8 Of The Best Vanlife Meals To Cook Whilst Travelling

Vanlife Eats
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8 Of The Best Vanlife Meals To Cook Whilst Travelling

What are the Best Vanlife Meals To Cook Whilst Travelling?

Being passionate vanlife foodies and from speaking regularly to the vanlife community about food, recipes and what they love to cook in their vans, we have compiled 8 of the best vanlife meals to cook on the road whilst travelling. 

Travelling in your converted van or living the vanlife dream can be a pretty fast-paced and it is important to be prepared so that you can enjoy the culinary side of vanlife.

We cook some very adventurous meals in our van and on the other side of the extreme we continuously hear people say they usually just live on pasta whilst travelling in their vans. This is usually just down to a lack of being organised and being unprepared.

We put together Vanlife Eats because we wanted to inspire people with great and easy food that can be made on the road.

Upon chatting with vanlifers worldwide, we always ask “what are the best vanlife meals to cook whilst travelling”. We often hear the same meals being spoken about and we wanted to share this with our followers.

All of the recipes below are compiled from the results of surveys and conversations we have had with vanlife cooks across the globe.

The outcome is ideal for suggestions for when you’re stuck with what to cook next in your van. 

Counting down from 8 here are the best vanlife meals to cook whilst travelling. 

Recipe & Photo @the_peri_pot

8. Stew

One pot, a variety of ingredients and the spices of your choice make stews an incredibly easy and hassle free meal to cook in your van.

Whilst a stew might seem like a daunting dish to create whilst travelling, with the smell of the stew cooking away teasing your taste buds for a couple of hours, the hardest part is actually not eating it all before it’s even dinner time! 

This dish can be easily created with either meat, legumes or just veg in a single burner, minimal gas and one stovetop pot and it really is such a versatile dish to cook with so many variations. 

Cook a meat stew slowly for maximum flavour and simmer in wine, beer, stock or water, add the vegetables of your choice and salivate your way through to dinner time. 

Serve the stew with rice, mash, couscous or add potatoes to the stew to create a whole meal in the one single pot. 

After a few hours you’ll have created a mouth-watering dinner which is especially a treat when warding off a cold night.

Photo & Recipe @vanlifeeats

7. Spaghetti Bolognese

Bolognese is that simple comfort food dish that’s heart warming and brings back memories of

home. 

Traditional Italian recipes use a mixture of both pork and beef mince but that’s all very well if you have a full-size kitchen, us vanlifers can make an awesome Bolognese sauce by using just one type of mince. 

Vegetarians and vegans favour this dish too as meat free mince can make an amazing Bolognese! Personally I love a lentil ragu!

Spaghetti is the classic pasta shape of choice but it really does work well with but about every pasta shape so feel free to use anything you have on hand. 

Bolognese sauce also pairs amazingly with rice or bread, so bulk cook and enjoy this dish throughout the week by mixing up the garnishes. 

This dish does require two saucepans but if you only have one burner then simply remove the cooked bolognese whilst the spaghetti is cooking, then combine the two pans when cooked.

For some reason, Bolognese sauces always taste better the next day too so go ahead and make a huge pot and save enough to pop in the fridge for tomorrow’s quick lunch! 

6. Frittatas

A few eggs and a frying pan come together to create a hearty protein-rich breakfast, lunch or

dinner. 

A frittata can be cooked in just 15 minutes and is also ideal for using up leftovers from yesterday’s meals, and it’s actually better to have vegetables and meat that’s been pre-cooked for this dish so make sure you keep your leftovers in the fridge.  

Frittatas are just Ideal for vanlife as it is a great method of repurposing ingredients and using up those unused or uneaten veggies.

Customize this Spanish classic with just about any filling you have on hand, fill it with cheese, vegetables, potatoes, herbs, meats or fish then serve hot or cold.

Photo and recipe credit @vannaspice

5. Mexican Rice Bowl

Brown rice, beans, avocado, vegetables are all the staple behind the legendary Mexican rice bowl, but the versatility behind the rice bowl allows you to get creative and add your own twist.

Mexican rice bowls are especially popular with vanlifers as the ingredients which can be paired together are so diverse. You can include just about anything you like and it’s a lot of fun to prepare and make look nice. 

You can enjoy a Mexican rice bowl at any temperature, hot as a stir-fried dish or cold as a mixed salad.

Leftover ingredients are transformed with a quick fry, a hint of spice and a top up of some

extra healthiness (tinned kidney beans and tinned sweetcorn are a perfect match).

Look out for our rice bowl challenge coming up!

4. Chilli

Made with meat or with plant-based alternatives a hearty chilli always warms the spot.

The classic chilli con carne is a ground beef based dish, with tomatoes, red kidney beans and spices. It is often served with rice or flat bread. This can easily be made from a campervan twin stove.

We often have people raving about veggie chilli and is also a regular meal made in our very own van.

Veggie chilli can be created with a range of ingredients including, Quorn mince, soy granules and lentils which all closely match the traditional minced meat texture. Lentils seem to be the most popular amongst vanlife recipes as they are tasty, give the perfect texture, easily stored and long-lasting.

When you add the spices and vegetables the chilli really comes to life. Especially suited spices are cumin and paprika.

You will only need one pot for the chilli but if you decide to serve with rice you’ll need a second hob or remove the chilli and cook the rice afterwards. Simmer gently on a low flame until softened.

Chilli is another dish that is even better the next day as the flavours have time to develop so don’t be scared to cook up a big pot and save room in your fridge. 

3. Lentil curry

Lentils are filling, nutritious, affordable and quick to cook, taking only about 15 minutes. The lentil curry can be made with several variations of sauce base such as tomato or coconut.

Lentils are easily storable with a long use by date making them a van kitchen essential staple. 

Nutritionally, whether tinned or dried they have a high source of protein, fibre and iron whilst being low in calories. 

Dried lentils triple in size during cooking to produce a substantial meal, so they fill you up nicely. Spice up the lentil curry with your preferred spices and herbs, serve with rice or a naan (van made of course) and enjoy.

vanlife mac n cheese
Photo and Recipe credit @myvanchef

2. Mac ‘N’ Cheese

Next level Mac ‘n’ Cheese can be made with basic combination of ingredients which makes it one of the best vanlife meals. 

