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The best fridge for a campervan

Vanlife Eats
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The best fridge for a campervan

For those living or travelling around in a van, fridges are a hot topic and something that can be considered very important.

It’s nice and often essential for most to be able to keep food and drink cold and allow yourself to buy things such as cheese and milk that need to be kept in a fridge.

The best fridge for a campervan is one that suits the size of your van, the designated space and runs on a suitable and efficient power source. Installing a fridge in your campervan can be an investment and save you money with less food waste.

For van life, space and efficiency are a huge barrier and are things that need to be cherished. There are so many types of fridges to choose from, so it can often be challenging to know where to start.

Fridges are one of the most expensive costs in the world of van life travel, so it is important that you get it right. To help you do this we have gathered information and created a list of the best campervan fridges.

Firstly there are three different types of campervan fridges that you can get. One is called a compressor fridge, another is a three-way fridge or finally a thermoelectric cool box.

  • Two-Way Compressor Fridges

A two-way fridge, also known as a compressor fridge, is similar to the type that people have in their houses. Although this is the case, it doesn’t mean you can just buy any old refrigerator for your van. This is due to the fact that a normal 240/110V house fridge or even a mini fridge is always going to use way too much power that you van batteries can deal with.

Two-way compressor fridges can run off 12/24V as well as mains power that may be provided at a campsite electrical hookup, hence the name two-way. This means they are perfect for vans as they don’t use too much power and are easy on your batteries.

The compressor of the fridge only turns on when the fridge rises to a specific temperature, so they are saving energy too in that way. They are safe and easy to install and are very reliable and efficient.

  • Three-way Apsorbtion fridges

Three-way fridges also often referred to as absorption fridges are true to their name as they can run in three different ways. Either from a mains supply at 240/110V, using 12/24V electric or by using LPG gas.

If you are travelling in a large group and in a large vehicle then this might be the best option for you. This is because you are able to get much larger three-way fridges compared to compressor fridges or thermoelectric cool boxes.

As this type of fridge runs off the gas supply of your campervan, it is also completely silent, so if you don’t want a noisy fridge in your van then this is the one for you.

Gas fridges are long lasting and efficient; however they are not very easy to install. It is highly recommended that you get it installed by a gas safe technician, as if something goes wrong and there is a gas leak in your van it can be extremely dangerous.

Another downfall to having a gas fridge would be that you are going to use a lot more gas and therefore costs will be higher.

  • Thermoelectric Coolboxes

The final choice for a van fridge is a thermoelectric cool box. These are particularly good for those on a budget.

They aren’t quite as sophisticated as the other two options and work by using electricity to remove hot air from within the box. This type of fridge is great for those that are travelling in a van for short periods of time. However, a massive downside to them is that they will not work as well in warmer climates and won’t get as cool as the other van fridge options.

Some electric coolboxes can be quite power consuming and you may find that these types of fridges just arent suitable if you are stationary for even as long as one day!

Now you know the three different options of fridges for vans, we will now go through some of the best available fridges you can buy.

Dometic CoolMatic CRD50

The Waeco CRX50 is a 50-litre compressor fridge and includes a 4.4 litre freezer as well. This means you can also have frozen food stored away and even ice!

The fridge measures around 50 x 38 x 53.4 cm and is designed to fit under your counter. It is designed to look like a fridge that you would find in a home with the door on the front. It weighs around 44kg and draws about 40 watts of power.

It is a highly efficient fridge that works brilliantly with a solar electrical system.

Dometic CoolFreeze CFX 35

The Dometic CoolFreeze CFX 35 is a fridge freezer and is very compact. It is so compact it can even sit between the two front seats of most vans. This allows you to free up more space for storage or extra living space, which is perfect for smaller vans.

The fridge measures around 69.2×39.8×41.4cm and weight at around 17.5kg.

It has an internal LED light which makes it perfect for night time and it even has a USB charging point for your smartphone.

It has an internal capacity of 32 litres and be used as either a fridge or a freezer, you get to decide.

Mobicool MCF40 – 38 L Compressor Coolbox

The Mobicool MCF40 is substantially cheaper than the other options on this list. This is because it is a thermoelectric cool box.

It measures up at 58.4 x 36.5 x 44.6 cm and weights at just 3.2kg. Meaning it is extremely easy to transport and lift.

The Mobicool MCF40 is actually designed to be portable, which allows you to easily take it out with you on any trips you may be going on.

It can carry up to 38 litres worth of food and is designed to store 21 drinks upright. It runs off of 12V electrics and can cool temperatures up to 18ºC below the outside temperature.  

Dometic Waeco CD-30 Drawer Fridge

Next we have the Dometic Waeco CD-30 Drawer Fridge. It is a great option for micro campers and those in smaller vans.

It measures at just 44x25x73cm and can be fitted up to 1.5m away from the fridge if you are sturggling for space, changing its measurements to 44x25x56cm. This makes it perfect for fitting below a seat withing the living space of your camper.

The Dometic Waeco CD-30 Drawer Fridge weighs just 19kg and can store 30 litres of food. It has a safety locking features to so that the draw stays secure and won’t open whilst you are driving around.

Dometic CombiCool RF 62 Absorption Refrigerator

Next, we have the Dometic RM8400 3-way fridge. This fridge can run off gas as well as 12V and 240V electrics too.

It is the largest fridge on our list at 48.6×49.5×61.7cm, so it is better suited to a larger van.

The freezer can be removed if you want to have it all as a fridge instead.

It weighs in at 24kg and has a locking system with fingertip opening, which is a great feature to have.

Dometic CDF-11 10.5 Litre Portable Compressor Fridge Freezer

The Dometic CDF-11 portable electric cooler has an excellent cooling performance even at extremely high outside temperatures.

It can store fresh food and drinks effortlessly and even has a removable wire basket and divider that can make organising your fridge easy.

It has a user-friendly digital temperature display that is suitable for solar operation. It holds a large capacity but is small inside which makes it perfect for smaller vans. This fridge freezer is more suited to people doing shorter trips in their van that long term.

Smad 3 Way Fridge Freezer 100L

Lastly, we have the Smad compact refrigerator. It has a large capacity which makes it great for those that are travelling and living in their van permanently.

