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Let’s start with your first night… You’ve been on the road for hours, it’s starting to get dark, and you may not feel like preparing a meal from scratch. It’s a good idea for Day 1 to bring some home-made meals that can be quickly heated up in a pan.
Secondly, a few words on safety. When cooking, keep the door or windows open for ventilation. Make sure you don’t leave pans unsupervised when cooking and pack everything away when you’re driving.
Utensils for cooking while camping:
Most campervans have a two-ring cooking set-up so meals need to be fairly simple. Here’s what your basic kitchen will require…
* Pots and Pans – keep them light and stackable. Opt for a frying pan, 2 saucepans, and something to drain water
* Travel electric kettle and cafetiere, if you’re a coffee-lover
* Sandwich maker – not a necessity, but useful for quick lunches
* Utensils:
- knife set
- set of cutlery
- crockery x 4 (melamine is light and easy to clean)
- glass ware (or non-breakable alternative)
- tea towels
- folding chopping board
- mat for hot pans
- silicone cooking utensil set
- scissors
- grater
- tin opener
- bottle opener
Campervan recipes for Breakfast:
1. English Breakfast
A great option to fill stomachs ahead of a busy day!
Pop bacon, sausages, and eggs in the frying pan, beans in one pan, and gently cook some spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes in the other. Be sure to clean-up after each meal so you can get straight to cooking when the next mealtime arrives.
2. Pancakes with fruit
If you’re travelling in the warmer months there’ll likely be lots of fresh fruit available at farm shops and local stores. Spend an afternoon picking your own and then devour them with some pancakes and natural yoghurt the next morning.
3. Omelette
A few ingredients, one pan, and lots of protein for the family! A simple omelette with some spinach and tomatoes requires little effort or post-cleaning.
4. Granola Bowl
Load a big bowl of yoghurt with berries, banana, seeds and nuts, plus a little peanut butter or honey… It couldn’t be simpler (or more delicious).
Campervan recipes for Lunch:
1. Wraps
Grab a pack of tortillas, spread with hummus, and then chop some carrots, sweet peppers, lettuce and avocado and allow the family to fill their own wrap. On cold days, add some hot chicken breast or bacon!
2. Toasties
Here's where that sandwich toaster comes in handy. Prepare a sandwich filled with cheese, ham, tomatoes, pesto, vegetables, hummus, and whatever else takes your fancy and pop it in the toaster.
3. Buddha Bowl
Grains, veggies, and protein are the key ingredients for a Buddha Bowl and you really can throw anything in there. Your grain can be cous cous (cooks very quickly), quinoa, or rice noodles – then add whatever vegetables you have to hand and top with beans, chickpeas, or some lightly fried tofu smothered in soy sauce for protein.
Campervan recipes for Dinner:
1. Pasta
Get inventive with your pasta… Penne with chicken, broccoli, and mushroom, spaghetti with smoked salmon and spinach, rotini loaded with cheese and seasonal veggies. The choices are endless and your campervan cooking recipes will likely become home favourites, too!
2. Rice-Based Dishes
A pan of well-cooked rice can be combined with all kinds of ingredients and flavours. Cook classics like chilli con carne, use local seafood in a paella, or opt for a simple chicken curry or egg fried rice with veg. Use leftovers!
3. Stew – chickpeas, beef and vegetable
Whilst you don’t want to prepare meals that require endless simmering, a vegetable stew can be quick to cook and full of flavour. Opt for veg that are slightly softer - swap squash for pumpkin and throw in carrots, onions, leeks, and smaller chunks of potatoes, plus chickpeas and some lentils if you like it thicker.
4. Hotdogs & Burgers
Grab some board games and cook some simple burgers and sausages in the frying pan (use oil sparingly). Buy freshly cooked bread, top with cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and fried onions and you’ve got a nostalgic family meal everyone will love.
Choosing Your Camping Generator:
To make sure you have the power to cook all your favourite campervan recipes, no matter where you are, explore our full range of portable generators and find the perfect camping generator for your adventure, all with a 3-year warranty.
If you’re not sure how much power you’ll need for your campervan cooking, use our Wattage Calculator to discover the best generator for your needs. Happy travels!
Need some help choosing a generator? Find out all you need to know in our Generator Guides and Tips section.