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Cooking on a camp stove, simply
Cooking on a camp stove doesn't need to be complicated. One pot, a few ingredients, and a plan for how many burners you'll actually need. Most trips only need a simple gas stove and one pot.
Boil water first, then build the meal around it. Pasta, rice, and instant noodles all cook the same way, and the pot doubles as your mixing bowl and your plate.
Choose the right stove
Canister stoves light fast and need no priming, which makes them the easiest choice for most weekend trips. They do lose power in the cold and at altitude, so pack a liquid fuel stove for winter trips up the mountain. Either way, always check your fuel level before you leave, since running out on day two ruins the whole menu.
A camp stove doesn't make you a better cook. It just means you don't need a fire to eat a hot meal at the end of a long day on the trail.
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Wind is the biggest enemy of a small stove, so set up in the lee of a rock or your tent, or carry a simple windscreen. Clean as you go. Wipe the pot out with a bit of paper before you wash it, so you don't waste water rinsing off burnt rice, and pack out anything you can't burn or bury.
Plan your portions
Work out how much each person will eat before you pack, not after, since a half-finished packet of pasta is dead weight for the rest of the trip. Buy in trail-sized portions rather than big bags meant for a home kitchen.
Always carry a backup
Matches get wet and lighters run out of gas at the worst time, usually just before supper. Carry two ways to get a flame, and keep one of them somewhere dry, away from your stove and fuel.
Cooking well on a stove is mostly about practice, not gear, so try your menu at home before your first trip. Test it once in the backyard, not the bush, so you know how long your gas lasts and how your pot behaves in a bit of wind. Get that right, and supper on the trail stops being a chore.