If your van has an oven or grill then there are options for a crispy breadcrumb topping as a crust for the oozing cheesy pasta beneath but this dish is still perfection on the stovetop alone. 

Everyone has a favourite Mac ‘n’ Cheese recipe and this can include flavour combinations of different cheeses, mushroom, corn, bacon and even truffle. 

With these endless flavour combinations, there’s a Mac ‘n’ Cheese for everyone. Comment below with your favourite combination. 

Mac ‘n’ Cheese is another meal that’s great the next day so use leftovers used to make Mac ‘n’ Cheese sandwiches which are a real guilty pleasure of mine!

best vanlife recipe tacos
Photo and Recipe credit @overlandeats

So here we have it, the vanlifers voted best vanlife meal to cook whilst travelling…

1. Tacos

We all bow down to the mighty Taco as they are essentially a vehicle for your favourite foods, vegetarians, vegans, carnivores – tacos are for everyone.

Classic recipes will include Mexican flavours with beans, meat and cheese as fillings. You really can pack a tortilla with anything you fancy and you’ve got yourself a delicious Taco. 

Depending on the fillings a taco can be created without any need for cooking, just simple assembly of the ingredients you have on hand. 

The flour tortilla can be transformed into breakfast, lunch, a snack for a trek or dinner, just adjust the filling according to the occasion. 

Lightweight, cheap, filling and with a long shelf-life, tortillas are one of the best ingredients to stock up on for a trip. 

Alternatively make your own fresh tortilla whilst on the move using four basic ingredients which you’re likely to have on board (flour, water, vegetable oil and salt), a fresh tortilla can be prepared in 45 minutes with a single frying pan and stovetop. 

Once prepared, tacos can be wrapped in tinfoil to save on clean-up and enjoyed hot or cold.

What’s your favourite taco filling? 

Conclusion

So here we have the ultimate best vanlife meals that people are cooking in their vans. Please comment below and tell us if we’ve missed your favourite.

Featured Vanlifer – Janey de Nordwall

Vanlife Eats
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Featured Vanlifer – Janey de Nordwall

Our latest featured vanlifer is published author – Janey de Nordwall. Janey is a BAFTA award winning producer for her work in film and advertising. She decided recently to spend 40 days travelling Scotland with her gorgeous cat Kenny in her vintage VW campervan Charlie.

She documents her travels in her new book, which is available here called ‘From a wonky path to an open road’. Janey also became a keen sprouter while on the road – check out her step-by-step instructions here.

What country are you based in at the moment?

U.K

Do you travel in your van part-time or full-time?

Part-time

What has been your favourite experience in your van so far?

Without doubt this would be my life-affirming, life-changing solo six-week road trip! I left the noise of London behind and travelled through England and up the west coast of Scotland weaving in and out of her Inner & Outer Hebrides with my two favourite companions. 

Having no sense of direction certainly didn’t hinder me as I just kept heading north and didn’t stop. What could possibly go wrong?!  The joy of traveling solo is that no one can tell you that you’ve gone the wrong way, so I happily tootled along single-track roads, long-winding roads and up and down vales singing all the way until I crossed the bonnie wee border.  Kenny settled into his new domain pretty quickly and would either look out of the window with his whiskers blowing in the wind or yawn and stretch in the back.

Scotland is one of the most extraordinary countries on the planet. The west coast beaches are covered with white sands which have travelled up the Gulf Stream and sit there empty for van lifers to enjoy. Wild camping is such a luxury, waking in the morning surrounded by, well, nothing, to then enjoy a full cooked breakfast and a cup of tea in silence.

Driving without agenda is totally liberating. It allowed me to throw caution to the wind, make things up as I went along and work things out on the road. Like six weeks of the best therapy ever!

What has been your worst experience in your van? 

I guess the thought of breaking down on a road trip when you’re alone is deemed the worst thing possible but, for me, it just turned into another adventure and challenge. I ended up being stranded on the Isle of Islay without a throttle cable and no power going to the battery, with the neared specialist VW garage in Sterling over 130 miles away on the mainland! But, through the over-whelming kindness of people helping a damsel in distress, I got Charlie back on the road and had a few more stories to tell. There’s always a silver lining.

Describe your van kitchen setup…

Charlie is an original VW Danbury Picnic so he doesn’t have any kitchen appliances or shelving installed so all cooking equipment is brought in – camping style. The upside to having no fixtures and fittings is that I have a lot more space in the van and therefore the whole of the back area turns in to one massive bed… and it also means that I can lay out my kitchen and cook where ever I like… like on a protruding rock on the shores of Loch Lomond.

What is your favourite van kitchen accessory and why?

I do like a bit of kit so I’ve covered all bases when it comes to cooking. If I find a campsite with an electrical hook up then my double hob is plugged in. In the absence of any electricity, then gas takes over and my two ring burner, with hot plate and griddle is fired up. And if all else fails, I strike a match for my trusty foldaway fire pit that doubles up as a BBQ.

Creature comforts are important so I have a whistling kettle that matches the colour of Charlie, a very cool roll up knife and bamboo utensil kit, a Swiss Army knife and a whittling knife (you never know when you might need to whittle something), a stackable set of pots, pans and handles, a mug with a matching blue VW campervan on it for morning cuppas, all topped off with my parents’ bright orange melamine crockery set from the ‘70s and individual sets of camping cutlery.

What couldn’t you live without in your van and why?

Kenny my cat. He is the most perfect travelling companion and I couldn’t even imaging going on an adventure without him!

Do you have any first hand funny van life stories to tell?

This has to be told as an excerpt from my book…

It was a two-hour ferry ride to Islay and I arrived right on time with 30 minutes to find my next ferry. I drove down the ramp from the boat and, while still sitting in Charlie, I leant out of the window to ask the first person I saw where I get the ferry to Jura.

  Before I even opened my mouth he asked “Are you here for the bike ride tomorrow?” 

