Welcome to your in depth look at how the Sonsie’s eat on the road. We are Emilly & Michael and we are travelling around Australia in our van, Pep. Along for the ride is our 3 year old son, Hunter, and our labrador, Shadow. We’re exploring, we’re laughing and you can bet we are eating! Everything you could possibly want to know about how we cook on the road can be found below. We’ve even included a few delicious recipes for you. You can keep up to date with our travels on Instagram and Youtube – @sonsie_life.
Food is a large part of our lives and fueling our bodies with nourishing food is extremely important to us. Contrary to what many may think, if you have the right set up, cooking on the road is not too different to cooking in house.
So what exactly do we eat?
It’s all plants baby
Our family of three eats a vegan, predominantly whole foods diet. Fresh produce, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. Hunter has been vegan his whole life and doesn’t know any different. The benefits we found when switching to a plant based diet were incredible and we are never looking back. Reduced inflammation, better sleep, increased energy are just a few benefits that we experienced.
If you need wholefood recipe inspo then head here → www.emillysonsie.com. We have over 170 whole food recipes that will keep your family happy on any occasion.
We try to eat seasonally in the van as the produce is not only fresher but it is also cheaper. In winter we reach for the oats, warm curry dishes and soups. In summer it’s all about freshness; smoothie, salad sandwiches, fresh platters & buddha bowls.
Cooking on the road
As long as you have a fridge and cooktop then you can really cook anything. We have the added benefit of an oven as well which means roast veggies and cookies are up for grabs on a regular basis. We always make sure that we have the fridge and pantry stocked to the brim. This enables us to cook whatever we feel like for lunch and dinner and to be as creative as we feel like in the kitchen. As the van is a small space we try and eat outside as much as possible and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Picnics are a given and finding a beautiful place to sit can make the meal even more enjoyable.
Our essentials
Fresh produce is the absolute key to have on board the van. You can guarantee our fridge is filled to the brim with colour and that we have about 10kg’s of bananas and potatoes just waiting to be devoured. Spices are essential for cooking any dish especially a curry or dahl and we just can’t go past nutritional yeast either for that nutty cheesy flavour. There is always a selection of pasta and canned legumes as well. Variety is key when travelling with a toddler. It’s super important to have plenty of options on hand for him. Having fruit on display in the van (or in your home) is the best way to get kids interested
Check out our YouTube video where we show you exactly what is in our pantry and what we always have with us on the road → https://youtu.be/jXKLoZ3MAFE
Let them help
Kids in the Kitchen. For so many reasons letting your kids help you in the kitchen is essential.
It keeps them occupied while you’re cooking so you’re not having to multitask.
It gets them involved, and puts them in control of their plate making them more inclined to eat their food.
They learn new skills, like chopping and grating and they get to use maths and literacy.
More importantly though they boost their creativity, independence and teamwork as well.
We could go on, but we’ll stop there. Embrace the mess and enjoy the cooking experience. It’s well worth it.
Winter travel has proven a little difficult and some mornings we haven’t even had enough power to boil water. We chose to have our van run completely off solar power and not have any gas on board. This was to make it safe when cooking with a toddler. However, this means during the cloudy, overcast and wintery days Pep can sometimes run out of charge over night. We just have to be mindful about how we use her power. We found that if we have good sunlight during the day it’s best to cook dinner in advance and then just quickly heat it up at night. In summer none of this will be a problem and we’ll have all the power we could dream of.
We hope we have given you some valuable insights into how we live on the road and the food that we cook and eat on a regular basis. To inspire you to cook more on your travels and explore some amazing vegan food we have 4 recipes to share with you!
One pot dinners will forever be a winner in the van. Less dishes and a whole lot of flavour is what we like best! Method Except for the spinach and peas, place everything in a pot and cook on a medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed and a…
Hunter is our resident snacker. Sweet or savoury he’s all over it so we always have some freshly baked cookies on hand for a 3pm pick me up. Method Preheat the oven to 180°C Add the dates and boiling water to a bowl and let soak Place the oats, cacao…
Perfect with pasta, in a lasagne, as a dip, and with fresh potato wedges. It truly is your everything sauce and will quickly become a staple with your family. Method Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Try and not drink it…it’s truly that delicious. Serves…
Cold winter mornings call for giant bowls of oatmeal with all the topping. This simple oatmeal is sure to keep you feeling satisfied all the way till lunch! Method 1. Place the oats, coconut, water and sultanas in a saucepan and heat on a medium heat until the water…
Here at Van Life Eats we take kitchens almost as seriously as we take food, so here are 10 fantastic van life kitchen ideas to inspire you.
We asked 10 vanlifers about the kitchens in their vans, and their favourite aspects of them, so sit back and prepare to be inspired with van life kitchens ranging from beautiful simplicity to stunning intricacy.
The Van Taste
Vicky’s van is a VW crafter which she has travelled around Europe in and for now she is settled in Germany. She creates some amazing meals in her van kitchen, so amazing in fact that she has written and released her own cookbook.
She considers the kitchen to be the centrepiece of her van and it’s clear to see why, a bright and airy kitchen which is fully fitted out to be a perfect home from home – who needs a house?!
This van kitchen is fitted out with a Dometic Sunlight oven, fridge & freezer, an amazing array of spices displayed beautifully, and a fab area next to the sink giving space to dry dishes. The most has been made of every piece of available space.
Favourite Kitchen Gadget – A multi-function tool from Kitchen Aid which can whip cream, cut herbs etc. Also a waffle iron which can be used on the hob
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – Savoury waffles with spinach for breakfast, pasta with garlic, tomatoes & shrimp.
Max, Mona & Sam have a self converted Fiat Ducato L3H2 and are in Germany, they love hiking and enjoying nature. Their kitchen is fully set up with a cooker with 2 hot plates, hot water boiler and a fridge with a freezer.
The dark colours in their van kitchen create a really beautiful modern look and they love their large sink, no need for one pot meals in this home on wheels.
They have a very quirky feature in their van which is the back of their kitchen which is made of steel, they have allowed it to rust to increase character.
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – Everything in their kitchen is super useful, but their favourite gadget is their Omnia stove top oven.
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – No particular favourite, they prefer to shop locally in markets and make whatever takes their fancy from what they have bought, but do have a particular love for fresh fish & seafood.
Bree has recently been undertaking a van conversion and the kitchen in it is so amazing we had to include it in this list. Hottie (the van) is a 1979 coachman leprechaun and Bree states aspects of the kitchen make this van feel like a home in more ways than one.
Before
After
The main focal point in the kitchen is the amazing sink, which is not only deep enough to wash a whole load of dishes it also has a removable drying rack and chopping board.The water system comprises of a freshwater tank, 12v water pump and a propane water heater, ideal for getting that washing up done.
Although campfire cooking is a favourite of Bree’s this van kitchen is fitted with an oven and a 4 burner stove, which is the favourite feature in this van kitchen, and the ORIGINAL fridge/freezer unit. Over the oven is a vent hood which is yet to be used until the button to operate it is discovered!
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – Although not technically a gadget, the firm favourite here is a cast iron griddle pan, which can be used for a range of meals and is attractive enough to be left on the stove top when not in use
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – As Bree and Hottie are yet to begin their travels together the only thing that has been made is some super quick ramen – we look forward to seeing what recipes they come up with when their adventures on the road begin.
This self built conversion in Australia is all about using the little touches to make vanlife as homely and comfortable as possible and it all comes together to achieve that perfectly, plus it’s the only van we’ve seen with a barn door!
The van is a 2015 Renault Master LWB which includes a bathroom, the kitchen looks modern yet homely, a balance which isn’t always easily achieved. The kitchen is set up with a 2 burner stove top & an LG microwave, a fridge and freezer, plus a hot water system using a 12v pump and hot water tank.
As well as the barn door another quirky feature is the self built table that can be used as a dining table but also spins round to double up as some extra counter-top space when preparing meals.
The owner’s favourite features in the van kitchen are the soft close cupboards and drawers, as well as the beautiful splashback which looks like tiles but is actually waterproof vinyl wallpaper.
