Campervan Meals: Easy Recipes for the Road

Food is often one of the best things about being on holiday, and that’s no different for a campervan holiday. In fact, it can be even better than other trip types because you have your own kitchen on wheels, so you can home cook what you want when you want.

A couple sat at the dining table in their Bailey Endeavour

Your cooking challenge	You could try
Less space that you are used to	Buy a set of compact and multipurpose cookware (think nesting bowls, collapsible colanders, frying pans with a removable handle and spoon/fork combinations)

Cooking smells in the campervan	When you can, try to cook with the kitchen windows slightly open and cook outside when possible. Use a good quality ‘odour-eating’ air freshener after you’ve washed up.

Condensation	Make sure you keep the campervan well-ventilated when you're cooking, and wipe down all food preparation surfaces after cooking to capture any moisture.

Less storage than you’re used to	Plan your meals and snacks before you leave for your trip, and try the trick of taking something like mince that can be used for more than one meal. Then, you can plan what store cupboard ingredients you need to have in the cupboards and get the most from the food you take with you.

Less cooking surface than you’re used to	Make the best use of all workspaces by preparing your meals in stages or using the dining table for extra prep space.

Less fridge space than you’re used to	If you’re trying to answer the question of how do I deal with limited fridge space in a campervan? Try buying little and often if you can and reserve space for the things you use the most, like milk and cheese. For overflow items, use a cool box.

Limited gas supply	A 6kg gas bottle can last, on average, a week with cooking and some heating. This varies according to usage and weather conditions, so it might be as little as a few days or as much as a couple of weeks. If you want to conserve gas, try and plan in some meals that don't require cooking, or take along a non-gas BBQ for cooking outside.

Less space to wash up than you’re used to	Use as few plates as possible and try to cook one-pot meals to reduce the amount you have to wash up. You can often find dish drainers with a tray underneath to catch the water. Consider one of these for somewhere to put your cutlery and crockery when washing up.