  “Eh?” I replied eloquently.

  “Are you sponsored by Bruichladdich?” Bruichladdich is one of eight distilleries on this tiny isle.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about!!” I said, suddenly sounding rather too English.

  “Well there’s a 100-mile ride around the island tomorrow and, as your campervan and bike handlebars are the exact same colour as the distillery colours, I just thought that’s why you were here. I thought they’d sent you!”

  “Oh!” I laughed, “No! I was just going to go ask you where I get the ferry to Jura! But funnily enough I was meant to be doing the 100-mile ride in London tomorrow for UNICEF and already have sponsors in place so… why not, I’m in! I can always go to Jura tomorrow.”

   “Great!” he said with a beaming smile. “Follow me and I’ll show you a campsite where some of the other riders are staying. And anyway, Jura’s covered in midges this year and they have no internet so you’re better off with us!”

And with that, my best laid plans changed and off we went. It turned out that not only was he the organiser of the 100-mile ride but he also ran the Post Office, the SPAR in Port Charlotte, and the petrol station which only had one pump named Pumpy McPumpface. He was definitely the man to know.

Instagram: @silverjaney

You can catch up with Janey & Kenny on her social media pages and website www.janeydenordwall.com

Click here to see their profile

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!

Gluten Free snacks for Family Adventures

familywellnesswanderers
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Gluten Free snacks for Family Adventures

Guest author familywellnesswanderers share their favourite gluten free snacks for their family adventures.

Hi, we are a traveling family of 4 with 2 girls, ages  13 and 15, and our 3 little dogs. A year ago, we sold all our stuff and left our home to travel the world.  

We have spent our time visiting interesting and unique places and exploring nature. Our goal is to share this wellness journey for families to inspire others to find their own passions and follow their dreams!  

To find out more our YouTube channel is FAMILYWANDERERS. If you would like to subscribe thank you so much for your support!

On our journey into health we stuck to our “less stuff-more experiences” motto, left our home and  hit the road to do some family travel backpacking. Even before we started traveling full time, we were an adventurous family but continuously struggle with finding ways to eat healthy on the go. We would flip between being stuck at home eating very  well to traveling and just eating packaged food on the road. When we did end up eating healthy during  travel, we would end up having a jerky stick and some carrots, which is fine but definitely not a sustainable diet.

Eventually, we figured out a good balance of  between having fun food and being healthy and gluten free on our adventures! Whether we are hiking up a mountain, going on a bike ride or just  spending the day at a National Park, these following  recipes are our absolute favorites! They only take  few minutes to make and give us the energy we need to really enjoy our time when we’re out exploring. 

Our recipes….

Charming chia pudding

This is a fun and easy treat you can eat for a breakfast or as a dessert.  And its super healthy, with no added sweetener. We used to buy this  from our favorite café. But it is really simple to make which is great if  you don’t have any extra time. Click here for full recipe

Topped Avocado Halves

This is a fun and yummy meal on the go. The avocado halves are easy to  make and don’t require much to make. We bring them along in a  container on picnics or on long drives. Click here for full recipe

Crunchy Chocolate Bark

Our family loves chocolate! And we also take it on the road. We find  the best local chocolate wherever we happen to be and then use it to  create this delicious on-the-go treat. Click here for the full recipe

Featured Vanlifers – Let’s Play Ride & Seek

Vanlife Eats
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Featured Vanlifers – Let’s Play Ride & Seek

Nat & Abi travel have been travelling full-time in their van Towanda for the last 18 months. They travel with their furry companions Bear & Peluche. Natalie is a very keen chef and likes to be creative in the kitchen, you should check out her pandemic meal here, amazing food created from van pantry non-perishables. Nat is so passionate about cooking that every week she creates a new vegan dish for their YouTube channel, while Abi uses her videographer skills to capture the magic! You can check it out on their Insta too #letsplayrideandeat

Which country are you based in at the moment?

We are currently based in the United States

How long have you been travelling in your van?

My wife and I have been traveling in our van for a year and 6 months now

Are you Part-time of Full-time Vanlifers?

We are full time vanlifers

What’s your van kitchen set-up?

Our kitchen set up is spacious with a counter half the length of the van with tons of cabinet storage.  We went with a durable live edge white pine countertop and recycled wood backsplash that has a nook for my spices.

We went with a smaller sink to save prep space and also chose an unfixed two stove burner that runs off of clean burning, denatured alcohol. I also keep a portable one burner gas stove that holds a single butane burner.  My main go to’s are my Tojiro series Gyuto Chef’s knife, 12.5” and 8” Amsha kitchen cast iron pans, my Vitamix blender, and my Instapot.  We have a 45 QT top load 12 volt fridge and I very much enjoy my tiny hand and tiny whisk! I also do a heavy amount of my cooking over an outside fire.

What’s your favourite feature in your van?

I would say our favorite feature of the van is our live edge countertop. The bedroom nook at the end of the kitchen cabinets is pretty sweet too.

What is your favourite van kitchen gadget?

My favorite van kitchen gadget is definitely my vitamix, but my knife is in constant use so it is the most necessary.

What’s the best meal you have had in your van?

The best meal we’ve had would hands down be the Indian Thali I prepared in Baja Mexico. It was a pop up restaurant I ran with a friend. A thali consists of various veggies, rice, pita bread, and condiments using your hands and pita to eat with. I made roughly 20 items on a one pot burner for around 15 people in my van parked on the beach. The dinner sold out. I even made some meat eaters vegan believers. It was the most important experience in my culinary career.

What’s the worst meal you have had in your van?

The worst meal we’ve ever had was when we were down to basically nothing In the van. We hadn’t done a grocery run in over two weeks. We tried to make morning oats with quinoa. The sweetness did not work out very well!

What do you cook most in your van?

We eat plant based in the van. We make a lot of salads, ramen and rice bowls, and hearty veggie/bean dishes with bold spice.

Do you have any funny vanlife stories to share?