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – Coffee machine
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – Curry or stir-fry
This is one of the quirkiest and most unique van kitchens we have seen so far,and one of the best things is that it’s available to rent if you’re in Germany! This particular van is a Fiat Ducato with the facilities to cook inside the van with a 2 burner hob, as well as having a mobile one burner hob if you wish to cook outside, there is no running water but there is a mobile sink so you can really do the dishes with a view while outside.
A solar powered fridge is fitted with a small freezer for the ice cubes you will be needing for all those cocktails
The main feature of this van without a doubt has to be the unique shape of the counter, round surfaces are not easy to create in a van. It makes the kitchen feel extremely spacious and is very eye-catching to say the least. Everything in the van is handmade to a high standard with good quality materials and we can understand why this van has been so popular on their Instagram.
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – Espresso maker
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – This was a difficult decision and Freddy said everything his girlfriend creates is delicious but if he had to pick it would be pancakes for breakfast.
This van build is a total inspiration and it would have to be considering Tom has his own Van Build Consultancy business, he has had a number of years as an experienced kitchen fitter and has used these skills in his own van kitchen. Pair this with the fact that his partner Sarah is a professional vegan chef, you just know this pair mean business when it comes to a van kitchen.
This fully fitted kitchen means their creative juices can really flow when creating meals with the minimal constraints that may normally be faced in a van kitchen. Their van is a 2015 Mercedes Sprinter 313 CDI LWB, and the kitchen set-up in this van is phenomenal.
The water system is comprised of a 100l fresh water tank with a pump, and a Truma Combi 4e which provides the kitchen and bathroom with hot water.
If that wasn’t enough they also have a Berkey water filter meaning if they are low on water when on their travels they can fill up their water supply from a natural water source and filter it so they have fresh drinking water readily available again.
They are not limited by cooking facilities either having a Thetford Triplex grill/oven with a 3 burner stove, a 35l fridge and a 35l freezer tucked under their bench seats. On top of that they have an extra deep sink with a retractable hose tap making washing the dishes or vegetables a breeze.
Their van doesn’t come without its own quirky features, these include their repurposed wicker basket system and a telescopic dual bin system, and the copper elements add the finishing touches. Their favourite features of their van are the bamboo worktops & their oven.
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – Tom has admitted he would be lost without his daily smoothies and so the Vitamix blender is their must have gadget, even though it is juicy on the power, this was all taken into consideration with the build.
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – Cooked breakfast to get the day off to a good start!
If I tell you pink is my favourite colour it will come as no surprise that Thom & Lucy’s van is one of my favourite van kitchens ever! They are currently travelling in their home country, the UK, with plans to travel Europe when the restrictions from Covid19 are eased. They have a cute, homely build for which they have used many elements from their flat and they tried to use recycled and rehomed items as much as possible.
Their van is a VW LT35 MWB, the impressive kitchen is the first thing you see as you step into their beautiful home on wheels. They really enjoy cooking so always have a well stocked kitchen and they have cooking facilities aplenty.
A single burner is attached to the sink letting them make their all important cups of tea, they have a 2 ring burner camping stove which they can use inside or out, the van kitchen essential of an omnia oven, a Trangia for camping outside, and last but not least (the bit we’re really jealous of) a pizza oven!
As you would expect their well kitted kitchen comes with a fridge that has a removable freezer, essential for providing them with ice cold drinks after their hikes.
Homely touches are what this van is all about and there are a number of personal touches such as a picture and a soft toy made by Lucy. A touch of quirkiness is added with the cupboard handles, which were found in Lucy’s parents garage, spray painted gold and added as finishing touches to the kitchen cupboards. Our personal favourite is the seat belt sticker, which we think has also been a firm favourite on Insta.
Their favourite kitchen features are the colour (I have to agree there), and the amazing splashback tiles which are sticky vinyl floor tiles, so no chance of any breakages while on the road! They also love their bargain worktop which they were lucky enough to nab from Ikea, so much to love in this van!
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – As you would expect in this well equipped kitchen, there are too many to choose from. Thom and Lucy have whittled it down to a bottle opener, knife sharpener, steamer & hand blender.
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – Lucy’s favourite is mushroom Taco’s, Thom’s favourite is paneer curry and they love to make fresh bread in their omnia.
Marie and Dom travel in Vanessa a 2014 Ram Promaster 136” high roof, and their modern well organised kitchen is just dreamy! The colour scheme is gorgeous and one of their tips is to colour match horizontal surfaces (e.g. darker ceiling, work-top and floor) and then use a lighter colour for the vertical surfaces (cupboards).
Their cooking facilities are made up of a Ramblewood 2 burner stove, which is their favourite item in their van kitchen. To ensure their van stays well ventilated when cooking they have placed a fan over their kitchen unit, and their large counter-top means preparing meals are a breeze. They also have a JetBoil which boils water in no time at all!
They have a very energy efficient fridge which is nicely tucked away on a pull out shelf. Everything has its place in this super organised build each plate, bowl and utensil has its space in specially designed pull out drawers, and each item has its own cocoon to avoid noise and breakages when on the road.
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – Marie & Dom decided one thing they could not live without are toasted bagels, because of this they purchased a GSI stainless toaster to ensure they could get their fill while on the road. They also start every day with a peanut butter and banana smoothie, so their magic bullet was an absolute necessity.
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe -In the winter a vegetarian chili is a once a week favourite, in the summer months its a vegetable & tofu saute, topped with cilantro & lemon juice.
Next up is Melli & Tino with their van Ferdinand. Their van kitchen has a classic country feel to it with lots of homely features & a magnetic board in their kitchen to attach momentos from their travels.
Their self built van is a Peugeot Boxer L2H2 with running water set-up and a fridge with a freezer. They are really pleased with the overall look of their van and love the country look they have created, the table on the end of the kitchen can be put up to create some extra work space or an outdoor cooking area.
When creating their van build they ensured they had plenty of storage space and have utilised the kitchen area well to ensure it stays looking clear and uncluttered.
Favourite Van Gadget – Omnia Stove top oven & Skotti grill
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – Bolognese casserole
Last but by no means last on our list of 10 van kitchen ideas is this 2019 Ford Transit high roof van. This van is shared by Brit & David and their doggy Pepper, who even has her own little doggy dining room in the van kitchen!
Their kitchen is fitted out with a two burner stove, chest refrigerator and a gorgeous hammered copper sink, which gets well used for the dishes and puppy baths!
They have some beautiful features in their van, those with a keen eye may have noticed the epoxy resin board which was made by David, and comes in handy as a charcuterie board for the ultimate van life meal.
Coffee is an essential item in this van kitchen and so it comes as no surprise that their favourite features revolve around it with Brit’s being her Nespresso machine and David’s being his electric kettle.
Favourite Van Kitchen Gadget – They have been using their spiralizer lately, really enjoying zucchini noodles which they feel are a great addition to a light & nutritious meal. This gadget is pipped to the post by their cast iron skillet, which we agree is a vanlife essential.They cook most of their food with it and said it’s super versatile.
Favourite Van Life Kitchen Recipe – Grilled chicken with fresh green salad is their most eaten meal, but their favourite (including Pepper) is when they get the stove top popcorn on the go, ready for movie night with their projector screen.
Hopefully you have enjoyed a look into these beautiful van kitchens and have found some ideas for your own van or van build. Keep an eye out for future articles on inspiring van life kitchens, yours could be next!
Sian and Scott of the_peri_pot are a Scottish couple who are travelling around New Zealand in their recently purchased van, Alec. Sian is responsible for the majority of the cooking and she comes up with so many culinary delights. We love every one of their posts on Instagram, check their page out!
What country are you based in?
New Zealand
How long have you had a van?
Around 5 months
Why did you choose your current Van?
We are originally from Scotland with no experience living in a campervan so we wanted something as comfortable as possible. A toilet and a shower were a must for us. We spent around a week looking at various vans and saw this and fell in love with it and it ticked all the boxes.
What is your favourite feature of your van?
The countertop oven we bought to replace the microwave that was there
How do you spend your time in your van?
Full time
What has been your favourite experience in your van so far?
Being able to go wherever we want whenever we want. We have parked up in some pretty incredible places.
What has been your worst experience in your van?
