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How a Lightweight Travel Stove Can Simplify Family Camping Trips
Whether you are taking your kids out into the backcountry or just have a relaxing weekend car camping, one of the most important details on your packing list will be food. Planning meals for one to two people while camping is fairly manageable due to the simplicity of only having to bring a few ingredients.
Picking Your Family's Travel Stove
Once you are planning a family camping trip, however, things get a little more complicated. There's more food to bring, more food preferences to consider, and you might need to swap out your small, packable backpacking stove for a brawnier, but still lightweight, travel stove. Here are a few ideas that can make your family camping trip come together in a snap.
Backcountry Travel Stove
While hot dogs over the open fire are a lot of fun for little ones, if you are out camping for more than a night or camping in a no burn zone, a travel stove is definitely a necessity. Cooking while camping gives you the ability to cook food that you know your whole family will love, and maintain plenty of variety even in the great outdoors.
Not only that, letting your kids help with meal prep and have a say in the options you bring along can do a lot to get them into the clean plate club. It's fun, too, to get to eat outside perched on a rock or sitting on a tree branch like the squirrels and bunny rabbits. Cooking outside on your travel stove can bring a whole new element of fun to meals times!

Planning a trip where you will be hiking into a primitive campsite? Make sure to bring a lightweight travel stove like the Lite XL. Because this travel stove is just under 16 ounces, it won't weigh you down even if your pack is full of extra gear for the kids. With a one liter capacity, this stove and pot combo will be perfect for morning oatmeal and freeze-dried backpacking meals for the whole family.
However, because it's a one burner design, you'll have to cook portions in rounds and you might find the Lite XL is better suited to smaller families. If you are planning to feed four or more, make sure to bring an extra pot or check out one of the two burner stoves listed below!
Destination Meals
If you are looking for a travel stove that's is perfect for car camping and short hikes, check out the Kinjia stove. With two burners, this travel stove is big enough to cook meals for the whole family, from mac n cheese to hand pies.
The Kinjia is 8.1 pounds and small enough to pack, making it perfect for car campers, the #vanlife, overlanding, or even short hike-in camping excursions of a mile or two. Check out these single pot/pan recipes for inspiration on what to cook on your travel stove for your next adventure.
Base Camp Stove
If you are looking for a hearty stove that is perfect for tailgating or a weekend hanging out around the campsite picnic table, then look no further then the Profile travel stove. This stove has a durable and classic design and at less than 12 pounds is still portable with easy-to-use carrying handles.
This travel stove gives you the opportunity to flex your culinary muscles even in the great outdoors, with features similar to what you’d find on your stove at home, like simmer controls and water boiling time of three minutes. It's designed to handle full-sized cookware like your home range, too, so you and your family can enjoy a multi-course meal right at the campsite.
You can also buy this travel stove with an optional grill, making this a barbecue favorite whether you are out camping or just hanging out in the backyard. Check out these barbecue recipes and take the grill to the campsite on your family's next camping trip.
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