The fridge and freezer sections have separate compartments.

This refrigerator cools quickly and evenly, and it will keep ice frozen solid and foods perfectly chilled.

It is totally silent running and has a vibration free operation. It is excellent value that will bring years of quiet, reliable use.

The drawer is designed for your fruits and vegetables, which always keeps them fresh.

The separate freezer compartment chills your ice cream all summer, and the included ice tray can make ice cubes to keep your drinks cool.

The shelves can be removed or adjusted if you want to organize taller things. And it also offers convenience for cleaning.

Final thoughts

We hope that this article better cleared up what types of fridges are available for your van and what makes and models you can look into. Make sure that you take into consideration the size of your van, what power you want it to use and how much food you want it to hold before making your final choice.

Affiliate Link Disclaimer

We are using affiliate links in this post to help fund the running of the website and for other plans we have for Van Life Eats.

As you probably know, it won’t cost you anything extra, but will help us out loads!

We will only link tried and tested products.

Lots of Love
Mark & Sophie

How to cook in a Van

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How to cook in a Van

Cooking inside your campervan can be incredibly similar to that of cooking inside a regular full sized home and with the right setup you can replicate almost any recipe. 

To cook in a van you need to have the correct campervan appliances and utensils along with the correct hygiene and safety considerations. With that in mind you can cook delicious, exciting and nutritious food in your van. 

The obvious differences between regular house cooking and van cooking are all the added limitations, hazards and repercussions of cooking within your van.

Having your entire home on wheels is a luxury when it’s done right and knowing how to cook within your van can be a make or break your van life experience. 

Get it wrong then you could end up with damage to the interior of your van, and possibly even a very serious accident! 

You’ll need to learn how to install and operate your cooking equipment safely and learn how to ventilate harmful gasses and prevent lingering odours to say the least.

Hopefully this article will give you an insight into what is involved in making food on the road an extremely enjoyable part of living van life and enjoying your getaways in your van. 

Limitations

Two rings, two pans and limited water and gas.. whilst this is fine for a simple pasta and sauce dish you will need to be strategic and well organised to be more adventurous with your recipe.

Water

Whilst it’s important to wash your hands after handling food, particularly raw meats and washing salad leaves for example, if you run that tap for too long you could well end up draining your tank in no time at all. From my experience and I’m sure many van lifers will agree, sourcing water is one of the biggest inconveniences of Van Life! 

  • Pre wash your leaves and vegetables before you start cooking, this will reduce the chance of you running out of water midway through cooking.
  • Use antibacterial hand wipes for cleaning your hands in between certain foods.
  • Reuse water when possible. Is there water left on your kettle? This would be ideal for rinsing your fruit and vegetables.

Ventilation

It’s imperative to ventilate your van properly whilst using gas burning equipment. Most gasses when burnt will emit carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide and this can be extremely harmful to your health. 

Aside from the harmful gasses emitted from the equipment you also have to consider the cooking smells that linger afterwards. Cooking fish for example can linger for days afterwards and really get into your clothing and even your bedding etc. 

  • Cook with a window open.
  • Have an extractor fan or vent installed above your stove.
  • Ensure your clothes are packed away safely in your storage compartments.
  • If you cook in your van regularly, use an air freshener regularly. We love the natural ones

We have more information on ventilation in this article. 

Workspace & Clutter

Living in a tiny home of course comes cooking in a tiny kitchen, with limited space for chopping and preparing. 

Occasionally you’ll take a pan off the stove and need to place it somewhere and if you aren’t tidy and well organised this could be extremely dangerous! 

  • Prepare your workspace prior to starting your cooking.
  • Wash up anything in the sink before you start cooking. 
  • Make sure your pots and pans are easily accessible and nothing is going to fall out of an overhead cupboard mid way through cooking.
  • Check your water level!
  • Don’t cook in a messy van!

Gas & Electricity

It’s entirely possible to cook almost anything in a van but you will need to have the correct facilities to do so and these will require the essential power to run it. 

Mains powered ovens, microwaves, toasters etc can be very power consuming on your batteries. If you are stationary without any hookups then you may not have enough power to run these items. 

Whilst many service stations across the globe can provide you with a gas refill, it’s important to know that not every country standardise the same gas regulators and bottles.  

Calor gas which is very standard in the UK is not available in Europe so you may need to ensure you have an alternative such as Campingaz 

Ensure you have enough gas and or electricity to power your appliances and don’t get caught out!

Perishing foods

Your cooking experience and diet can become limited due to the types of food you can store.

Many vans do not have a fridge or suitable chiller installed to prevent the perishing of food and this can really limit what you can cook in a van. 

Purchasing fresh food daily can be considered as a luxury to many, especially when living as a minimalist. It is also a huge annoyance having to go out to a shop every day and can really limit where you park and stay, especially when wild camping.

Having this limitation on food can restrict you to only cooking with freeze-dried or tinned foods. Pretty boring if you ask me! 

I actually believe it’s an investment to install a sufficient fridge. It will allow you the option of shopping weekly as well as being able to save leftovers to the following day. Huge savings, less food waste and won’t encourage you to overeat! 

Food storage

This is something incredibly important and not just because it keeps your van pantry nice and tidy. Food kept in cupboards and not stored correctly can (and probably will) invite some not so friendly visitors to stay. Mice, Ants and even Rats are a common problem for many mobile homes such as caravans and even campervans. 

These pests will not only eat your stored food and spread germs, they are very likely going to cause serious damage to your van. They will eat through the wires and potentially leave you stranded with a hefty mechanics bill!

  • Store food high up if possible
  • Store food in plastic tupperware boxes

Food waste

Another topic around the bad smells is what do you do with van food waste. It’s not as straight-forward as putting it in a bin. 

Whilst on the move you may not get to a public refuse bin so soon and may find you have to sleep with a stinking bag of waste nearby. This is even worse when you are in a hot country and food can rott so much quicker! Do you really want to wake up to the smell of yesterday’s dinner?

When it comes to draining liquid from your cooking be very mindful of what slips out into your sink.The odd pea or chunk of tomato may sit in the pipe and before you know it you have bad smells coming from your sink!

