality product that we can be proud to pass on.”

—Scott Hall, Happy Camper, Grand Rapids, MI

“I want to tell you how delighted I am with the camp kitchen. We went camping this past weekend and found cooking to be easy and storing the gear convenient. Thank you also for the towels, coffee filters, and wine glasses. We used these as well. I will recommend this unit to everyone I know who camps.”

—Teresa Theesfeld, Happy Camper

“My Camp Kitchen was the central spot for all the food and drink as everyone found it to be a great camping asset. It was at a comfortable height for preparation, and all the tools I needed were right there in easy reach. My Camp Kitchen is a wonderful product that I will continue to enjoy and tell everyone about.”

—Bill and Jodi H., Colorado

“Wow! I just received the camp kitchen, and I have to say, the pictures don’t do it justice! Amazingly designed and built! Great product! I’ll send you some pics from the campsite! Thanks again, Richard!”

—David Esarey, Henderson, NV

“Just finished putting together your kit, and I really enjoyed the project.”

—Ed Watson, Happy Camper

“First of all, let me say I LOVE what I see and hear from your products. We are a Scouter family with two boys 13 and 11 active in our LDS Scout troop and a secondary traditional troop here in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

—Raoul Casares, Scout Father, Pleasanton, CA

“I just received my Mini Chef last Friday, and it’s terrific. And it was like Christmas finding the extras inside! A really nice touch. Thank you.”

—Alison Richards, Senior Editor of Science & Food, NPR, Washington, DC

“We are so pleased with the custom table [designed to fit in our Teardrop trailer]! When my husband opened it and put it together, he said he wanted to use it as a standing desk in his office!! I am just so pleased to have such a beautifully designed and high-quality camp kitchen! I value these qualities in my NON-camping life … so it was wonderful to find that you were making something like this as most of the camping stuff out there is just awful!!! It has also been a great pleasure to work with you all. Thank you for all that you do!”

—Alison Richards, Senior Editor of Science & Food, NPR, Washington, DC

“We are enjoying our [custom tailgater] bar—getting so many compliments and looks! It is great.… Thank you!!”

—Anna Dulcich, Happy Camper

“For a beautiful cooking experience, the artfulness and craftsmanship of the Summit WOWS. It feeds the soul.”

—Susan, Colorado

“Everything worked just great. You can see how much I have stored in the box—literally everything I need for cooking/preparation of food. The couple I went camping with were really taken with the unit—thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread!”

—Dave Weed, Happy Camper

“Wow! Awesome! Really Cool! That’s the impression I have with The Outdoorsman. Very well-constructed, and I think it will work perfectly for our Scouting needs. Easy to set up and surprisingly light. Thanks so much.”

—Brian Jasper, Scoutmaster, Marysville, OH

“Nothing competes with camping. There is no remote-control camping. So when you get a kid out there making a fire, prepping foil dinners, roasting marshmallows, playing silly campfire games, and walking around in the dark with a flashlight, he is thrilled in a way that cannot be duplicated by technology. Go, Dad!!!!”

—Analisa Macias, Avid Camper and Daughter of the Snogrens

“We love our Camp Kitchens! Our old patrol boxes were built from plans. They were very heavy, and the legs were hard to assemble. Our Camp Kitchens were easy and fun for a group of Scouts to put together. The instructions were easy to follow, and the parts were well-organized. Everything fit together perfectly. The Camp Kitchens are well-designed and much easier for our Scouts to carry. All of our necessities fit neatly inside. In addition, set-up is easy when we arrive at camp. Thanks, My Camp Kitchen!”

—Scott Dory, Scoutmaster

“I love cooking with My Camp Kitchen. I have all that I need right there. Cooking outdoors is much more enjoyable than in our trailer.”

—Richard, Colorado

“The Camp Kitchen is just absolutely perfect and fits exactly how we wanted it to in our four-wheel pop-up camper. It is really well-thought-out, and I’m SO glad I didn’t try to build a DIY as I was previously planning. You have put a lot of camping experience into every little detail. And it is built for an air drop! It’s funny how excited my wife and I are about The Outdoorsman kitchen box, considering we have tens of thousands of dollars tied up in all sorts of technical outdoor gear. Your camp kitchen is truly worth every penny. Congrats on a classic.”

—Brooks Montgomery, Owner of Hart-Montgomery Outdoor Sales, Bozeman, MT