I am very aware that because of the content we create and also the fact that we are OBSESSED with eating good food, we take this to the extreme. There is nothing wrong with the occasional cobbled together fridge-raid meal. BUT if you do want to eat well in your van, caravan or motorhome, the secret is in the planning. I will share with you all of the little tips and tricks I use so that we can eat well whilst living full time in our little tin can on wheels!

Our Camper Scran Ethos

Proper Food, No Nasties!

When we decided to live in a campervan, we knew there would be compromises to be made. Food was NOT going to be one of them.

I absolutely refuse to live off ready meals, pot noodles and cremated BBQ food. This is the whole reason I wanted to create Camper Scran! I cook mostly from scratch and any pre-made items are free from nasties and as natural as possible. Of course, this takes military level planning, but we are firm believers that your diet has a HUGE impact on your life (and happiness!)

The Space

We have an 85 litre Thetford fridge, with a freezer compartment the size of a toddler’s shoe box, and a pantry cupboard that is actually a wardrobe with an identity crisis. Compare that to the 250-300 litres you get in a standard UK fridge freezer and the multiple cupboards in a home kitchen and you can see where the challenge begins.

We are 2 adults, trying to eat clean in a 6m van!

WE HAVE TO PLAN!

Hack No.1: 2 Cuisines Max!

Each week, we plan our meals around a maximum of 2 cuisines. It is usually Italian and Asian but we do mix it up sometimes with a cheeky Mexican or even a Sunday roast (yes, a roast cooked in a van!)

This means that all of the herbs, spices and store cupboard ingredients we use have multiple uses throughout the week. It is great for saving space and these cuisines have a variety of dishes that focus on good quality produce and a small number of ingredients in each recipe. Perfect for the confined space in a campervan kitchen.

The Equipment

Not all campervan kitchens are the same, however they usually have a gas hob ring or two, sometimes a gas oven (ours is useless) and maybe a microwave. Compare this to the endless kit you can have in a home kitchen and the challenge continues.

We carry a single low wattage induction hob and “Wanda,” our Wonder Oven from Our Place. You can see all of our kitchen gadgets in one of our blog posts, but we are forever testing new bits of kit, to see what really makes life easier, or what is a total waste of space and money!

The limited cooking space and burning desire to not be drowning in washing up brought us to…

Hack No.2: One Pan Wonders!

Almost all of our mid-week meals are cooked in one pan or one oven dish! After working all day, the last thing you want to be doing is juggling pans and fighting with 23 different ingredients.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

We have devised a set of recipes for One Pan Wonders that we created from our own van kitchen. We know they work! They keep the washing up to a minimum, power consumption to one appliance (induction hob, camping hob etc.) and best of all; they taste INCREDIBLE!

The Shopping

Is it just me? Or do you go into a supermarket, armed with a list, get completely bamboozled and come out with a shopping bag that looks like it has been put together by a child with access to a credit card?

“Just in case” groceries and “oooh that’s new” impulse buys are your worst enemy (unless you like spooning your groceries, because the bed has now become a pantry extension.) And yes, I know, stick to the list! But I am basically a child with a credit card so enter…

Hack No.3 : Online Shopping

I sit down with the weekly meal plan, find a supermarket that does click & collect or a campsite that allows deliveries and meticulously add everything to my basket. We try to choose supermarkets near to our final destination so we are not travelling with a van full of food. With fuel prices the way they are at the moment, every little helps!

Not only does this save us money (and from the aforementioned spooning) but it also ensures we are not wasting any food whilst simultaneously getting rid of the dreaded “what’s for tea” conversation. It also means we are not hanging around for too long in a supermarket carpark, causing an obstruction or stressing about parking. With Click & Collect the shopping is brought to your van door and you can put it away in the cupboards before carrying on your journey. That is a win if I ever saw one!

The Verdict

Planning your meals isn’t about being rigid or boring, in fact it’s quite the opposite. This is our tried and tested way of eating exciting meals, cooked from scratch in our tiny kitchen without turning the entire van into a scene from a school canteen food fight!

We get to enjoy proper meals without spending our whole evening tied to the stove or drowning in washing up. Smart planning means we can focus on enjoying our surroundings rather than stressing over what’s for tea.

Just because you have a tiny kitchen, it doesn’t mean you have to eat boring food! Check out our top-rated One Pan Wonder recipes for zero-fuss meals. If you are curious about our kitchen set up take a look at our favourite campervan kitchen gadgets that we use to make cooking on the road easier.