  • Store your waste in a sealed bag, and then within a bin with a lid.
  • Be careful what you put down your sink and empty your grey water regularly.

The common van kitchen setup

Most vans have some means of cooking and this can vary from a basic single hob cartridge stove to a full 4 hob combination oven.

The most popular style of cooking appliance in a converted van is the two ring stove top. This can often be combined with a sink unit and glass lid that doubles up a work surface. 

These hobs are gas powered and so will require a safe gas installation with the necessary ventilation. Ensure this is checked and marked as Gas Safe by a qualified gas engineer. 

When an oven is installed within a van, again this is usually gas powered and so a suitable gas safe installation should be carried out and inspected.

Ovens are usually flush mounted into the workspace. 

The water system is usually powered through a simple 12v water pump that fits in line with the water pipes leading from water tank to tap. It’s often wise to install a filter in the line too. 

Storage of food is often located within overhead lockers or cabinets and the cooking utensils within lower storage units.

Summary 

Once you have taken the above into consideration there is no reason why you can’t cook amazing food in your van. This whole website is about showing how amazing van life food and cookery can be. Take a look through what other van lifers are cooking and get inspired about spicing up your van life culinary experiences. 

Featured Van Lifers – Happy Vagabonds

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Featured Van Lifers – Happy Vagabonds

We are proud to introduce our first featured vanlifers, Chris & Shelby, travelling full time in their 1989 Dodge B250 van Luna and not forgetting their trusty travel companion Hagrid the Bearded dragon.

What country are you based in?
United States

How long have you had a van?
We’ve had it for over 4 years, and have been traveling full time for a year and a half.

Why did you choose your current Van?
It was affordable, already a camper, and we were anxious to get going! We thought it would be a quick remodel. But we had to tear it all out and start from scratch! Lol.

What is your favourite feature of your van?
Ooh! This is hard! Our comfy bed? Our bookshelf? Or maybe our big map of America, where we track our travels with map pins!

How do you spend your time in your van?
Full-time

What has been your favourite experience in your van so far?
Besides experiencing the incredible locations our van has taken us to, we have loved the drives, and Shelby reading Harry Potter out loud to Chris. And it is always so neat to get to a boondocking spot at night, and wake up the next morning to see the beautiful location for the first time, while we enjoy breakfast with our morning coffee (Chris) and tea (Shelby).

What has been your worst experience in your van?
We don’t have air conditioning, so being in warmer climates and dealing with the heat in our van has been rough. It’s always at least 10 degrees warmer in the van. Our Fantastic Fan does help a little bit!

Describe your van kitchen setup…
We have a covered sink with running water (from an electric water pump), a covered two-burner propane stovetop, a pull out cutting board, and a magnetic spice rack ( ). And we have cupboards for food and cookware.

What is your favourite van kitchen accessory and why?
We LOVE our trusty little kettle! We don’t have a hot water heater, so we heat all of our water in our tea kettle on the stove (mostly for washing dishes and making tea and coffee ).

What couldnt you live without in your van and why?
Shelby cooks a lot, and we buy a lot of fresh produce, so our Dometic fridge is a life-saver! We only need to grocery shop once a week, and can stay longer in awesome boondocking locations.

Do you have any first-hand funny van life stories to tell?
While boondocking on the Pacific Coast Highway, a drug dealer in a truck camper slammed on his brakes, peeled over, leapt out, and immediately offered Chris a job. And to prove he had the money to pay him, he opened a door and pulled a wad of cash out of his cat’s litter box, while the cat stared into Chris’ soul. Although the drug dealer was nice, Chris did not take said job.

What do you like to cook in your van?

Chris & Shelby have added their favourite recipes, right here. These include pizza dough, loaded sweet potatoes, and creamy chicken & corn chowder.

vanlife-Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder

https://instagram.com/happy_vagabonds

You can catch up with Chris, Shelby and Hagrid through the social media links on their profile. Don’t forget to try their recipes and give them a big thumbs up!

Check Out Their Profile Here!

Want to be featured on
vanlifeeats.com?

To apply for a featured post on vanlifeeats.com simply follow this link and fill out the application form. We promote all featured van lifers across all our social media networks, we send out a “featured Van Lifer” sticker for your van as well as awarding you a prestigious badge for your profile on our website.

Apply to be featured here!

The best 8 Van Life Kitchen Accessories

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The best 8 Van Life Kitchen Accessories

The best campervan kitchen gadgets are space-saving, practical and lightweight. Here is our finely selected van life kitchen gadget checklist.

Campervans, converted vans and even motorhomes all have the same problem when it comes to the best kitchen setup, and that is size!

Having a practical campervan kitchen is equally as important as having practical equipment within it. 

As van life foodies ourselves we hate the thought of other van lifers sacrificing good, nutritious meals to cook and eat whilst travelling due to a lack of knowledge of these van life kitchen essentials. 

Before we delve into the our list of the best van life kitchen gadgets here are a few things for you to consider whilst you plan your ultimate campervan kitchen setup.

Weight

Speaking from experience, it’s amazing just how quickly the weight within your van builds up. Keeping the weight of your van as low as possible will keep your van running costs down and reduce clutter within your cupboards.

As a foodie, I’ve tried having cast iron pots and pans and fancy crockery of all shapes and sizes but it’s just not practical. My van now consists of plastic cups and plates, silicone bowls and stackable pots. Less clutter, less weight and less internal clattering around.

Stackable items

Unless you have a huge RV then you are probably limited on kitchen cupboard space. Thankfully there are more and more items available these days that are designed to be super space saving and also low cost.

It’s worth checking out some of our recommendations for stackable camper van kitchen items. Having a nicely arranged kitchen cupboard makes your on the road cooking experience a zillion times better!

Collapsible items

On the same page as stackable, it’s equally important to invest in some collapsible kitchen items. It all aids in having tidy cupboards and items at hand whilst you are cooking away.

Clattering 

When you are on a journey in your van, the sounds of your items clattering away in the back really does grate on your nerves. Particularly pots and pans, plates and cutlery! 

Thankfully the world of silicone and it’s heat resistant properties has transformed the sound of kitchenware available for your campervan. 