One of the funniest vanlife stories we remember would be when we were in Northern California at a travel center. We pulled up because we needed to plug into shore power for awhile to charge our batteries and saw an outlet by their propane fill up area.  We were working in the van, minding our own business when a cop knocked on our door.  We didn’t ask to use the outlet so I figured we were getting in trouble even though that seemed silly.  I opened the door and he just wanted to say how cool the van was and talk about how he was interested in the lifestyle! We showed him the rig and he lended to the idea that being a cop wasn’t where he wanted to be in life anymore. After the chat we told him to follow our travels and he was off.  About five minutes later, we got another knock. I opened to a lady with a bag.  She said she was from the church down the way and brought us two meals they had extra from a potluck. She said she saw the cop “harassing” us and felt bad. She said she wanted to feed us since we were “down on our luck” lol We didn’t tell her we were living our dream lives and were financially sound. It was sweet. We paid it forward by giving the food to a drunk dude at the bar we went to that night.  Silly things happen in this life.

Instagram: letsplayrideandseek

You can catch up with Abi & Natalie through the social media links on their profile. Head to their profile to have a look at their favourite recipes to make in their van

Click here to see their profile

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!

Sprout and about

silverjaney
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Sprout and about

Do you sprout when out and about in your van? Here, guest blog post author Janey de Nordwall explains why and how she decided to sprout while on the road.

Janey holding her cat in front of her campervan

Janey

After 25 wonderful years in the film and advertising industry, as a BAFTA-winning Producer and Managing Director, I finally had enough of all the stress and noise and decided to give the whole lot up! It was both liberating and terrifying, especially as I had no clear plan of action in mind. I packed my bags, my spirited cat called Kenny and fired up my 1970s VW campervan called Charlie and we headed north for a journey that changed my life. So much so, I wrote a book called FROM A WONKY PATH TO AN OPEN ROAD.

The book

My new book (available on Amazon in print and on Kindle) is my memoir and travelogue of my journey, where eating and cooking played a deliciously important role.

Here’s a food-related excerpt from Chapter Two: So, How Do You Prep For A Road Trip?

Apart from capers I eat everything and I’m as healthy as I can be when I’m out and about but I’m not a happy cook in the kitchen when home alone. I find it especially hard to motivate myself to cook for one and many a time I have settled down after a hard day’s work to a packet of Twiglets and a crumpet, washed down with a glass of wine. No guilt. But I really wanted to eat well whilst away on my travels.  A dear friend of mine, concerned about my Twiglet habit, felt that I would need more fresh produce in me and told me how easy it was to sprout beans. “Great idea! I’ll do that!” I had no idea what she was talking about. Luckily, a couple of days before I left, we arranged to meet and she talked me through how to sprout mung beans, buck wheat, chickpeas and alfalfa in recycled takeaway containers. She brought me a selection of these dried goods complete with written instructions and a selection of other magical essentials to pep up my dinners: roasted seeds and nuts, a balsamic spray, soy sauce, honey and pul biber. She said all I needed was some fresh Scottish salmon and I could prepare a meal fit for a queen. I had to trust her on that one!

What’s it all a-sprout?

So, with that in mind, I thought I’d share one of my favourite dishes du jour together with The Art of Sprouting Beans in a Van!  Now, I love a bit of kit and my van kitchen is made up of some wonderfully indulgent branded stoves, knives, utensils and gadgets but… I also love a bit of upcycling and sprouting does not need anything fancy or expensive. Here’s how to add a wonderful source of protein to any meal with added crunch along the way.

  1. Rinse 5 tablespoons of good quality mung beans in water until the water runs clear.
  2. Cover with twice as much water and cover with secure fitting lid.
  3. Leave in a dark cupboard for 2 nights.

4. Rinse the water every morning until it runs clear. This is very important.

5. The beans will double in size over two days.

6. Drain off all the water.

7. Split the beans into two containers to give them room to sprout.

8. Cover both containers with lids with holes. As you can see the holes don’t need to be perfect!!

9. Leave the containers in a dark place for another two days but give them a shake each morning.

10. Once they have sprouted they are ready to eat.

11. To serve, season with salt and pepper and with spray with a light balsamic oil or drizzle with a some of truffle oil.

12. This can accompany anything and everything – it did for me!

Have you read Janey’s book? Comment below to let us know what you think and where she should go adventuring next.

Janey really enjoyed cooking when on the road, see her recipe for Cheesy Tomato Risotto here!

If you would like to write a guest post for us email us at hello@vanlifeeats.com

Featured Vanlifers – Anthony & Sharon

Vanlife Eats
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Featured Vanlifers – Anthony & Sharon

Meet Anthony & Sharon of The Bearded Van, this couple love an adventure in their van. Anthony is a keen and skilled fisherman (check out his video on YouTube of him landing an actual shark!) Being as he is the main cook, fish makes up a fair bit of their diet.

They have been spending some time at home recently enjoying time with their family but now they are back on the road and looking forward to meeting fellow friendly vanlifers, so if you see them on your travels be sure to say hi!

Which country are you based in at the moment?

USA

How long have you been travelling in your van?

We officially moved into our van September 2019 while we were still finishing our build. We started traveling right before Christmas 2019. We were able to spend four months on an epic road trip traveling the coast of Florida.

Do you travel in your van full-time or part-time?

We have been home since April but will start traveling again, full time in a couple weeks! We are so excited and yet a little nervous at the same time. The world has changed so much since we came home. I hope people are still as kind as they were when we traveled earlier this year. We had such great experiences.

What is your van kitchen set-up?

We have a 12 v Dometic fridge. 2 burner gas cooktop. Butcher block countertop. A nice size sink. We love our kitchen set up and wouldn’t change a thing.

What is your favourite feature in your van?

For Anthony it is our solar power system. He is all about being prepared for any situation and I would say that greatly reflects in our van, especially the solar setup. My favorite thing in our van is the bed. I did a lot of research to find a non-toxic and comfy mattress and it was so worth it! Then I spent a lot of time finding the softest sheets I could find in organic cotton. We would rather sleep in our van than anywhere else!

What is your favourite van kitchen gadget?

Our cast iron skillet.

What is the best meal you have had in your van?