I wouldn’t say we have had any ‘bad’ experiences… Yet… For me, getting used to a much smaller space than what were used to, especially in the kitchen was a massive adjustment. When I cook everything is everywhere. I have had to learn to manage that ? Scott’s was almost going off the road hitting some black ice
Describe your van kitchen setup…
We are very lucky as we have an amazing set up. We have two gas rings, a gas grill, a fridge with a tiny wee freezer, a countertop oven that you could cook pretty much anything in. We have almost all the pots, pans, cake tins you would ever want (Scott would say too much) and also a great Dutch oven for campfire cooking
What is your favourite van kitchen accessory and why?
My nutri bullet
What couldn’t you live without in your van and why?
Again, my nutri bullet. I use it all the time
Do you have any first hand funny van life stories to tell?
Scott decided to drive down a cycle path, had a fight with a low hanging branch and managed to rip one of our roof hatches off. I saw the funny side… Scott maybe not so much.
You can catch up with Sian and Scott through the social media links on their profile. Don’t forget to try their recipes and give them a big thumbs up!
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.
What wild food is safe for foraging whilst on your van life adventures?
Whilst out on your adventures you are more than likely driving through nature’s very own food market with a huge variety of free food.
Living van life and in particular whilst out wild camping in your van have you ever considered what plants and edibles are surrounding you whilst you tuck into that pot noodle?
Ever since I was a child I have been curious and tempted by the berries on bushes and the mushrooms growing on trees, being a parent now I feel how nervous I must have made my own parents back then!
In this article, I want to enlighten you as to what food is safe for foraging whilst on your van life adventures.
Disclaimer
You need to be very careful when picking wild food to eat, and if you are unable to identify the plant or mushroom then you must NOT eat. Do not even try it! That’s right not even a nibble!
There are many poisonous plants and mushrooms and even the slightest touch can irritate your skin and can cause mayhem inside your body and can even be deadly. Some plants and particularly fungi can be very hard to identify!
You’ve seen “Into the wild” right?? (If not watch it now, one of the most influential free spirit, travel movies of all time).
Is it legal to forage food?
In the UK and many other countries it is illegal to dig up any root growing plant without the landowners permission. On common land you may pick fruit, leaves, flowers, foliage and non protected fungi for personal consumption only. Harvesting for resale is strictly illegal.
For foraging this requires you to research the land that you are picking from and if in doubt consult the local authorities or the land owners and ask for written permission.
Due to the dangers and legal aspects involved in picking wild food,this article is for you to reference to only.
The best way to forage wild food
The best way to forage wild food whilst living van life is to get yourself a good foraging guide book so that you can reference and accurately identify all potential wild foods, thoroughly research the land you intend to harvest from and come prepared with some good wild food recipes.
There are many foraging groups and courses you can attend to get a more in-depth knowledge from an expert and if you are serious about wanting to get to know the many many edible wild foods filling the countryside then I would highly recommend this. It’s a perfect van life day out!
For UK based courses and events I recommend this website.
Responsible foraging
Foraging is rapidly growing in popularity and foragers must be aware of the possible environmental impacts involved in picking and gathering wild food.
It’s vital to always respect nature, wildlife and also other human beings. We are all dependants on food and taking food from the wild can have a huge impact on nature.
As I’ve mentioned before, it is completely illegal to commercially forage, meaning you strictly can not resell your gathered foods. Only pick what you intend to cook in your van and eat immediately.
Know what you are picking
To save valuable countryside foliage you should know exactly what it is you are about to pick before you pick.
Picking a plant or flower only to realise when you are back in your campervan that it isn’t the food you wanted is simply irresponsible and highly damaging to nature.
Get a good field guidebook and make sure it meets the exact matches before you even touch it let alone eat it.
There are many species of plant that can contain a sap residue that can be toxic to your skin. Be careful!
However, a toxic to humans plant will certainly have its role in nature’s game and if you mistakingly pick something it will eliminate it’s role with the ecosystem.
Don’t pick it all
This isn’t a reason to leave some on the tree for the next forager, this is a vital requirement for the next crop to flourish and for many forms of wildlife to survive.
Seeds, flowers, roots all have the biological chemistry to reproduce for next season and if you dig out the roots, bulbs and even cut away too much stem then this may well be the end of the plant altogether. Therefore leaving less food in the wild for animals and impacting the ecosystem.
Learn the correct way to harvest each crop in its unique way.
Commonly the best way to harvest a plant is to cut the leaves and leave the stems in place so that future leaves may grow back. The same goes for flowers.
Know your soil
There are legal compilations on most land these days and I highly recommend that you research the land that you are foraging from.
You must know the land thoroughly before you forage not only to save you from legal fines and convictions but also to know if the land has any contaminations.
High levels of pesticides, herbicides and PCBs, for example, could be toxic to your health!
Obviously you won’t have a full kit of soil testing equipment in your van but you can learn a lot from a phone call to the local authorities who will not only give you permission to forage but will advise you if it is safe to do so on that particular patch of land.
What kind of wild foods are edible?
The most common edible wild foods to forage on your van life adventures include mushrooms/fungi, fruits, herbs, flowers, roots, nuts and seeds.
All very commonly found on most wild land and there’s a variety of recipes for just about everything.
Playing it safe is recommended for beginners and you can enjoy classic recipes such as nettle soup, dandelion honey, chestnut soup and elderflower cordial, but if you really want to get stuck into nature’s menu then you should seek guidance until.your are highly confident.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are possibly the scariest wild food imaginable to most. With there being so many species and so many being poisonous, eating them is a risk you shouldn’t take lightly.
This certainly isn’t the article to tell you what mushrooms you can and can’t eat but I will inform you on some safe common mushrooms found in most wild areas that are great to learn about first.
Mushrooms can be very hard to correctly identify and getting it wrong could leave you very uncomfortable during the night in your van and potentially make you very ill!
Any foraging course will introduce you to the most common and safest mushrooms first. Only when you become more experienced and knowledgeable should you expand your mushroom foraging list.
Here are my 3 recommended wild mushrooms for foraging as a beginner.
Chanterelle Mushroom
The chanterelle mushroom has an aromatic and firm texture. Great for slow cooking and stews with plenty of liquid.
The chanterelle can easily be dried and frozen for storing.
The best season to pick the Chanterelle is between July and October and can be found in damp acidic soil around deciduous or coniferous trees.
Penny Bun Bolete Mushroom
The penny bun bolete is a very common mushroom used in cooking due to its strong mushroom flavour.
When dried out this mushroom is perfect for soups and sauces. Younger species can be used raw and served up in a salad.
The penny bun bolete can easily be dried and frozen.
The best time to pick the penny bun bolete is between July and October and can be found in most woodland areas.
Parasol Mushroom
Another strong flavoured mushroom once again ideal for soups and sauces.
The cap is the only edible part of the parasol mushroom as the stems can be very tough and not very pleasant.
To store this mushroom you should freeze it.
The best place to find parasol mushrooms is in open woodland areas or pastures and is often found in groups.
Flowers
Flowers are one of the easiest wild foods to forage and one of the best wild foods to forage for beginners.
Unlike mushrooms and wild greens, flowers are much easier to identify.
As with all wild food there are intoxicating flowers and often whilst the flower may be edible the stem may be poisonous. By default consult your field guide book before even touching the flower or stem.
Wild flowers can taste sweet, bitter, peppery and spicy and can really jazz up a huge variety of meals.
The best food to make from wild flowers is usually soups, teas, spreadables and they also make a great addition to a salad.
Here are my top 3 recommended wild flowers to forage.
Dandelion
Dandelion flowers can be found everywhere growing in fields around mid spring time.
The yellow petals are sweet but the green parts can taste quite bitter so it’s best to discard those parts.
Redbud
Redbud is another flower that appears in spring and can be found easily. Often by the side of roads and in woodland areas.
You’ll see that the Redbud purple flowers are amongst the first to appear in spring and eventually cover the tree.
Redbud flowers look pretty and taste amazing.
The best part is the fully opened flowers that taste slightly sweet and a little tart.
Avoid the bitter buds and pick the opened flower early morning when they are at their freshest.
Violets
Violets are very common in cooking and the flavour can be found in a large variety of foods, particularly sweets.