Most of the collapsible items are made of silicone so these are lightweight, space saving and noise free. Win win win!

It’s worth investing in silicone coated or bamboo kitchen utensils for your van. Trust me!

Cleanability

Certainly one of the worst chores of van life is washing up pots and pans after cooking. Being limited on space and splashes going everywhere, it’s worth taking advantage of the items that make cleaning up after yourself easier and less stressful such as nonstick and easy wipe.

Hard-wearing 

It’s happened to all of us I’m sure, leaving a cupboard upon and upon entering a corner..CRAAASH! 

Make sure the items in your van kitchen are hard-wearing. These items usually state that they are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. 

Multi-function

Some of the best kitchen gadgets are the ones that do multi-function tasks. This is a huge advantage to building a practical van life kitchen. 

Once again it’s all about space saving and keeping the clutter and weight down.

So that’s our advice for you to consider when purchasing items for your van kitchen.

As van life foodies and given the nature of the website we run, we speak with hundreds of van lifers across the globe and discuss kitchens, food and recipes daily. With this knowledge in mind here is our essential van life kitchen gadget list. 

Omnia Stove Top Oven

You’ve probably heard everyone raving about this buy now and quite rightly so! 

Chips, pizza, and cake are amongst the delights made easy for you to cook within your van with this gadget! Certainly a game changer for any van life kitchen!

It’s a simple ergonomic ring shaped pot that sits upon your stove and relies purely on the heat from your hob to cook evenly within the ring. Steam is then disspersed through the side vents to ensure you aren’t left with a soggy mess. 

With only three parts in the box, it’s super simple to setup and start using instantly. There is also a free recipe book on the Omnia website. 

We’ve seen some of the most basic van life chefs achieve some fantastic dishes when introduced the Omnia to their van life kitchen.

XL RidgeMonkey Toaster 

This dual sided, enclosed pan is yet another van life kitchen game changer! 

It comes in two sizes and we would suggest the XL models as it’s the perfect size to cook for two. 

Being multi-purpose, made of a lightweight die-cast aluminium and with a non stick coating it definitely ticks the box for being campervan kitchen friendly. 

Simply cook on one side, and without having to open up the lid and let the heat out you can just flip the entire pan over and cook from the other side. This helps with a faster and a more even cook on each side. 

Originally designed for fisherman for cooking fish, but this eventually ended up being branded as a sandwich toaster simply because it does such an amazing job at toasting a sandwich. The versatility of the RidgeMonkey is awesome! We have cooked chicken breasts, steaks and even omelettes and frittatas in ours! 

Zyliss Easy Pull Manual Food Processor

We were often asked how we power our blender in our van, and although ours was 240v we totally understand the importance of minimising items running off the inverter. 

With this in mind we asked around and found we were introduced to the Zyliss Easy Pull. Wow! Yet another game changer! 

No more bits of onion on the floor, no power, less work surface required for chopping and easy to clean. Best of all my protein shakes and smoothies no longer have a hint of onion! 

The Zyliss Easy Pull can coarsely chop by giving it 3-5 pulls, finely chop at 8-10 pulls and even purees at about 12-15 pulls. Don’t worry, it’s not a workout to pull as it has a great action on it! 

Kitchen Craft Collapsible Nesting Measuring Cups

If you are cooking and baking from recipes like we do then you will know the importance of getting the measurements right. 

When living and cooking from your van, it makes it a real challenge to have the space necessary to carry all the common measuring equipment. 

There are literally hundreds of these available on the internet but we are going to put forward the brand we use. 

They collapse completely and fit perfectly in a draw and are also non-stick which also makes them so easy to clean. 

What more can we say other than we consider these essential for following a lot of recipes!

Bamboo Dining Set

Not really a gadget but certainly a van life kitchen essential. 

As I mentioned earlier, I used to have all the fancy plates of all shapes and sizes simply because I loved making my food look fancy. I totally don’t miss the breakages, the clatter and clutter and now ride with minimal noise coming from my cupboards.

Treating your kitchen to a nice bamboo dining set, will give you a nice edge on presenting you food and also plays a role in helping the environment with an eco friendly solution.

Unbreakable Wine Glasses

Another upgrade essential for me personally. I spent two years drinking wine from a beaker. Rock n’roll right? 

We had a valentine’s dinner in our van once and I borrowed two glasses for us to drink from and guess what! Smash!! 

These virtually indestructible wine glass changed all of that. For the low cost that they are, I wish I had just done it in the first place. Now it feels more like I’m drinking a proper glass of wine! 

Joseph Joseph Folding Scales

How cool are these! When I saw these I had to get them for the van and they are used every time I cook from a recipe, and when I am not cooking they are folded up in my cutlery draw. 

The scale weighs/measures in the following units: gms, lbs, ozs, fl.ozs and mls. It will weigh a maximum capacity: 5 kg/176.4 fl.oz/11 lb/5000 ml. More than you are ever likely to need Inna van. 

If you are following recipes then these are worth every penny!

Silicone Heat-proof Mats

I don’t have the largest amount of work surface in my van and quite often I need to place a hot pan or hot kettle somewhere. 

Having a silicone mat out whilst you are cooking will allow you to safely place hot pans on the table or sideboard without the worry about scorching the surface. 

The ones we use are also really handy to use as a hot handle gripper too.

Again not necessarily a gadget, but coming from a full time van lifer with a passion for cooking, this is an essential.

To Summarise 

Here are my top recommendations to spice up your van life kitchens. 

I can think of so many other nifty utensils and items that I use in my van and I’m sure I’ll be posting more about those soon, but for now there you have my top 8 essential Van Life kitchen accessories. 

Affiliate Link Disclaimer

We are using affiliate links in this post to help fund the running of the website and for other plans we have for Van Life Eats.

As you probably know, it won’t cost you anything extra, but will help us out loads!

We will only link tried and tested products.

Lots of Love
Mark & Sophie

How to keep fit and healthy living and travelling in van life

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How to keep fit and healthy living and travelling in van life

When travelling and living in a van, it’s important to maintain a high level of health and a strong immune system. Here is our guide on how to stay healthy whilst travelling van life. 