We’ve had so many that it’s hard to pick.. Possibly the best one was on Christmas Day when Anthony made homemade noodles that he rolled out with a yeti! He topped them with perfectly creamy Alfredo (homemade of course), mushrooms, and a giant slab of buttery steak. I also have to think of this one time when a gentleman gave us oysters and we steamed oysters in our van in the middle of a Walmart parking lot. It was pouring down rain outside but inside we were cozy and warm, eating a 5 star meal!

What is the worst meal you have had in your van?

Fast food. We inevitably feel like crap after.

What do you cook most in your van?

Anthony is our main cook. If I make a meal it’s going to be something simple and fast like eggs and toast or a turkey sandwich. But when Anthony cooks, he goes all out. He loves fishing so the main thing he makes is fish in a variety of different ways. The classic way to prepare them is fried in butter and coconut oil with a light breading and a side of hush puppies. Yum! He also does fish tacos, or pan fries them and places them on top of a giant salad. The one time we found our own personal island and he made grilled redfish on the half shell… so good! I thank God everyday that I married this man!

Do you have any funny vanlife stories to share?

Well it’s always a riot when we shower outside! Especially if it’s an unfamiliar place but we think it’s private enough to not hang a curtain! Inevitably, I will be super nervous and drop everything, panicking to try to get done quickly. Anthony will just take his good old time all the while laughing at me!

INSTAGRAM: thebeardedvan

You can catch up with Sharon & Anthony through the social media links on their profile. Head to their profile to have a look at their favourite recipes to make in their van

Click here to see their profile

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 Weekend Vanlifer’s Guide to Eating on the Road

Vanlife Eats
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The Weekend Vanlifer’s Guide to Eating on the Road

Homemade, healthy, vegetarian meals in the van.  Yes please!

Hi there, it’s Jen with @the.waglers and we are weekend van lifers.  When we are out on the road, we like to be self-sustained.  We pack enough food and water so that we do not have to go into small towns to stock up.  I’m excited to share with you some tips for making cooking on the road easy, healthy and fast.  All it takes is a little planning and prep at home. 

Let’s go through a meal prep for a weekend away.

weekend vanlifer the waglers

Meals (overview):

Day 1:

Breakfast: Overnight oats

Lunch: Orzo salad

Dinner: Taco night

Day 2:

Breakfast: Tofu and/or egg scramble

Lunch: Falafel pitas

Dinner: Fresh veggie pasta

We have a 2 burner, induction cooktop in our van, which along with a few key kitchen items allow us to whip up some healthy meals in just a few minutes.  We prefer to spend time on the road adventuring or relaxing… but definitely not cooking all day.

Packing List:

  • Overnight oats (premade) + toppings (berries, nuts, seeds, maple syrup, etc.)
  • Tofu/eggs
  • Orzo salad (premade)
  • Falafels (premade)
  • Chopped carrots, radish, cabbage (for falafel pita lunch)
  • Chopped onions, peppers, garlic (for tacos, scramble and pasta night – bring a bit)
  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Pitas
  • Wraps/taco shells
  • Dry pasta
  • Frozen hash browns for your scramble.  No freezer? Pre-bake some potatoes instead.
  • Hummus and tahini (premade or store bought)
  • Can of beans (for taco night)
  • Salsa, ketchup and other condiments
van life essentials

Kitchen Essentials:

  • Pots/pans – our induction stovetop came with a few pans, we use those
  • A few plates, bowls, cups, silverware (we tend to have 2-4 of each item for 2 of us)
  • Small cutting board and knife
  • A big serving spoon and spatula
  • Small teapot and Chemex (for pour over coffee)

Additionally, we keep a few spices, coffee and tea, olive oil, avocado oil and a small emergency food bin (which contains some beans, rice and pasta) in the van.  And we always have snacks… sometimes girl scout cookies!

Day 1: Breakfast is easy.  Stir up your overnight oats and add your toppings.  Eat right out of the container you packed it in and save yourself a dish to wash.  Typically, we are either driving or adventuring on day 1 which makes an already prepped lunch key!  I will often pre-portion orzo salad for our lunches.  Sometimes we go wild and add avocado, hummus or a falafel on top.  Taco Tuesday is our favorite meal of the week and in the van, who knows what day it is?  Our veggie tacos do vary with the seasons (check out our website for Tacos 3 Ways) and we tend to use veggies from our home garden.  We often add a can of black beans and throw everything in a tortilla with premade tomatillo salsa (recipe on our website) or fresh diced garden tomatoes.

Day 2: Start the morning off right with some coffee and get those hash browns on the stove.  This is the most time-consuming meal we make (it takes 10-15min) because it takes a while to get frozen hash browns nice and crispy on the van stove.  Once your hash browns cook, add your leftovers from taco Tuesday and/or any other veggies.  My husband will often add a fried egg on top of his breakfast.  Lunch is easy.  Stuff your pita with premade falafels, hummus and tahini. The chopped carrots, cabbage and radishes you brought top this lunch off well.  If you’re still hungry for dinner, boil some water for pasta and then sauté up a fresh veggie sauce to go on top.  We have a delicious fresh pasta sauce recipe on our website also that we often will prep ahead of time.

For full recipes and other #vanlife inspiration visit our website https://thewaglers.com and follow us on Instagram @the.waglers

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Plant based medicines for a healthy natural van life

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Plant based medicines for a healthy natural van life

Many of us living van life like to be at one with nature and plant based diets are very common in the van life community but have you ever considered plant based medicine? 

To some people this may seem obscured and irresponsible not to lean on years of medicinal research to cure and prevent illness but it’s useful to know about the natural remedies that carried us through generations and generations of human evolution. 

Disclaimer

By no means am I a doctor and if you are unwell you should see a medical professional. This guide is for reference to those interested in herbal remedies and myself or this website will not be held responsible or accounted for in any health complications you have or develop.

What are herbal remedies?

Herbal remedies are natural treatments for health improvements from a plant based source. Whilst available to purchase from health stores there are many herbs and plants that can be picked from nature’s garden.

