The campfire is the center of activity and gathering so it is important that precautions are taken to make this a safe place. Cooking over an open fire is most often the center of a camp outing although there are some important things to remember.

There are items to create a system for your cooking. Plan your cooking style ahead of time to accommodate your meal planning. Take your time, don't stress when you're at the fire. Concentrate without distractions. Make sure the little ones are monitored so you need not worry or cook with little campers at your feet. There are various kinds of pans and equipment that will work on the fire and others that are best left for home use or inside the RV. You will definitely want a Dutch Oven with legs and have two or three available if cooking for a crowd. A Dutch Oven is ideal for soup and stews, for roasting and even for baking,

The best is cast iron with a lid and has a lip on it. This will allow you to put hot coals on top of it without sliding off. The coals on the top of the lid help the food cook from both the top and bottom of the pan, much the way a conventional oven does. This is the best way to bake at fireside.

Take pots and pans and again, cast iron is the best. Make sure they have handles. These are used to cook meats, breads, cakes, cookies, or casseroles. Use the longest utensils that are comfortable for you in use. The further from your heat source you are, the safer you will be. Although they are heavier to transport, consider cast iron utensils because of the durability. Avoid wood for the obvious reasons. A great selection is a spoon, a slotted spoon, a fork, a long and a shorter spatula.

Plan a safe place to set hot pans as they are coming off the fire (potholders, mitts and dish towels). Be sure also to have a shovel, ash bucket, bucket of water for emergencies and a poker.

Thoughts to remember:

• Wear appropriate clothing…nothing loose that will get in the way.
• Food will likely burn if you sit a pan atop hot coals.
• Foods will not cook if too far from your heat source.
• Don't rush by cooking over a fire instead of a bed of coals.
• When cooking is completed, be sure to cool all coals or make sure that everyone is aware of them. Hot coals and bare feet do not mix.