Its often a question “how do you stay healthy whilst living van life?” You are living in a confined space with little space to store food, storing rubbish and food waste, you most likely have a toilet right next to you, and its just more challenging to keep clean and hygienic.

As a qualified nutritionist, personal trainer and full-time van lifer, I have written this article on the best ways you can maintain a healthy lifestyle whilst living in your van. 

Air Flow

This is a really important factor in maintaining a healthy quality of air within your van. When using night heaters your van can build up condensation or even mould within areas of your van and this can even be quite fatal to your health. Breathing in the microparticles of mould can easily get inside your lungs and cause respiratory diseases possibly leading to fatality! 

The best way to keep healthy air circulating in a van is to keep a window open in the front of the van and one in the back, this will keep a steady flow of fresh air. During cold conditions and you are using your night heater it is a good idea to leave the front windows open an inch or so. This is especially important when using propane heaters as when propane burns it leaves moisture in the air. 

Healthy Eating 

Eating healthy whilst travelling and working from you van can be a challenge at first. If you are new to van life and just starting out you will notice very quickly how different your usual routines and comforts become.

It suddenly becomes a lot more important to plan your meals, ensuring you have enough water and even making the effort to get up at a reasonable time.

Whilst it may be easy for you to store freeze-dried pasta, instant noodles and tinned food, this won’t be giving you a very healthy balance of nutrition whilst living the van life. Bad food choices will lead to low immunity from illnesses and general tiredness. Even worse you may be living off of fast-food restaurants and be seriously harming your health and cholesterol.

Eating healthy whilst travelling, and doing long periods of time in a driving or passenger seat is imperative! You are going to want to keep your energy levels high in order to enjoy your travels and maintain a healthy mind.

It is worth investing in a quality fridge so that you are able to store fruit, vegetables and meat for longer-lasting perishable food and ensure you have adequate cooking facilities.

One of my favourite cooking facilities is my slow cooker. It drains the battery very quickly so it is not something I can ever use whilst stationary, but I usually do around 2 to 3 hours of driving a day, and the slow cooker works perfectly when I am driving without risk to the battery. This gives me a delicious and nutritious meal to look forward to most evenings.

Keeping your food choices as nutritious as possible is going to be your key to keeping focus, keeping your energy levels up and also helping with your
quality of sleep.

It’s so easy to stop at a fast-food joint on route, maybe you haven’t prepared anything to have or don’t have the energy to cook a meal etc…. well it’s a long slippery slope to losing focus and failing hard on your healthy lifestyle upkeep, and before you know it you are tired in the day, too lethargic to go for a hike etc. Poor diet has a lot of evidence of causing depression, and being alone with your thoughts in a van is a dangerous place!

Keep an eye on your balance of nutrients and vitamins. Be sure to keep those leafy greens in your diet! Vitamins such as Iron, B6 and Magnesium will play a huge role on your quality of sleep. Consider taking supplements if need be.

Here are some tips on what’s a good nutritious snack to eat no less than 1 hour before sleep

  • Bananas – Although associated with energy, Bananas do contain high amounts of Magnesium which will help you relax. They also contain serotonin and melatonin which will help you switch off with the light switch.
  • Kale – Rich in Iron, calcium and B6.
  • Fish – Tuna or Salmon are good choices which are high in Magnesium and Vitamin B6
  • Walnuts – Walnuts contain high amounts of tryptophan, this is an amino acid that enhances sleep and helps with the bodies production of melatonin, which is the hormone that relaxes you and helps with sleep cycles.
  • Fortified Wholegrain – Rich in Iron
  • Cherries or cherry juice are a great way to boost Melatonin levels naturally

Be careful you don’t overdo it with your vitamins, especially B6 as you may feel nauseous. ie.. Don’t take supplements if you are already getting a good nutritious meal in.

Another great tip is to prepare your meals in advance. Cook up an extra days’ worth in the pan and store it in your fridge. That can act as a healthy lunch or dinner the following day!

As you can tell from the article so far, keeping your nutrition up is important. It will give you the strength and the energy boosts you will need to make the most of your adventures. Try avoiding high carb, high protein, high fat or any fancy diets right now, stick with a good balanced high nutrient and energy-boosting balanced diet.

Vegetarian & Vegan Diets

If you do not eat much meat or you choose a vegetarian or vegan diet, it is important to make sure that your diet is varied so that he or she gets all the nutrients for growth and general health.

Energy – Particularly on a vegan diet, foods that are nutrient-dense may be needed to give them enough energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. You could try avocados, tofu, bananas and nut and seed butters (such as tahini and cashew or peanut butter). For extra energy, you could add vegetable oils or vegan fat spreads to foods.

Protein – Good choices of protein include lentils, beans, soya and soya products, milk, cheese, nuts and eggs and they’ll need 2 to 3 portions of these a day.
Iron – Meat is a good provider of easily absorbable iron so you will need to try alternative sources to ensure you are getting enough. Foods that provide iron include wholegrain cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils, bread, fortified breakfast cereals, dried apricots and figs. Remember
vitamin C helps our body to absorb iron from non-meat sources so try to include fruit and vegetables at every mealtime.

Calcium – Whilst travelling you may be more active than usual and its always a good idea to get enough calcium to support your bones. Milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, some dark green leafy vegetables such as kale all provide calcium. Fortified soya drinks, as well as other dairy alternatives, often have added calcium but remember to check the label.

Vitamin B12 – Vitamin B12 is typically found in products from animal sources. Milk and eggs are important sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians. For vegans, who eliminate animal products, useful dietary sources include fortified foods such as some fortified breakfast cereals and yeast extracts.

Don’t forget to enjoy the delicious foods available in different regions of where you are travelling!

Water

There are so many reasons to drink water including losing weight, improving skin condition and looking and feeling younger. You should make water your number 1 choice of drink when you are feeling thirsty.

The human body is made up of 60% water and almost every single cell in our bodies require water to function correctly. When you’re dehydrated, you can’t function at your best and may be sluggish or have trouble concentrating, imagine what that’s doing to your organs, your skin, and your brain! Also, your body can’t flush out toxins or regulate itself as easily. By not flushing out these toxins you will be more susceptible to sickness, disease, weight gain and premature ageing.