Violets can be found all year round but they flower in the early spring time.
The best place to find violets is in most woodland and hedgerow areas. Look in the shaded areas.
They are of an unmistakable purpley blue colour with green heart shaped leaves.
The roots and seeds of the violet plant are toxic so make sure you only pick the flowers and leaves.
Use the flowers for flavouring and the young leaves can be used in a salad.
Wild Greens
Wild greens are increasingly growing in popularity not only for the foraging chef but also for professional gourmet chefs. There are so many really tasty wild greens to be found out there.
Many of the usual supermarket stocked greens are growing wild outside your van but with so many wild greens looking similar to one another you must be very cautious not to eat something poisonous. Always consult your guide book and if unsure then leave the plant alone.
Another safety aspect to consider is to be sure you are not about to consume a plant that has been treated with chemicals. Some plants such as dandelion are often sprayed with weed killer type chemicals. Typically this would be plants found in parks and garden areas.
Wild greens are very nutritious being packed full of vitamins and make great additions to salads, casseroles and soups. Often you can simple drizzle some olive oil and tuck in.
Some of the most popular and best wild greens to forage are lambs quarter, dandelion and nettles.
Lambs quarters
Lambs quarters is very similar to spinach and is actually even related to it. The leaves should be cooked to take away the bitterness as when it is raw.
The goosefoot shaped leaves are light green and lighter underneath, they have a jagged edge to them. The plant is usually about 1m tall but can grow as high as 2m. They produce a small green flowers in small clusters on top of the spikes.
Lambs quarters can be found across the globe usually around river banks, forest clearings, fields and in gardens.
Lamb’s quarters contain oxalic acid particularly when eaten raw, it is recommended to eat in small quantities. Cooking the weed can remove the acid.
Dandelion
The dandelion weed is very common in just about every grassy field. Fortunately it’s often hated by gardeners and you won’t come across any complications in picking them.
You can eat leaves and roots as well as the flowers of the dandelion plant. Add the slightly bitter leaves and the roots to make a delicious salad.
Dandelion weeds are extremely high in vitamin A and K and have a vast array of healing properties as well as other health benefits. These nutrition benefits as well as the ease of obtaining the plant make them one of the best foods to forage for vanlife.
Nettles
The thought of even touching nettles can be daunting, how about eating them?
Nettles are actually considered a prize pick for foragers and yet another highly nutritious plant with healing properties. Nettles are said to increase energy levels as well as lowering stress levels. They are also said to be good for your kidneys, hair and nails. The perfect nutrition for van life!
The big question that’s rattling around in your mind is how to pick and eat the nettles without getting stung?
The best way to pick stinging nettles is to use gloves and place them into silicone bags immediately. When back in the kitchen use tongs and during the cooking process this will defuse the sting.
Nettles can be cooked and treated in the same way you would spinach. Steamed and sautéed as a side dish, include them in soups and stews and you can even make a medicinal tea with the water used to boil the sting from them.
The older parts of the plant particularly the stalks aren’t very edible so the best part of the nettle to eat is the top three pairs of leaves.
You’ll find nettles in just about every woodland, park and all over the countryside. They are easily identifiable and you can always brave it and touch them to see if they live up to their name. If in any doubt leave them alone. (Golden rule of foraging)
Other edible wild food
Whilst spring and summer time proves good for foraging leaves and flowers the autumn and winter is where you can start foraging wild food such as berries and nuts.
Be wary that there are many poisonous berries so be very cautious and experienced and never pick with uncertainty.
Wild berries make an excellent choice for jams, syrups and sauces.
Some popular wild berries include:
Raspberries
Blackberries
Rosehips
Elderberries
Bilburry
Hawthorne Berries
Rowan Berries
Nuts can often be roasted and make an excellent choice sprinkling over breakfast or for making your own granola.
Some popular wild nuts include:
Hazelnut
Chestnut
Beechnut
Walnut
Down by the sea
The coast is easily one of the best places to forage wild food. Not only for sea fishing but also all the delicious plants and shellfish that grow around the water.
There is a variety of different seaweeds, plants, crustaceans and shellfish ready for the picking and you will find this wild food scattered around the rock pools, cliffs and when the tide is out you would be able to literally fill bags of wild seafood.
Coastal foraging is very popular with van life and is certainly a subject to be covered in more depth by someone far more experienced than myself. I eat very little fish and seafood and I would love to see someone experienced step forward and write an article on vanlifeeats.com.
You would probably want to read this article on getting rid of cooking smells in your van if you are cooking fish!
Conclusion
As long as you follow the golden rules of foraging wild food, you will find the world full of a variety of delicious wild foods to forage and this goes hand in hand with van life and wild camping.
If you are unsure leave it alone
Consult a reputable guide book
Research the land for legal rights to forage
Be wary of pesticides and weed killer treatments
Being out on the open road all the time means you will be driving through nature’s very own free super market so I’d highly recommend having a wild food pocket field book on hand in your van. I’d even advise on taking a foraging course which is actually a really fun thing to participate in whilst on your adventures. Take a look at this site for UK courses.
My recommendation on a good foraging guide is this book.
I hope this article has brought you more awareness of wild food and has given you some inspiration to get out there and try something new. Wild food has amazing health benefits!
Lockie and Ash are an Australian couple on a tour of Europe in their van Tommy the Transit and are currently exploring Austria.
Staying healthy while living vanlife is of the highest importance to them, and these are highlighted on their instagram account easyeatsandexercise You can also see their travel adventures on their page lockieandash
What country are you based in?
Austria
How long have you had a van?
10 months
Why did you choose your current Van?
the right price and condition
What is your favourite feature of your van?
Our shou sugi ban kitchen bench
How do you spend your time in your van?
Full-time
What has been your favourite experience in your van so far?
We started our van build in a random parking lot in Andorra whilst we were there trying to get it registered. We got sick of waiting and were so excited to start the build, we found a nice quiet spot near a construction site. The workers were so lovely and let us use there power and even lent us tools. They couldn’t speak much English at all, but would come check on our progress multiple times a day and were so happy to have us there.
What has been your worst experience in your van?
Having car troubles in Andorra all whilst in the process of trying to register our van in a foreign country where little English was spoken.
Describe your van kitchen setup…
We have small fixed kitchen with a small sink and 2 burner gas stove. It has an extension piece on either side allowing us to utilise space when we are not cooking.
What is your favourite van kitchen accessory and why?
Our fridge is hands down the best thing we ever bought! Its a Dometic CoolMatic CRX 110 fridge/freezer. It has enough space to fit a 7 day grocery shop and a freezer big enough to freeze our meat and on occasion bananas to make smoothie bowls and nice cream!
What couldnt you live without in your van and why?
I think the Toilet. We have a Dometic portable one that has a flush function and close door trap. No smell and easy to clean. When living full-time in your van we think its a necessity.
Do you have any first hand funny van life stories to tell?
We are Australians who moved to Europe to travel and live the van life. Corona hit whilst we were living the winter season in the Austrian Alps. We currently are parked in our Austrian friends backyard and they refer to us as their Australian refugees
Find Lockie and Ash on YouTube
You can catch up with Lockie and Ash through the social media links on their profile. Don’t forget to try their recipes and give them a big thumbs up!
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.
In order to really show off your van life eats you should really learn how to photograph food with a mobile phone inside a campervan.
These days the cameras on mobile phones are amazing and can take some incredibly professional looking photograhs, of course if you have an all singing and dancing DSLR you probably have a good idea what you are doing anyway.
Giving the space limitations of van life, you simply won’t have enough space to store photography lights, tripods and large soft boxes so it can really be a challenge to make the shot look professional.
The secret in taking professional food photographs on your mobile phone is in knowing how to use the advanced phone camera settings on your phone, being able to use as much natural light as possible and knowing how to compose your shots.
In this article I am going to talk you through each setting on your phone, van life composition and give you a blueprint of how to photograph food with a mobile phone inside a campervan.
Pro mode
Before diving in and taking photos you need to turn your phone camera settings to “Pro mode” right now! Get familiar with what each setting does and practice on anything in front of you.