Herbal remedies are often referred to as supplements as not to deter from scientific and conventional medical treatment and are advised as a boost to your prescribed treatment or health in general. This isn’t necessarily because of the effectiveness, so it’s definitely worth having some knowledge on natural remedies for healing and keeping healthy.

Why use natural remedies?

The aim of using natural remedies is to cleanse and return the body to a natural state so that it can heal itself. 

Sometimes for a healthy mind you may not feel the want to ingest a synthetic based drug. For example you feel a headache coming on so instead of taking paracetamol you could first try a herbal remedy such as a peppermint tea.

Perhaps you are having trouble sleeping and a valerian tea will help rest your mind.

Herbal medicine is a great first step to help you feel revitalised. Should any symptoms persist you should seek medical advice. 

The risks of herbal medicine

It is important to understand that some herbal remedies may counteract your prescribed medication so if you are being professionally prescribed medication of any kind then you must consult your doctor or health professional to see if and what herbal supplementation is ok to take.

Second to the risks of counteracting synthetic medicine there is also the risk of poisoning from misidentified plant consumption. Always use a reputable source such as a herbal specialist store to purchase your natural medicines.

Although herbs and plants used for natural medication are generally referred to as safe, there are many plants used for medicinal uses that are actually very toxic and consumed with the wrong dosage can cause poisoning. 

Many medicinal plants are banned within certain countries as they are considered to have a “drug” type effect. Picture a rainforest tribal ritual to clear the demons! 

Why herbal medicine for van life? 

Herbal medicine can of course be used by anyone in any scenario but I’ve brought this subject up to coincide with van life because of the common health risks that can occur with van life. 

Sleep

Van life, as dream-like as some of us see it, it can actually put a strain on both your body and mind. It’s not always fresh ocean air and the sound of calming waves to send us to sleep!

It can be a restless night for many of us sleeping in a van from the anxiety of parking up at night and potentially getting a knock on the window from the police or even worse, getting a break-in from criminals. 

Lack of sleep can cause a whole variety of health problems such as fatigue, headaches, sickness and even depression. 

Sustainability

Whilst we are traveling in our vans, living the van life dream, many of us like to be as sustainable as we can with as little dependencies on the urban life as possible.

Having a knowledge of readily available resources is a great way to maintain this lifestyle.

You already have medication with you, you just need to know what common foods and local herbs have the desires medicinal effects.

Location

Van life often takes us out into the wilderness and away from chemists and the most basic of stores and sometimes it’s just not easy to get out to to buy medication. 

Whether you are parked up in the middle of nowhere or on a hike up a mountain you never know when you might start to feel unwell, but it could be a huge trek to get to synthetic medication. 

You may well have food on-board that can help and often there are herbs, plants and flowers  that will potentially help with many ailments.

It’s good knowledge to have and it may well save you the hassle of venturing back to the city.

Vitality

Let’s face it, you are on a van life adventure and you want to make the most of it. Feeling strong and energetic is essential to make the most of hikes, swims and activities. 

Keeping yourself topped up with vitamins and minerals is a good idea and a lot of this can be sourced from natural food. 

What are the best plant based medicines 

Here are our top 10 best healing herbs that fit with van life living that are safe and effective but don’t forget to talk with your doctor about any herbs or plant based medication you intend to take.

Chasteberry

Ladies, this is a known herbal remedy for relieving PMS. It’s a highly researched herbal remedy for a variety of gynaecological disorders and breast pain. 

Whilst not necessarily easy to forage it is a great herbal supplement to have stocked if you suffer from these symptoms. 

Dosage: Capsules: Take 250–500 mg dried fruit once per day.

Tincture: Take 2–3 ml each morning.

Cranberry

This is a well established treatment for water infections. A couple of glasses of cranberry juice a day can help get the bladder functions and ease the pain. 

Juice: Drink ½-¾ cup twice per day.

Capsules: Take 300–500 mg concentrated juice extract 2 times per day.

Garlic

Garlic is often used to treat common colds and ease sinus congestion. It’s also a great treatment in preventing travellers diarrhea and for lowering blood pressure. 

Eat 1-2 raw cloves daily when you have a cold or are suffering from diarrhea. Anything to help settle the suffering of that in your van right? 

Ginger

This is a known treatment for nausea but studies have shown that ginger is also a very effective treatment for headaches and sinus congestion. 

Ginger capsules and ginger tea are easy to obtain and a great way to take the twinges away when you are feeling nauseous.

There are known potential drug interactions with ginger and other blood thinning supplements so be careful not to mix the two.

Valerian

With the sound of the road, the worries of a night time disturbance or emotions of being alone, it can be hard to sleep whilst living van life. 

Valerian is native to Europe, Asia and North America and is common in all health shops and is used as a treatment for insomnia and anxiety. 

The most common way to supplement Valerian is in a tea or by taking root capsules. 

Maca

Native to South America this nutrient dense herbaceous plant has some super stress relieving properties. 

Maca has also shown to have positive effects with hormone balance as well as increasing energy and improving mood.

Probably not the most accessible plant to pick in the wild but taking Maca in a capsule form is a great way to help relieve some of the stresses you may be experiencing with Van Life. 

If you suffer from any thyroid problems you should avoid Maca and consult your doctor to see if it is safe to consume Maca.

Matcha

Whilst often confused with Maca, Matcha is a completely different supplement altogether. 

Matcha is a form of green tea yet one cup of Matcha tea can boost all the benefits of 10 cups of regular green tea. 

Matcha is an antioxidant and will help you detox your body as well as improving your stamina and concentration levels.

One to two cups of Matcha tea a day is enough to give you a slow releasing energy boost throughout the day. 

Nettles

Whilst the thought of touching nettles may seem off-putting and the thought of eating them just pure craziness, Nettles are actually packed with nutrients and have a variety of health benefits.

The antioxidant effects of consuming nettles are said to potentially help improve cell damage and aging related effects. 

Nettles have also had positive results in studies for reducing inflammation and reducing inflammatory hormones. 

Other positive studies in the benefits of consuming nettles include lowering blood pressure, arthritis relief and helping with hayfever. 