Here are just some key reasons to drink plenty of water:

  • Water helps boost metabolism and increases your fat-burning rate
  • Drinking water with a meal helps reduce overeating and reduces bloating
  • Water increases your physical activity performance
  • Water improved your brain power
  • Water reduces stress and improves mood
  • Water can make your skin look good

Needless to say, if you want to be healthier and feel more energetic, drinking water is one of the easiest things you can do.

It is recommended to drink more than 8 glasses of water per day and for those that are particularly active and or live in a hotter climate, you should drink considerably more.

If you find it hard to remember you could try and make it a habit to drink a glass every morning upon waking and then with every meal throughout the day. You should even keep to hand a bottle of water to drink at all day long.

Washing and Showering

Personal hygiene is always important and washing in a van is certainly more challenging than usual. Some van conversions have a built in shower and as great as that is it comes with a lot of added hassle of filling up water tanks ever so often.

If you are travelling along coastal beaches you can often find a shower on the beach. This is also handy for filling up water!

Depending on what the weather is like and how secluded you parked, you could use an outdoor shower and even a solar heated pack to get a warm shower. This is obviously not something you can do by the road side or in a public car park.

Most campsites have showering and washing facilities so sometimes its worth parking up at one of these every few days. Its so refreshing when you get the chance to fill up your water, have a good shower and even use the laundry services!

A very popular option amongst van lifers is to join a gym. In the UK I use PureGym who have over 260 gyms across the country. Chances are you are never far from one. The US alternative is Planet Fitness who have nearly 2000 gyms across the US!

Dare I say it but wet wipes are an essential van life necessity! I use these for everything including a full body wipe down every single day if not twice!

Exercise

Whether you like it or not, keeping active is important for our health and being in a van all day, driving, working or just chilling isn’t going to do you any health favours.

My advice would be to make sure you include 1 active activity daily, that is all you need for a basic level of maintenance to your fitness. I enjoy fitness and I spend 2 hours a day with my routine but then I am not only looking for health benefits but also for muscle and strength gains. Not for everyone!

Here are some suggestions on a daily activity to maintain a healthy active lifestyle with Van Life.

  • Go for a walk
    This can either be a brisk short walk or a long slow walk. Walking is great for your cardiovascular system and will help boost your metabolism and great for clearing your mind. Get out and explore!
  • Go for a run
    As above, running is a great way of burning calories, raising your heart beat, building up your immune system and strengthening your bones and joints.
  • Perform a 30 Minute workout
    Exercising and building or toning your muscles can help your body burn calories – and can increase its metabolic rate. Muscle tissue requires up to 9 times more calories to maintain than fat tissue so in just a short 30 minute workout, you can set yourself up to continue burning calories throughout the rest of the day!
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Van Life Exercise Equipment

Having some exercise equipment in your van can be a great way of toning up and keeping fit. There’s a lot of portable, store-able and effective exercise equipment you can add to your van. Here is a list of my top 5.

Kettle Bells

Without question these are one of the most versatile and effective forms of exercise equipment available. They are small and you don’t necessarily need them to be super heavy. Having a couple of 6/8kg kettle bells on board will unlock a huge variety of effective exercises.

Resistance Band

The resistance band is another form of equipment that has versatility in the wide range of exercises you can perform with it. Tone-up, build muscle, burn fat, and just about anything is possible with these. Not to mention they weight nearly nothing and can be stored even in a small drawer.

TRX Suspension Straps

TRX straps are used to build, flexibility, muscle and core strength by completing body weight calisthenic exercises. You may have seen personal trainer vans in local parks with straps attached to the roof?

Skipping Rope

Skipping Ropes or Jump Ropes are an effective way of toning the muscles in your lower body and core. Specifically targeting your quadriceps and your hamstrings. It’s also an extremely effect cardio workout for fat loss.

Yoga Mat

Yoga mats are a foam mat that you can lay out on the floor and perform a wide variety of calisthenic body weight exercises. They roll up and can be stored in the tiniest of space.

Conclusion

To summarise my health and fitness rant here, I want to stress the point that you are out travelling and there’s a whole world to see. Keep you body healthy and your mind active and you will enjoy your van life experiences so much more!

How Much Money Does Van Life Cost?

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How Much Money Does Van Life Cost?

Considering Van Life? Here is some information on how much money van life costs to start up and to sustain.

Van life costs can vary depending on what van you choose and where you want to travel to. A typical van conversion can easily cost you around £10000. Here I will explain a few details that will outline the common expenses.

Lets assume you are starting from scratch and looking to know how much money to save to get started with a Van Life lifestyle.

Buying a suitable van

There is a huge variety of different vans out there for you to chose from. Some already converted and some even factory built as a motorhome already and equipped with all mod-cons.

The main key factor when buying a used van is to buy a reliable one. Trust me you don’t want to end up breaking down in the middle of nowhere and you will be doing some distance in your van.

Check the service history and receipts

A regularly serviced engine is usually going to give you a longer lifespan. Check the paper work for regular services and oil changes.

The MOT advisories are a good indication on forthcoming repairs that may need to be carried out. Check over the last 5 years to see if anything was flagged up and if so check for a receipt to see if the advisory has ever been repaired.

Its also useful to look for the age of the batteries as some motor homes or camper vans can have as many as 4 batteries and these can be expensive to replace.

If the van has any gas appliances installed, check that the install has been carried out or signed off by a certified gas safe engineer.

I personally would be very cautious of buying a van, converted or not, that doesn’t have reassuring history. Could you imagine spending all that money converting a van and then find a terminal problem. Ouch!

Have a mechanic or engineer take a look if you are not confident

Even if you have to pay for a professional mechanic to take a look its worth it. Buying a van to travel in will be expensive and is an investment. Do not hold back on getting it checked over properly.

Buy a van with an MOT

This almost goes without saying. Why would someone sell a van without an MOT. The exception would be that you could be buying it to fix up from scratch, therefore you would know exactly what you are doing already and not even need to read this post.

If there is a genuine reason such as a license to drive or tax issue then it could be worth making a deal with the seller that you take it for an MOT at your cost and if all is well you will complete the purchase.

Check forums for common faults

Forums and social media groups are a perfect place to research your potential van and you can even ask what typically goes wrong with that make and model of van.

