The JMBS pot system is designed to be functional and economical. The biggest item lacking is a properly-sized bowl for eating out of that nests with the rest of the kit, because the 6-inch pie tins, while they work great as pot lids, are not sized well for use as an eating bowl for an adult, nor are they easy to hold with a pot-grabber (a necessity when the food inside is hot). This problem has now been solved with a 4-cup stainless bowl that nests with the system.
The Midwest Home For Pets 4 Cup bowl is designed to mount to a pet cage. If you buy it new, it comes with a bracket so it can be mounted in such a manner. I stumbled across this item by accident, having picked one up at a thrift store without the mounting bracket a few years ago. Upon bringing it home, I realized that it nested perfectly into the 2-quart pail that is the basis of the system. Since then it has ridden in my wannigan and been my go-to eating bowl. On a fall, 2023 trip someone commented that they wished they could find a bowl of the same size for their kit. So I started doing a bit of research. There were still a few markings on the bowl, and an internet search found the company. I ordered one to make sure that they hadn’t changed the size of the product. It recently arrived, and I learned that it is still the same size, and still nests. The downside is that it costs $10, but the upside is that it will likely last forever, is a convenient size for eating, and is easily held when hot with the standard pot grabber.
A few other ways it can be used are to store leftovers (when used with the pie pan to keep out bugs and critters) as a chafing dish to keep food hot (when used with a pail that has hot water in the bottom), as a mixing bowl, as a bowl for scrambling eggs, etc.
So if you’re looking to upgrade your cook kit, here is a simple addition that will give you a convenient bowl for eating. If the price tag seems excessive for what you get, you’ve got a point and you can always pick up random stainless bowls at a thrift store until you find one that eventually fits your system. The reason for this post is to save you time and point to a product that fits the system and works.
You can get one via Amazon, Tractor Supply, pet stores, and the usual suspects of online retailers. If you click through the link below, they help you search for local retailers by zip code and have links to many online retailers. Be sure to click on the “1 Quart” option as they offer four different sizes.
Is it a necessity? No. Is it a highly-desirable convenience? Definitely. I’ll post a video soon of how it nests, etc.
Update 3/15/24: I bought a second bowl for an upcoming trip and the two nest perfectly in the 2-quart pail.