The sting is easily removed by heating or rubbing the leaf. 

A great way to get these benefits is to boil some nettles up for a nettle tea. 

Perfect for the active outdoorsy van lifer. 

Evening Primrose 

The oil of these little yellow flowers has been said to help relieve PMS, breast pains and improve skin conditions such as eczema.

Named “evening primrose” because the yellow flowers emerge as the sun goes down.

The plant is native to North America and grows in some parts of Europe and Asia. Although there are benefits to using the whole plant, the most effective part is the oil that is obtained from the seeds. 

The recommended dosage is to take evening primrose oil in capsule form.

Take 6-8g of evening primrose oil daily to treat and relieve eczema or skin disorders. Reduced the treatment to 2-4g for children.

Take 3-4g of oil daily for menstrual problems.

You may need to regularly take evening primrose oil for up to three months to see the benefits.

Dandelion

Often considered a weed and a very common plant that can be found in just about every field yet an incredible source of vitamins and minerals.

Dandelion greens can be eaten raw or cooked and are a great source of vitamins A, C and K. They also contain vitamin E, folate and vitamin Bs. They are also rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. 

The root of the plant can be dried and made into a nutritious tea that is high in carbohydrate inulin which is a form of fibre that helps with bacterial flora within your intestinal tract. 

Dandelions are a powerful antioxidant and a great medicine for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol as well as cleansing the liver and reducing stress. 

A powerful free medicine on your van doorstep! 

Dosage: Fresh dandelion root: 2 to 8 grams daily.

Dandelion root powder: 3 to 4 grams mixed with 150 milliliters of warm water.

Dandelion tea infusion: 1 tablespoon of chopped root mixed with 150 milliliters of hot water for 20 minutes.

Fresh root extract: 1 to 2 tablespoons daily.

Dried dandelion extract: 0.75 to 1.0 grams daily.

The flowers can be sprinkled on a salad to taste.

Conclusion

Whilst not all of these natural medicines are easily accessible in the wild, most health shops will be able to supply you with a supplement. 

If you regularly suffer from a particular ailment they do make a really good addition to your medicine box and a potential alternative to a synthetic drug. 

Keep healthy and enjoy van life with a clear and focused mind. ….I’m such a hippie! ?

Featured Vanlifers – Asobo Life

Vanlife Eats
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Featured Vanlifers – Asobo Life

Yuko and Eric have been travelling full time in their van Bernie for just over a year now. They have traveled parts of the USA, Canada and they are currently exploring Mexico.

‘Asobo’ translated from Japanese, means ‘let’s play’ which sums up the way this couple choose to enjoy their time on the road, living in the moment. As well as Insta these guys have a really cool blog about their travels.

Which country are you based in at the moment?

We have been traveling around Mexico in our campervan for the last 8 months, and we absolutely love it here.

Viva México!

How long have you been traveling in your van?

We’re currently at 15 months and counting. We are hoping to get to Argentina before any talk of ending van life. But because of Covid-19, our trip will likely be much longer than originally anticipated.

What is your van kitchen set-up?

For our countertop, we use a walnut butcher block. For cooking, we use a simple Coleman camping propane stove. And finally for dish cleaning, we have a Ruvati sink made specifically for RVs in mind. We love a larger and deeper sink for storing our used and clean dishes.

What is your favorite feature in your van?

It was not part of our original plan to build it in the beginning, but we love our little spice rack. We made it with leftover plywood when we were 99% done with our van build. It’s become a super useful space to store all our spices and hot sauces.

What is your favorite feature in your van?

We love our Instant Pot! We don’t know how to live van life without this. When we’re feeling lazy (which can be quite often) we cut whatever vegetables we have on hand and throw some meat and spices into our electric pressure cooker. We close the lid, press a button, and in 40 minutes, our dinner is ready!

No need to babysit our pot. It’s the best item we’ve purchased for our van.

What is the best meal you have had in your van?

That’s a hard question! We’ve had too many good meals in our van. But one of our best meals is a Japanese curry cooked in our Instant Pot. We dice up some potatoes, carrots, onions, and chicken. Then throw in a couple Japanese curry cubes.

After pouring the finished curry over white rice, we like to top everything off with some cilantro or dry raisins.

What is the worst meal you have had in your van?

I would like to say that we NEVER have bad meals, but there was this one time we tried to cooked “Tonkatsu”(Japanese deep fried pork) but cooking deep fried food in the van is a bad idea!! (The oily/greasy smell stays for a while… :/)

Do you have any funny vanlife stories to share?

It must be typical of van life but I would say one of our most memorable stories was during our very first week of living in our van. On our first day in Canada, we had the worst luck desperately hunting for place to go #2 in Vancouver late at night!

We don’t carry toilet in the van and that was the only time we had a serious emergency.

We stayed in this big park in Vancouver for a few nights. At 8pm we decided to go a poop run before we slept. But the park bathroom had just closed before we got there.

We ended up driving around our part of the city just looking for a bathroom to use. And things got pretty desperate quickly. The grocery store wouldn’t let us in their ’employees only’ bathroom. And the nearby shopping mall had just closed.

We were so desperate that we thought of digging a hole in the nearby bush but were too embarrassed in our early van life days. In the end we found a gas station a few kilometers away. (When you need one you can never find one, so we had to drive around for awhile….:/) We found salvation in the end, but that was a really close call!

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Could the Omnia oven be the best campervan oven?

Vanlife Eats
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Could the Omnia oven be the best campervan oven?

As a passionate cook and living full-time van life, here is my honest review of the Omnia oven, and will I claim this to be the best campervan oven? 

As a full time, van lifer space and organisation is a serious aspect of being comfortable living in a tiny home. Like many people living van life I opted for storage space instead of fitting a gas oven. 

I am a long time passionate cook and since moving into my van this has not changed. If anything I have become more passionate and I now think more about my health and nutrition as well as eating fresh and local produce. 

Most of the time I cook from a twin stovetop and this was no different whilst living in a house with a full-size kitchen, but there are some foods that just can’t be made without an oven. 