Be wary of opinionated replies, as it is common for people to have opinions on certain makes!

Be rust aware!

Rust is the biggest killer of vans. Once rust starts its very difficult to contain and usually the only way to deal with it is to cut it out. Check under the doors, under the side on the van and also on the inside of the wheel arches. As per the previous comments on checking forums, definitely look up common areas that rust on that particular model of van.

Converting your van

How much does a van conversion cost? Do not underestimate just how expensive a full van conversion will cost. It is usually around the same cost of what your van cost you in the first place. Much of the expense comes from the wood involved for the flooring, the cladding on the walls and ceiling, and the materials for the insulation such a celotex. On top of these essential materials you will be amazed how much money you spend on hidden materials such as screws, paint, sealant and even tools and drill-bits!

It is essential that you make sure your van is well insulated, and lined with a heat reflective foil. This helps with not only keeping warm but also with keeping cool. If your van is poorly insulated, even the smallest gap can let a huge draft in and rapidly cool your van in seconds.

By spending more time and money on a quality insulation, not only will you be comfortable at night but you will also be reducing condensation problems that lead to damp, mould and rust problems.

Once you have spent out on the insulation materials, you will need to look at flooring options. This can be quite expensive depending on what you want for your flooring.

Carpet flooring in a van is not recommended, it becomes damp easily and mud will get everywhere. It is far better to look at wooden, vinyl, or lino as a van life flooring option. These types of flooring give you the option of wiping and sweeping clean and also are far better for sealing in water. Sure go ahead and get yourself a nice mat to keep your feet cosy.

If you are building a toilet / shower area in your van, be warned at the cost of waterproof plastic cladding that would make up the walls.

Plumbing costs can be quite pricey too! Depending on whether you are hoping for hot water as well as the cold as hot water heaters can be expensive and must include adequate ventilation.

Once the basic essential of your conversion are complete, the cost of the mod-cons can also add up, particularly if you install a fridge!

How much does a van conversion cost? I would honestly say that you should expect to spend at least £4000 / $5000 / €4500 on a basic conversion. If you are looking for a high quality conversion you can double that!

Insuring and taxing your van

How much does it cost to insure a converted van? This depends on the type of van conversion you have but a great tip is to look in to changing the class of your van to “motor home”. This will give you both cheaper insurance and cheaper tax, however this comes at a cost of ensuring your van looks like a motor home. In order to pass these regulations you will need to cover your van in motor home style graphics so that is identifiable as a camper van. This takes away from the stealth camping options as it will be a lot more obvious that someone is inside.

For travelling through various different countries you should check with your insurer that you will be covered to drive in those countries. Additional costs may be necessary to even cross through borders. On that note, always make sure you have with you at all times:

  • Your driving license
  • Your V5C ( Registration Document)
  • A current MOT certificate
  • Your insurance certificate
  • Your passport
  • An international driving permit (if required)

Quitting your day job and hitting the road

The thought of quitting your day job is always going to be daunting. You will potentially be a salary down and you will either be eating in to your savings or you will be confident that your online business is going to provide you enough income to afford your adventure or possibly just your nomadic living.

The best advice is to NOT quit your day job until you have IN DETAIL worked out your finances and have an in depth plan to maintain your living and running costs.

Maintaining your van

General running costs of you van in comparison to renting or mortgaging a house is significantly lower. so long as you have your van regularly serviced and have good knowledge of previous work carried out, then you should find maintenance costs fairly low. However, the maintenance costs can really catch you off guard if you are not prepared. I would always recommend you hold back some savings. You never know when you might get a tyre puncture or a battery die on you.

Batteries can can fail during the cold weather as well as not maintaining an adequate charge. They aren’t cheap to replace either, at least not the quality long life ones! The worst thing is that they show no real signs of failure and just stop working! There’s an unexpected couple of hundred to fork out!

Definitely make sure you have breakdown cover. If your van doesn’t start one morning at least can get the help and support of a mechanic. Worst case, should they not get you started, they will tow you to the nearest garage for repairs.

Keeping your engine and serviceable parts regularly maintained will ensure that you have minimal maintenance costs and give you a reliable ride on your journeys.

Maintaining your living

Just like the maintenance of your van, you are going to need to maintain your own lifestyle needs. From keeping warm to keeping hydrated, there are still going to be costs involved.

Gas

Its not that easy to know when your gas canister will run out. There are some gadgets out there that give you an indication but they are never that accurate. Personally I like to have a standby bottle for when it does run out, especially when I was running a propane propex heater. The last thing I ever wanted was to get caught out on a cold night with no heat! Usually the gas canisters have a one off cost and you exchange the old canister for a full one at a lower refill cost.

Water

Water is the bane of van life! Like me you will find you are forever looking to top up your water. It runs out so quickly! Usually friends and family wont mind you topping up when you are visiting, but otherwise the hunt for water can be a serious annoyance!

Many fuel stations have a paid meter where you can top up but its not usually clean drinking water so you will need a quality filter inline with your water system. I recommend a double filter to be on the safe side if you are drinking water from fuel stations, roadside taps etc.

I used to find myself drinking bottled water most of the time, which I hated because of the environmental impact from the plastics, but since investing $52 / £40 / €42 in my double filter water system I now really enjoy the clean purified water from my own van tap.

Heating

I have owned various different heaters in the past but my favourite and most efficient has been my eberspacher. The diesel heater itself will cost you around $1600 / £1200 / €1400 and can be challenging to fit if you chose to do it yourself, otherwise you will need a skilled engineer to carry out the fitting. Yes they are expensive in the first place but, the overall by the time you have spent money on an alternative such as a Propex night heater alongside regular refills of propane, the Eberspacher eventually works out as a cheaper alternative. Not only that but it uses diesel from your main tank so you always have a good indication on how much fuel you have to power it and you wont need to keep topping up your gas which is an annoying inconvenience at times.

Saying that, the Propex night heater is a great heater and only costs around $790 / £600 / €710 but is also quite challenging to fit unless you have some technical experience. Do not forget to get it signed off by a qualified gas safe engineer!

How much does it cost to start Van Life?