It’s never very nice when you’ve taken so long taking the photos that the food then becomes stone cold and not as enjoyable to eat after the shoot. Be warned, you will most likely need to reheat it or eat it only warm.
Most cameras these days will all have the same settings but I am going to reference a completely free app that I use to take my photos with – Adobe Lightroom CC.
With this app you can quickly and easily access the pro features that will take your photos to the next level.
If you don’t want to try it then you can still access most of these settings using your default phone camera.
Shutter Speed – SS
This is often a setting you won’t need to worry too much about with food photography as it is a setting to adjust the length of time the photograph is being taken for. As food is nearly always static then you will only need to adjust the shutter speed to suit the lighting scenario.
You do have one very nice advantage of taking photographs in your campervan and that is the availability of natural light.
Opening the side door every time you take a photo will let floods of natural light in and this will allow you to set your shutter speed to a nice fast setting that will give you a nice crisp photograph.
There are some food photographs where you might want to capture the feel of motion and that is shots such as pouring sauces or liquids.
Having a fast shutter speed will freeze the motion of the pour and give a crisp motion, having a slower shutter speed will give a smoother capture of the motion of the pour. It will add more mood to the photo. Get creative and practice!
When adjusting the shutter speed it will then alter the amount of light that is let in for the photograph, therefore you need to compensate this. Some cameras will have an”aperture” setting but this is rare on a phone so I will move on to adjusting the ISO.
ISO
ISO is the setting that will brighten and darken a photo. Increasing the ISO number will progressivley brighten your photo. This will give you the option of shooting in dark environments and be able to take photos without the aid of a tripod. However, increasing the ISO comes at a price as it will deteriorate the quality and add noise.
As detail and texture is an important factor in food photography, I will advise that you try and keep the ISO number as low as you can possibly get away with.
With the Adobe Lightroom CC app you will want to keep the slider as far to the right as possible giving you an ISO reading of as low as 45.
If you want to give your image a gritty effect then you could try playing around with high ISO numbers and fast shutter speeds but remember you can always add this type of effect afterwards.
White Balance – WB
White balance is what determines what is true white within your photograph in different environments such as daylight, cloudy, fluorescent light and incandescent. It will affect the colour temperature of your photograph but most importantly it will help obtain the true natural colours.
Food is often colourful and vibrant so it’s important to get this right but thankfully you do have some adjustment in the post production editing stages.
You will see several settings under WB and this relates to what environment you are shooting in, simply select the lighting scenario that fits best.
Some Pro mode mobile phone cameras will have a slider to adjust the white balance. This usually ranges from 2300k (cooler) to 10000k (warmer).
You may also find that you have an eyedropper tool that allows you to select a white object within your environment to tell the camera what white should look like.
Before you take your main photo simply hold up a piece of paper and select that as white and viola your colours will look natural.
AWB (auto white balance)
This setting will take a reading from your lens and automatically set the white balance accordingly.
This is great if you are only taking one shot but if you are taking multiple shots you should consider setting this manually to keep the colour temperature even and consistent across every image. A valuable tip for when it comes to bulk processing your photos!
Aperture
This isn’t always a clear setting on a mobile phone and is usually always only visible in the advanced settings.
The aperture is the size of the hole in the lens shutter that lets the light in. The larger the hole the better for focusing on single objects in the foreground and the smaller the hole the better for focusing on multiple objects and background detail.
The larger the aperture is how you obtain an in focus object with a nice blurred background, which can be fun to play with when it comes to food photography. Be careful though as this is yet another setting you can’t fix in post production. Once it’s blurred it’s blurred!
This is yet another setting that will let more light into the photograph so compensate this with your ISO and shutter speed settings.
Lighting
Learning how to photograph food with a mobile phone inside a campervan does have its limitations and lighting is definitely one.
It’s unrealistic to consider traveling with much if any professional lighting equipment as it can be heavy, bulky and power consuming.
Make the most of the natural light that can flood through your van when you open curtains, shutters, skylights and best of all the main van doors. This will give you the perfect lighting to get some beautiful food photography within your van.
Shadows
One of the biggest problems you will come across is the shadow of your hand and phone looming over the food when you want to take the photo.
Usually this is when you would counter the light direction with an additional light source so you may need to experiment with closing the backdoors or closing a curtain to balance the flood of light. Don’t forget the direction of the shadow will change depending on what time of day it is.
I have a very small battery powered LED light that I use as an occasional night switch. This comes in very handy as a subtle fill light to hide that shadow. Remember not too harsh a light source or it will blow out the highlights in your photo.
You would angle the fill light to the side and above of the image in a position that moves the angle of the shadow down and out of view.
Avoid flash
Whatever you do, keep that phone flash light off. It will never give you a professional looking photograph and will over expose all of the highlights in your shot and you will lose texture and detail!
Camera effects
Avoid at all costs! You can always add an effect afterwards but you won’t be able to remove them if you shoot with an effect already active!
People like to see food look natural and edible. Effects will honestly make your food look less desirable.
Composition
How to arrange a plate of food for the perfect photograph?
In order to get the best composition for your van food photography you need to consider the height, shape and quantity of elements within the composition.
Does your recipe have many elements that sit alongside the main dish? If so then you will need to plan both your arrangement and camera angle to suit. Perhaps an overhead shot would work well to fit all the elements in-shot.
Some shapes simply will not work with a side on shot whilst others will only work with side on shot. I will cover angles in more detail in a moment.
Rule of thirds
What is the rule of thirds? Maybe you’ve heard of this, and you may well have seen the gridlines on your camera screen or viewfinder, I will now explain what they are for.
The rule of thirds is a set of guidelines that separates the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically leaving you with 9 guidelines to guide you in placing the eye catching elements of your photo.
It can work particularly well for arranging the composition of your shot especially in food photography.
The aim is to place the most eye catching and most desirable focal points in one of the areas where the guidelines cross. This could be the centre of the dish for example.
Another use for the guidelines is the horizontal and vertical guides. These are never dead center as this isn’t deemed as an interesting focal point. These lines work very well for lining up with table surfaces.
You can often toggle the rule of the thirds on and off within your camera phone settings. I personally leave them on as they help me think about the composition a little more.
Camera Angles
What are the best camera angles for photographing food in a campervan?
Being in a confined space such as a campervan can be restricting on what angles are possible when photographing food. There are 4 best angles to consider when photographing food in a campervan.
45 Degree Angle
This is probably the most common angle to photograph a table of food at, but is actually very challenging to do on a mobile phone.
The standard lens on a camera phone is usually a wide angle lens so unless you either get in really close or use the zoom feature your 45 degree shot won’t look right.
To get the best 45 degree angle photographing food with a mobile phone camera you should pinch zoom your camera ever so slightly to bring the lens out of a wide angle. Using the zoom feature on your phone can deteriorate your image quality so only zoom in very lightly!
It’s possible to get a very professional looking shot at this angle.
Shooting Low
This is a similar style to the 45 degree angle shot but when the spread of food on the table allows it you can lower the camera to a slightly lower 30 degree angle.
This will allow you to bring further depth to the arrangement of food on the table and it can also give you some creative opportunities to capture some out of focus background showing off some of your campervan interior.
Shooting low will involve having flat plates on the table and is almost not a viable option with bowls as it will be hard to see over the top and into the bowl where the yum is hiding.
Shooting Straight-on
This is another great shot for including the background of your campervan.
The straight on food shot is a classic for burgers and sandwiches and can help give the sense of height to the food.
The horizon lines we spoke of earlier for the rule of thirds can be essential here. Keeping the horizon lower than central will give the photograph it’s height.
The Overhead Shot
The overhead food photo is another classic and is used time and time again for blogs.
It is often a very fun way to arrange the table with scattered vegetables, sprinkles of salt, little pots of sauce and a screwed up tea towel for example.
A busy and almost messy collective can look hearty and homely and make a very interesting shot.
The overhead shot is a great shot to do inside a campervan as it can make a much less invasive shot should you need to avoid having the clutter of your van in frame.
This shot is the most challenging when it comes to shadows. Be aware of the shadow of your hand and mobile phone creeping in over your dish!
Setup your food arrangement next to or under a window to get the most amount of natural light. I even open the side door to really brighten up the inside of the van.