When I heard about the Omnia oven and how it is being claimed as one of the best van life or campervan ovens, I was curious, but when I heard you can make roast potatoes and even cake on a stove I was totally sold and had to get one.. like yesterday!  

The reputation of the Omnia oven was clearly spreading as I was unable to find one as everywhere including Amazon was completely sold out. It was a long wait for the oven to be back in stock but after daily stock checks, I finally saw them back on sale on Amazon. Woohoo! The Omnia oven was finally mine! 

What is the Omnia oven?

The Omnia oven is a stove-top appliance that sits on top of your hob, and using a variety of heat sources it allows you to cook foods that would normally require the use of an oven. 

It is a circular ring-shaped tin, that is similar looking to a bundt tin, and it sits on top of your stove hob. 

The Omnia oven comes in three parts, the stainless steel base, the central aluminum container and then the aluminum lid.

How does the Omnia oven work?

There are two main cavities within the Omnia oven that maintain an even heat. 

As well as the heat from underneath the pan, heat from the hob is dispersed into the central cavity and back into the top of the oven spreading an even containment of heat from the top and bottom within the tin. 

Through vent holes around the tin, the heat and moisture can escape thus not allowing the food to get soggy. 

The result is a nice even dry cook.

omnia muffins van life

What can you cook in an Omnia oven?

You can cook just about anything in an Omnia oven. The most common foods to cook that are making the Omnia oven stand out are:

  • Cakes
  • Pizza
  • Roast Potatoes
  • Shepherds Pie
  • Lasagna
  • Pasta Bake
  • Hash Browns

These are all meals that are hard if not impossible to cook and get right whilst cooking in a van. 

Omnia have really gone the extra mile with providing an exceptional cooking experience and you will find a variety of recipes on their website and also within the Omnia cookbook that’s also available to purchase.

I would certainly agree that the Omnia oven has revolutionised campervan cooking!

omnia banana bread
Banna & Walnut Cake
Vegan Shepherds Pie
omnia spinache ricotta
Spinache & Ricotta Rolls

How big is the Omnia oven?

The Omnia oven is a compact and extremely light weight appliance that can be stacked within itself and packed away neatly in a space conscious kitchen.

The tin itself is small enough to sit upon small hobs and almost every camping hob out there. 

The Omnia oven comes with it’s very own protective vinyl bag son of you wanted to take the oven out of your campervan and cook on a beach or on a hike then this is all made very easy. 

It really is so lightweight that you wouldn’t believe it can be as effective as it is!

van life oven omnia muffin ring
van life oven rack omnia
van life oven mould

What accessories does the Omnia oven require?

Whilst not essential, there are a handful of accessories that can go with the Omnia oven to further improve your campervan cooking experience. 

Silicone Insert

If you are making cakes then you will need the silicone insert as the baking paper is difficult to line within the base of the oven due to the ring shape. 

This insert will help with keeping the oven clean of burning and tarnishing and it will also keep your cake intact when you take it out of the tin. 

The insert can withstand temperatures of -30˚ C – + 260˚ C ( -22˚ F – + 500˚ F ).

Omnia Oven Rack

If you are making pizza….that’s right! Crispy based pizza on a hob! then you will need the rack that fits inside. 

The internal rack is particularly useful for baking bread rolls, chips and jacket potatoes.

It is also useful for steaming foods such as fish and vegetables. 

Omnia Muffin Ring

The Omnia muffin ring is similar to the silicone mold but shaped perfectly to get the perfect muffin shape. 

Enjoy perfectly formed chocolate, blueberry or even breakfast muffins on your campervan hob.

You are starting to agree that this could just be the best campervan oven aren’t you? 

My personal experience in how to use the Omnia Oven

Ok so despite waiting so long to get my hands on the Omnia it was actually Sophie that had the pleasure of using it first! 

Sophie has always made the best cakes and baking is definitely her forte. When she offered to use up our brown bananas and make her amazing banana cake I couldn’t resist. 

I must admit even after seeing and talking to other van lifers I was still a little sceptical to how it would come out. 

She was so excited when she called me over stating that it’s come out “amazing” and wow!, it really did look amazing!

At this point we didn’t have the silicone insert so Sophie lined the tin with parchment paper. This proved a little tricky to get the cake out as well as to pick to paper from the tin and the cake but that was lessons learnt..get the silicone insert!

I had no doubt it would taste as good as it looked and it sure did!

omnia banana bread

Following the cake we have made pizza, sheperds pie, chips!, we made a lasagne and various pasta bakes. I can hand on heart say that it just comes out perfect every time! 

Being van life foodies and running Van Life Eats we are in touch with so many fellow van lifers day after day and the Omnia oven is always in discussion. We get asked over and over where to buy it from. 

Naturally we have been in touch with the great guys at Omnia and we even considered distributing the ovens for them but we opted to keep out focus on cooking and sharing instead of running a busy shop. 

However, Omnia have offered to sponsor us and we have very proudly accepted. Not that we get anything other than a great product to recommend to our community. 

Our review

We weren’t the first to say that the Omnia oven is the best campervan oven but we could have been. From day one of using this it has changed our variety of meals and way we cook within our van. 

Van life suitability 

Based on storage, cooking methods and foods it allows you to cook we couldn’t score this a higher score. It’s perfect for van life and campervan cooking.

Cooking Efficiency

With the clever design and use of heat flow the Omnia oven almost guarantees an even cook everytime. It uses little gas as a low flame on the hob seems to keep the oven warm enough to cook most things. 

Cost

It’s cheap! Even when you purchase all the additional accessories it comes in at around £100! Considering how much it improves your campervan cooking I feel it’s a total bargain!

Any cons? 

The only scenario I have found where the Omnia oven is not that suitable is when you are cooking for 4. It’s just not quite big enough for a hearty portion each. However, you are in a van after all so it’s ok to have a slightly smaller portion. 

Otherwise, I am happy to put my name and the name of Van Life Eats reputation on claiming that the Omnia oven is definitely a van life and campervan kitchen essential. 

Get one, and let us know if you think that the Omnia oven is the best campervan oven.  

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