The cost of starting van life can vary depending on the size, age and the quality of your van and conversion, but I would estimate that you would be looking at about $6500 / £5000 / €6000 for a quality used van with service history and low mileage. The conversion would then cost you $6500 / £5000 / €6000 again to get your van insulated with basic mod cons.

Buying a pre-converted used van is an option and could cost you significantly less but you should budget $10’500 / £8000 / €10’00 for a reliable converted van suitable to travel and live in.

How to find a Van Life Park Up

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How to find a Van Life Park Up

Looking for a place to park up for night? Here is my first hand experience to the last few years of Van Life and where to park for the night.

I remember how I felt that very first time I ventured out on my own, looking for a “non campsite” urban place to park up for the night. I very quickly realised just how scary and intimidating it was! I moved several locations that very night and the dream and visualisation of parking up in a serene location was instantly shattered! My first location that night was one I was very excited about staying and parking up for the night. It was out in the country, up high in the Surrey Hills. I knew of a little parking spot I used to go to in my youth, tucked away off the main road with a stunning view of the night sky and the moonlit rolling hills. The thought of waking up to one of the UKs most beautiful views was so exciting!

After parking up my beloved T4 camper conversion “Betsy” I climbed in to the back and started to make it cosy. Within 5 minutes I started to feel quite anxious! The silence was actually incredibly loud! The slightest sound seem to freak me out! Call me a wimp but I entirely bottled the over night stay and decided it would be far better to head in to town and park in a residential road where I wasn’t so isolated and would blend in.

Once again I was parked up and making myself all cosy. I had a tea on the brew and I was in my pyjamas. Not a particularly nice view of peoples houses and other parked cars. I had the curtains closed and had the light as low as I could as I was very conscious of being lit up from the outside. Once again I started to feel anxious! People walking past would make me freeze and turn the lights off completely and it was long before I was compelled to darkness and silence! Is this really how VanLife is going to be for me? In my pyjamas I climbed in to the front and once again drove away!

Finally I found comfort in parking up the same road as where a family member lived, where I found a little bit of comfort and a feeling of familiarity and security.

Years down the line I have not only become a little braver, but I have also picked up on some little tricks here and there that make choosing a park up a lot less daunting and help you embrace the freedom and find that passion to a lifestyle you will love!

The Law

First and foremost you need to be aware of what laws govern your freedom in the country that you reside or are travelling within. Here in the UK there is no law against living in a motorhome or campervan but there are many restrictions as to where you can park and sleep. It is strongly suggested you research thoroughly with the authorities of the country and region in which you are travelling in to avoid prosecution.

Many carparks these days are controlled with number plate recognition cameras and limit you to the length of time you can remain parked in the carpark, and more often than not you will be required to sign in your numberplate inside the premises such as a pub, supermarket or hotel to prove that that you are a guest or hold custom.

Parking illegally will result in prosecution, clamping or even being towed away. You must always respect the parking regulations of all countries and regions that you are staying at and avoid any legal conflict. Some countries can be tighter on prosecution than others!

Is it illegal to drink alcohol and sleep in my van?

Most countries all hold the same law on this and it is strictly a no. Being caught drunk in your van and having the keys in your possession will almost certainly get you taken away in a police vehicle and charged with being in control of a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

The only time you will be ok to do so, is on private land with the owners permission such as a driveway or camp site. Be aware that a public house (pub) car park is quite often not going to be allowed, and is often a place that the local enforcement will purposely look for RVs, vans, and campervans.

How to find a good park up

Finding a good spot to park up for the night can vary on how stealth or discreet your van is. If your van blends in with other parked vehicles it can be a lot easier to find a spot and get an undisturbed nights sleep. For those vans that are obvious camper vans, you need to be more strategic in finding a suitable stop for the night.

Park Safe!

Parking a vehicle whilst you are inside it, you should always be very cautious how where and how you are parked. Whilst you may think it safe to park on the road in busy surroundings, be sensible. Do not park close to corners or on busy roads where you could get crashed in to.

Do not park in the shadows of quiet car parks, this is an invitation to being broken in to. Most of the time when thieves will be startled they will run away, but its not worth the risk of damage or even worse should they become aggressive.

Oh, and if you are parked on the edge of a cliff, don’t forget to put the hand brake on!

Finding that serene location is always the van life dream right? Falling asleep to the sound of owls in the woods or waking up to the sound of the ocean. So how do you find the ultimate van life park up?
Thankfully we have a great community of van lifers and we all share our favourite locations.
Here are some of the best Van Life and RV Park up apps available.

  1. Park For Night
    With over 60’000 locations across the globe, the Park For Night App is certainly one of the most popular for the UK and Europe. Parkups include, car parks, off track parking and even farm shops. Check it out here…
  2. iOverlander
    Rapidly growing globally iOverlander has a GPS database of not only great parkups but also facilities such as water fill-ups and camping and RV specialists. Check it out…
  3. Parkopedia
    Claiming to be one of the most accurate parking websites and app with 89 Countries 15000 Cities and 70021549 Spaces! Wow! I have personally found this app great for the additional details it provides. For example my van is a high top and height restrictions can be cause continuous parking problems for me. Parkopedia lists opening times, fees and restrictions. Check it out…
  4. FreeRoam
    The ultimate parking app for boondocking in the United States. FreeRoam lists campsites, park-ups and facilities across the US. Id love to see this app spread out Nationally. Check it out…

Another great way of finding van life park ups is to join Facebook groups such as Campervan Overnight Parking group. With over 80’000 members its great to be able to ask about locations and recommendations of a good park up. Embrace the Van Life community as everyone is always so helpful and enthusiastic to your adventures.

Campsites

Are campsites a good place to park for Van Life? I know this is something we try and avoid, as you have to pay, and it takes the “Van Life” away and makes you feel like you are just camping. One thing we can’t ignore is that we regularly need to empty a toilet, fill up our water tanks, do our laundry and also have a good freshen up ourselves. Campsites are just ideal for a full van life freshen up.

Some campsites in national parks offer some of the best area views and host a “wild Camping” option which will allow you to park up away from other campers, perhaps by a lake or backing on to a scenic field etc. giving the illusion of wild camping, safely and with facilities nearby.

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