Mix it up
With these 4 different angles you should have enough of a repertoire to keep your photo angles varied enough. There’s nothing worse than repeating the same shot over and over again.
Keep it interesting and make each shot stand out from the last!
Arranging the table
This is one of my favourite parts but can be very limiting in a van. It’s not like you will be carrying a varied selection of plates and bowls to mix up your arrangements.
I am always scouting the charity shops for rustic and interesting pots, plates and bowls but when I am busy moving around in my van then I don’t carry everything with me and my shots tend to contain the same grey or yellow bowl.
Still it’s a lot of fun scattering chopped ingredients around the table, screwed up tea towels and making the table look like there’s a mini banquet going on.
Keep it interesting and use that rule of thirds to keep the focus on the main show feature (main dish).
Keep it clean
Cooking in a van or anywhere limited on space is a challenge to keep tidy and clean. If you are going to photograph your culinary skills then you are going to need to be extra organised.
Nobody will want to see spills, smears and greasy fingerprints in the photo. Even for the most rustic of shots!
Before you start any cooking ensure your van is tidy and you have plenty of space to prepare, cook and of course photograph.
Check your phone camera lens
This has been a mistake I’ve made in the past and it can really ruin your shot if not noticed early enough.
Greasy fingerprints on the lens! Keep checking and wiping the lens regularly.
If your shot looks blurry and not very sharp, the chances are there was a fingerprint on the lens!
Additional Equipment
What is the best equipment to buy to photograph food with a mobile phone inside a campervan?
I can keep this short and sweet as I hope the above knowledge has explained to you how you can take amazing photos with “only” your mobile phone.
You just dont want to carry all the gadgets in your van and cause clutter, weight and risk of theft.
However, there are only a couple of additional accessories that come in handy and our space-saving enough to pack away neatly without weighing much at all.
Remember I spoke about shadows invading your photograph? Using one of these reflectors is ideal for being able to cancel out the shadows caused with your light source only being thrown in one direction.
This 5 in 1 solution will also act as a diffuser that you place against your window softening and evenly spreading the sunlight.
I often find that I need to lower my shutter speed in order to get a better quality image or to capture some smoothness to the photo and the only way to avoid camera shake is to mount the phone on a tripod. Make sure it is long enough to reach the table and angles you want!
It also comes in really handy for video should you be lookng at filming your recipes.
Summary
Taking a good photograph of food on a mobile phone in your campervan can be a simple as a quick capture before you tuck in.
If you are looking to really impress then following this guide will certainly help you take your van life food photography to the next level.
To summerise how to photograph food with a mobile phone inside your campervan:
Learn to use the Pro mode
Utilise as much natural light as possible
Avoid ALL in-camera effects
Use the rule of thirds
Practice each of the 4 common angles
Be tidy and organised
Keep your lens clean!
I have been a photographer for the last 11 years. 7 of which a full-time professional photographer. Since starting van life I no longer wish to carry expensive cameras and equipment and I now only shoot on my camera phone.
If I can help with any tips or tech feel free to ask away. I love chatting photography.
The best way to eliminate cooking smells from your campervan is to maintain a steady airflow with a suitable ventilation system. There are also some great natural options of neutralising cooking smells from your van, so get cooking.
Whether you are a full-time van-lifer or a part-time van lifer enjoying your van for weekend trips and holidays, one thing is for certain, van life gives the freedom to travel, park up and take in amazing views with a good meal and a nice cool drink.
However, one of the realities of vanlife is that your kitchen is also your living area, your bedroom…. you get my drift. This means that the lovely aromas from the food you have been making in your van may not smell so appetising when they are clinging to your bedclothes as you climb into bed or the clean clothes that you put on the next day.
This article is going to address what you can do to ensure you minimise the smells of cooking in your van and how to get rid of smells if that is unavoidable.
Cook outside!
One way to really make sure your van doesn’t smell of cooking smells is to not cook in it! Use a camping stove or bbq to cook outside, this may even encourage you to be more adventurous with your meals.
However, vanlife doesn’t mean that we are always parked up in those insta-worthy locations with no-one else within a mile’s radius.
Sometimes the reality of it is that you are parked in a driveway, car park or residential street trying to be stealthlike and the last thing you want is the world and their wife to see you attempting to heat up a tin of baked beans while in your underwear.
Jokes aside though, it is not always easy or safe to cook outside, so this may not be an option for all.
If you are on a campsite though, definitely make use of the communal cooking areas. You may just find some new friends along the way!
Ventilation
Cooking in a van is not always the easiest thing to do, space and cooking facilities can be limited and adequate ventilation is not always possible.
It would be easy to think all you needed to do was open a window and job done, unfortunately this is not the case. Just cranking open a window can make the breeze carry the odours of your cooking across your van and actually make the situation worse.
It is better to have as many doors and windows open as you can rather than just one to help create a cross breeze and minimise the smell, it is unlikely to be completely successful though.
Also as we have mentioned above, you may not always be in the situation where it is suitable to have your doors and windows open and so this is not going to help. As well as smells lingering, the heat from cooking can actually cause condensation in your van which can lead to further problems such as mould.
The best option for ventilating your van adequately is to have a vent above your kitchen area which will help with both of these problems. A brief overview of different types of vents to have in your van is below, please also see our more in-depth article for more information on campervan ventilation here.
Skylight vents
These can be placed above the cooking area allowing in extra light and expelling heat and the smells from cooking out.
Most skylights are double glazed so they do not allow heat to escape when shut and they have bug screens for when you need it open.
These types of vents do not usually have a fan in them though, so while they will not drain your power, they will also not be able to help regulate the temperature of your van or give optimum heat and smell removal.
This leads us on to our next option..
Vents with a built-in fan
These are going to be better options for ventilation as you can choose which way the fans will rotate either pulling fresh air in to cool the van down or pushing air out which is particularly useful when cooking to help eliminate the smell and heat within the van.
These are quite often remote controlled and are usually easy to operate, the disadvantages are they do use power (albeit not much).
They can also be noisy which may not be an issue when you’re cooking up a storm but may well be when you’re lying in a stuffy van trying to get to sleep.
So all in all it is worth ensuring you adequately ventilate your van, not only will it stop any smells lingering it can also stop condensation, which may lead to mould and can help to regulate the temperature in your van.
Sometimes no matter how well ventilated your van is, the smells just cling on to everything (smelly fish – we’re talking to you!) So we are also going to discuss different options you can use if ventilation isn’t enough.
Ways to remove cooking smells
If you find your clothes or bedding are holding onto cooking smells it is not the easiest thing to be able to wash them in a van and it’s not feasible to wash them daily so you need a different solution.
Some have suggested using plastic sheeting to cover your bed and clothes, and while this probably does help limit the smell getting into them it is probably also quite tedious to do each time you want to cook.
A different option is to hang the offending item out in the nice fresh air to air out a little, this may not banish smells completely but it’s going to smell better than it did before you started.
Some people may reach for the air freshener at this point, which as well as not being good for the environment probably isn’t the best for your health either and can actually be overpowering in such a small space.
A quick search on the internet reveals how to make natural air fresheners and these are much better to use than the chemical-laden ones from the stores. Plus you can add whichever essential oils you like to make the scent personal to you.
Baking soda is good for absorbing scents as is vinegar so many of the recipes you find will include these, if you’re planning on creating an anti-bacterial one then you will most likely need to get the vodka out! Here are some of our favourite combinations:
Lavender & chamomile – this a particularly good one to spray on your bedding as it has calming and relaxing properties which can help you to drift off.
Lemon & basil – this is a good all-round spray as it creates a crisp, clean smell so is great for getting rid of unwanted odours.
Mint & orange – This scent is a good one if you need a bit of invigorating, so probably not the best just before you go to bed, but perfect after cooking that delicious van breakfast.
If you have essential oils with you on your travels another good way to neutralise those cooking smells in your van is to soak wooden clothes pegs in essential oils and then peg them up!
By the time the sun is setting you may be wanting to set the scene to gaze across a candlelit table into the eyes of your loved one and so scented candles are a win win right? Creating some ambience as well as getting rid of those dinner odours!
