If you’re a campervan enthusiast, you know how awesome these little machines are. They’re compact, have a small footprint, and can be stored almost anywhere. And with the right set-up, they’re capable of sleeping up to 4 people while also providing ample storage space. The downside to owning a campervan is that it doesn’t have everything you need to operate as you would in any other home. Because of this, if you plan on spending extended periods in yours then you’ll need to find some alternate solutions for how to cook in your van. But don’t worry - we got you covered! Here are some ideas for how you can cook in your campervan!
Change Your Perspective
One of the biggest things you can do to improve your cooking situation is to change your perspective. As a homeowner, you have your entire house to shop from. You can also use almost any type of cooking appliance — whether it be a conventional oven, a slow cooker, or a pressure cooker. However, in a campervan, you have none of those luxuries. Instead of looking at the situation as ‘I can’t make what I want’, try looking at it as ‘what can I make with what I have?’. Because of this, you’ll have to get a lot more creative with your cooking. It’ll also help to make you think outside the box. You’ll have to make sure you’re using your space efficiently, and aren’t buying things that you don’t need. There are many ways to cook without electricity, which we’ll go into shortly.
Plan Ahead
When you’re planning meals in a campervan, you need to plan ahead. You won’t have a traditional stove or oven to cook with, and you’ll need to make sure that whatever you’re cooking can be done in an alternative manner. So, when you’re making your meal plan for the week, try to find recipes that either doesn’t need a lot of cooking time or can be done another way. For example, if you’re making a casserole, you can either do it in an alternative cooking appliance (like a slow cooker) or do it on the stovetop with a sauce instead of a cream-based casserole topping.
Campervan Kitchen Accessories
You might have a few kitchen appliances, but what about utensils? Do you have enough cooking spoons and spatulas to make the dishes you want to make? A good first investment for your campervan kitchen is to get some cooking utensils. You might even want to get a few extra so that you’re always prepared for when you have company. Another must-have for your camper van cooking is a cutting board. If you don’t have one, you’ll be forced to do all your chopping on the floor or your van’s table. This can quickly become dangerous and isn’t recommended to anyone. So, make sure you get a cutting board that’s easy to clean and won’t slip around.
Kitchen Equipment
Now that you know what kitchen accessories you’ll need, let’s talk about some larger-scale equipment. If you want to do any sort of baking, you’ll need to get a portable oven. There are many different brands available and they all have different features. You can get an electric model or a non-electric model. The only downside to the non-electric oven is that you’ll need to pre-heat it for about 15 minutes before baking. If you want to be able to boil water, you’ll need to get a portable stove. But you’ll need to make sure that it’s either a small, propane-powered model or a model that can run on electricity. Having the option to use either power source is always a good idea.
Cooking Tips
If you want to go the traditional cooking route and make something on the stove, get yourself a portable burner. This can be used to make just about anything you could make on a normal stove top. It’s also great for when you’re camping or visiting friends who don’t have room for you to use their kitchen. A great way to cut down the number of pots and pans you’re using is to use a frying pan with a lid. This allows you to do some of your cooking in one pan and will save you a lot of cleaning time.
VanLife Meal Planning Tips
Now that you know how to cook in a campervan, let’s talk about meal planning when doing vanlife. In a normal house, you can store your food in a pantry, you can store some of your food in the fridge, and other food can be stored in the freezer. But in a campervan, you only have the fridge. With that in mind, there are some meal-planning tips that you should follow.
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If it can be eaten raw, put it in the fridge.
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If it can be eaten cooked, but needs to be kept warm, put it in the oven.
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If it can be eaten cold but needs to remain fresh, put it on the table.
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If it can be eaten cold but doesn’t need to remain fresh, put it on the floor.
You should try and get a balanced diet while living in the van. However, it can be easy to get caught in a rut and eat the same thing over and over again. With that in mind, here are some meal-planning tips to help you mix things up.
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Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Get protein-rich foods like beans, legumes, eggs, fish, poultry, and meats.
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Eat whole grains like rice, quinoa, and oats.
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Drink plenty of water.
Clean Cooking In The Van
If you like to cook, there’s no doubt that you’ve had to clean up a mess or two in the kitchen. But what happens when you have to clean up a mess in your van? Well, unfortunately, you don’t have a large sink or a dishwasher like you would in a traditional home. This means that you’ll have to get creative with how you clean up your messes. Luckily, you’re not without options. You can use your sink to wash your dishes. Just be sure to use a sponge or dish scrubber that can be thrown into a bucket of water to soak. You can also use paper towels to wipe up small messes.
Conclusion
Campervans are a great way to travel the world. However, the kitchen situation can be challenging. Luckily, there are a few ways to make the most of the space you have. These include storing food in jars, using a bbq stove, and finding ways to cut down on your cooking supplies. With these tips, you’ll be able to make delicious meals while travelling in a campervan.