No candles available? No problem, use an orange!
Peel an orange while keeping half of the skin and the middle part in-tact so you have a little ‘boat’, fill the skin halfway with olive oil and then when ready light ‘the wick’ not only will it smell lovely and natural it can be added to your food waste afterwards.
There are also chef’s candles available which are really great for neutralising cooking smells, not all of them are fragranced so if you’re not a fan of fragrances then these could be for you.
Natural ways to banish cooking smells
If you’re already on the road when a cooking odour disaster strikes, do not fear because you may already have everything you need to get your van odour free in no time at all. Here’s a list of our favourites.
1. Bicarbonate of soda
Bicarbonate of soda is very versatile and has lots of uses when on the road so it’s well worth having in your van pantry.
To use it to get rid of cooking smells you simply need to fill a bowl with it and leave it to absorb the smell – magic!
You can use it for so many things after, such as getting rid of the smell from shoes (handy if you’ve been on a long hike!), mix it with water to make a paste to soothe insect bites, put in dirty pans overnight and wash with hot water the next day for them to come up beautifully clean. It really is a cupboard essential!
2. Potatoes
Potatoes are great at absorbing smells, if you cut one in half cover in salt and place in a bowl on the side it should absorb those smells in no time!
3. Coffee grounds
‘Proper’ coffee fan? Then you may have leftover coffee grounds to hand, these are really good at absorbing odours, just leave them in a bowl on the side and job done. Not only will the cooking smells disappear but your van will have the lovely scent of roasted coffee.
The coffee grounds have other uses too, they’re good for deterring insects, particularly ants.
Coffee grounds can also be mixed with coconut oil to make a good exfoliating scrub for those of us lucky enough to have showers in our van.
4. Vinegar
White vinegar can have lots of uses too, one of them being absorbing smells, leave in a bowl on the side in the kitchen to soak up any cooking odours.
It can also be used when making cleaning solutions and is good at getting sticker residue off, so handy if you’re taking stickers off your van.
5. Cinnamon
Boiling up some cinnamon sticks for 5 minutes and leave to cool which will fill your van with a pleasant aroma and no more nasty cooking smells. If it’s Christmas time you could even trade the water for wine and enjoy some mulled wine – providing your not the designated driver!
As a final note if your fingers are smelly from cutting up onion or garlic rub your hands in salt or coffee grounds prior to washing them and those lingering smells will be gone and your hands nice and soft!
That’s it folks – our tips for getting cooking odours out of your home on wheels. We hope these can be of use to you, if you have any tips of your own then please comment below.
From preventing damage to keeping safe, healthy and hygienic it’s important to ensure your campervan has adequate ventilation and you know how to ventilate a campervan correctly.
The best way to ventilate your campervan is to ensure there is a sufficient air flow within your campervan. This will involve the installation of air vents and fans to ensure fresh air can be drawn into your campervan and hot air expelled.
Whilst living in a tiny or compact space such as a campervan it’s in your best interest to keep the climate within your van comfortable. Knowing how to ventilate your campervan is equally as important is knowing how to insulate your campervan.
Knowing how to control the humidity and internal temperature in a campervan can really make your van life experience or camping holiday alot more comfortable.
This article is designed to guide you on the best way to ventilate a campervan as well as to look at some of the various different ventilation options available.
4 Reasons why you should install ventilation
The 4 biggest reasons you should install a quality ventilation system within your campervan are:
Climate regulation – keeping your living space at a comfortable temperature.
Reducing condensation caused from cooking facilities and a build up of moisture in the air.
Keeping the air healthy to breath
Eliminating bad odours
Climate regulation
It can really get hot and stuffy living in a small space such as a campervan. With poor ventilation and insulation it can actually become quite unbearable!
During a hot night it always feels like a good idea to leave a window open but this isn’t always a safe option as it could encourage an intruder.
If you have a good ventilation system in place you can not only sleep in peace knowing you are safe and secure but you can also sleep peacefully in a comfortable climate within your van.
Fitting a campervan ventilation system and installing it correctly will control the climate within your van not only for night time but even during the day.
Hot air is less dense than cold air so naturally the hot air will rise towards the ceiling of your van. As this builds up it can really make the air turn clammy and really quite uncomfortable.
Fitting a ceiling extractor fan will suck this hot air straight out of your van.
Reducing condensation
Condensation can be seriously harmful to your van as well as to your lungs so you really do need to know how to prevent condensation in a campervan.
Having a humid climate in your van means you have a lot of moisture in the air, moisture means damp and damp means damage.
Rust is one of the biggest killers of vehicles and is certainly a big thing to avoid!
Leaving a window slightly open sometimes just isn’t enough and having a well ventilated campervan with the right kind of vents installed in the right places you can keep a good circulation of air flowing through your van and eliminate humidity and condensation.
What causes condensation in a campervan?
The main causes of condensation in a campervan are:
Breathing – The warm breath you expel from your body will instantly rise and condensate when it hits a cold surface. The human body expels approximately 200ml of warm water vapour per hour!
Cooking – The gasses burnt during cooking in your van (particularly propane) will rapidly leave vapour in the air of your van. This warm moisture will rise and when it meets a cold surface it will turn into a liquid form and start to drip all over your van.
Hot water – Washing the dishes, washing your face and body and boiling the kettle will create steam which will instantly create moisture. It can be one of the fastest ways to condensate your van up.
Condensation is caused when the moisture in warm air meets a cold surface. An example would be when you breathe warm breath on to a cold glass window.
Of course this condensation then starts to drip into the lining of your van and can cause serious rust damage.
Another outcome of condensation is the growth of mold and fungus which is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria which takes us on to the next section about health…
Healthy air flow
Damp inside your van can cause a whole host of problems but can also cause some serious and even fatal problems to your respiratory system.
Mold spores can be very small and so fine that when breathed in it can cling to the inside of your lung and continue to grow. This could develop into breathing problems that could even cause long term damage and even be fatal.
Fungus and mold is also a perfect environment for dust mites to breed and develop. These then contaminate the air and get into your lungs and even into your furnishings and bedding.
Despite the issue around moisture and mold, other health issues can become an effect of bad climate control within your van. These are mood swings, tiredness, fatigue and even depression.
Let’s not also forget that you may be travelling and living a van life adventure and you will want to keep your energy up to enjoy your travels!
Eliminating bad odours
Living in a tiny space such as a campervan usually means you are surrounded by a variety of bad odours. These could be emitting from your dirty laundry, your food waste and worst of all your toilet!
These smells can greatly increase in a warm climate!
Having the right kind of ventilation in your van will help keep a constant flow of fresh air coming into your van and expel the warm fragranced odours.
What are the best methods to ventilate a campervan
There are several methods of ventilating your campervan ranging from zero cost with basic ventilation to a more costly and more advanced fan based ventilation system.
Open a window
The most simplistic way to reduce condensation and keep the air flowing in your van would be to simply open a window.
It’s the cheapest option although not the most practical.
A window open a few inches isn’t really going to be that effective in getting much air circulating around your van. It will however help let some of the warmer air out through the gap.
Leaving a window open overnight can be a risk and be an invite for a break-in. It doesn’t feel good when you are trying to sleep whilst worrying about the possibility of an intruder.
The other risk to consider is overnight rain. You never can really tell when a rain cloud might pass over and you will end up with a damp seat or possibly get water into your electronic system come morning.
However, if you do not have a very good ventilation system on your van, opening a window or two should be the very least that you do.
Tip – Install wind deflectors. These will help hide the gap of having your windows open.
Pros
Cons
Zero cost
Not as effective as other solutions
No modifications to install
Security breach risks
Helps hot air escape reducing humidity and condensation
Weather dependent
Risks of water damage
Louvred air vents
This is also another cheap option and is quite straight forward to fit. However, you will have to cut holes in the side of your van.
By fitting louvred air vents to your campervan you will be able to safely and securely keep a consistent air stream flowing through your van.
Cosmetically they look good and can give a professional appearance on the outside as well as on the inside.
Louvred air vents can be left open at all times continuously keeping a steady flow of air both day and night and no matter what the weather.
The effectiveness of louvred air vents is superior to the basic opening of a window but is still only a minimal solution.
Tip – install a fly screen behind each vent to avoid any creepy crawlies staying the night.
Pros
Cons
Low cost
Not as effective as other solutions
Basic installation
Involves cutting holes in your van
Helps hot air escape reducing humidity and condensation
Can give a “campervan/motorhome” look which may not be desirable to vanlifers
All weather usage
No security risks
Rotating roof vents
A considerably more effective ventilation option for your campervan would be to fit a rotating air vent to your van roof.
The rotating air vents will suck the hot air from within your van which will greatly increase the circulation of airflow.
Rotating air vents are easy to install to a campervan, even if you have a ribbed roof. Cutting into your van roof will still be required.
As roasting air vents are powered by the wind, they aren’t always very effective. When you are parked up on days with little to no wind you may find they do not even work at all.
Over time the bearings inside have been known to become noisy so when you purchase one be sure to look for a silent or low noise model.
Pros
Cons
Low cost
Not as effective when stationary and no wind
Basic installation
Involves cutting holes in your van roof
Helps hot air escape reducing humidity and condensation
Can become noisy over time
All weather usage
No security risks
Discreetly hidden on the roof
Skylight roof vents
Certainly one of the best air vents for a campervan is a skylight roof vent. Not only do these provide a great circulation of air for your van but they also double up as a skylight providing a lot of natural light.
Roof vents are so effective due to the size of the vent. When the hot air in your van rises it has a large opening in which it can escape.
Basic models require no power and are relatively easy to install but the more advanced models come with a built in fan and will require an electrical feed to power them.
Pros
Cons
Doubles up as a skylight producing natural light
Can be quite expensive
Large and very effective
Involves cutting holes in your van roof
Helps hot air escape reducing humidity and condensation
May require professional installation
All weather usage
Low security risks
Discreetly hidden on the roof
What is the best ventilation system for a campervan
The best ventilation system for a campervan would be to install two fan powered roof vents. One vent drawing in air from the outside and the other extracting the warm air out of your campervan. Each fan would be installed at opposite ends of your van.
Recommended products
These links are affiliate links which means Amazon will give us a small perctenage back for each sale. This helps us in running the site and for future Van Life Eats events. It will cost you nothing extra to use our links.
These are products we either use or are used by our fellow van life friends and we can happily vouch for the quality of each product.
Life on the road can be tiresome at times and finding the time to prep a good hearty meal can become challenging. Van life without a fridge is a common occurrence and having the right foods stocked up in your campervan cupboards can make eating on the road a lot more nutritious and just simply a whole lot easier.
With much of daily life generally revolving around long drives, you do not have to sacrifice great food or eating well just because you are in a van.
The best foods to store when you are living Van Life without a fridge are long life and non-perishable foods such as freeze-dried, tinned and sealed food. Without fresh food, you can still eat tasty and nutritious food without a fridge.
Whilst fridges are great for extending the life of things like butter and milk, not having one can actually encourage you to eat a lot healthier as you do not have an option of preserving fresh foods.
When selecting food for your van, it is important to pre-plan your weekly meals, and no doubt you will still require fresh ingredients from time to time, so plan your meals and shop visits wisely. There are a few key factors to consider when picking out food supplies.
Longevity
As mentioned before, van life without a fridge can really impact the number of days you can safely keep food for consumption without it going bad.
Try to buy foods that can last a week, or at least several days, without being in a fridge.
This will give you enough time to eat them before they spoil, which helps to save money – nobody wants to be throwing food away or making unnecessary waste.
Freeze-dried and tinned foods are great options in terms of longevity as they can notoriously keep for several years.
Be Mindful of Your Health
Now obviously this should always be the case, but when you are living a van life adventure, it can seem like a good idea to just stock up on junk food, live off service station food and take out food. But stop!
Try and make sure your store cupboards have some healthy snacks on board for when you are feeling like picking at food.
Whilst planning your shopping list, make sure there are vegetables involved somewhere. Fresh vegetables will usually keep for 3 or 4 days in a mild climate, but if its really hot and you really cant store vegetables then the tinned ones can be nutritious too so include those instead.
Keeping your nutrition up will help you enjoy your travels and give you more energy to keep the pace fast.
Flavourful
This is pretty self-explanatory, but the food you buy should be the food you enjoy eating.
To avoid tasteless bowls of nothingness, invest in some dried spices and herbs. They keep for several months, usually in glass bottles, and can pack punches of flavours into all sorts of dishes.
Aside from the obvious salt and pepper, things like garlic granules, onion granules, chilli flakes and dried paprika can add delicious flavours to otherwise bland dinners. They can also substitute perishable food that you are unable to store like onions, garlic or fresh chilli.
Having some long-life staples to hand is always a great idea too as they can be supplemented with some more perishable, fresh foods that can be picked up as and when they are needed.
Van life cooking can be challenging, but it can also be lots of fun, and it is easier than you might think to maintain a tasty and somewhat balanced diet whilst on the road.
Grains
One of the easiest foods to keep when you are living in your van, grains last absolutely ages and are often super filling, and warming, depending on how you have them.
Oats and cereal can be super long-lasting staple for the cupboard. Try spicing up your oats with spices such as cinnamon and or adding some dried fruit and nuts for a hearty breakfast.
Rice, pasta and couscous are filling options for a range of meals. Whether you buy the quick cook kind or the sort that you only have to heat up, both types last several months. Add some seasoning along with some tinned veggies, meat or fish for a delicious, balanced meal on the move.
Be sure to dispose of your boxes and store within Tupperware boxes to avoid any unwanted guests such as mice or ants, as well as to save on space in your van.
Living van life without a fridge, tupperware boxes will be an essential way of storing your long lasting campervan food.
Fruit
Whilst most fruit tends to have a shockingly small window of opportunity where it is ripe enough to eat, before going soft of horrifyingly black (yes, bananas, we are looking at you), a great option for fruit in your van is the dried kind.
A great way to get the feel for fresh fruit without buying it fresh is through picking up the tinned kind. From pear segments and kiwi chunks to wedges of apple prunes, you can get a huge variety of fruit in a tin these days so be sure to buy your favourites.
Tinned fruit can also be a substitute for fresh friut and make amazing and nutritious smoothies.
Try and avoid tinned fruit in syrup as this can be a very unhealthy sugar overload!
Dont forget that there are a lot of fruits that do not need to be refridgated such as apples, bananas and oranges so be sure to include these in your shop and store them in a cool spot within your van.
Vegetables
Root vegetables are great long lasting vegetables and will survive a week out of the fridge providing you have a cool shaded place to store them.
Onions, carrots, kale, potatoes and parsnips are some of the best ones to buy as they do not require a refrigerator.
Vegetables certainly arent off the menu when you are living van life without a fridge!
As with fruit, tinned vegetables are a useful alternative to fresh ones as they last a long time. These days you can get so many vegetables in a can – from mashed potatoes, peas and sweetcorn to beans, carrots and ratatouille.
Protein
Whilst proteins are generally a little harder to store, things like eggs can easily be kept outside of the fridge, despite what your mum might tell you. American eggs sometimes require refrigeration, but the majority of eggs in Europe do not need to be kept in a fridge. If you think about it, they would be in the fridges in the grocery store if they needed to be kept there, wouldn’t they?
Canned goods like peas, beans, pulses and lentils are all terrific sources of plant based protein and easy to keep on the road. The base of some great van life recipes, some legumes such as chickpeas or cannellini beans, can be mixed with some rice and a tin of tomatoes for a filling dinner full of flavour.
An easy to store, simple to prepare option that can often be eaten by itself or stirred into another dish is tinned fish.
Fish such as tuna or salmon can be drained and mixed into a range of dishes, or mixed with something like mayonnaise for a sandwich filling.
There is always the smellier fish, such as sardines and mackerel that you could also pick up, although you may want to avoid eating something so stinky in such a small space. (More on that later).
Dairy
One of the trickier foods to store, especially without refrigeration, there are a handful of nifty alternatives you might want to consider.
Powdered milk is an option and long-life milk, which does not need to be kept cold, can last months.
Though many cheeses should be kept cool, some of the harder ones, such as Parmesan, do not need to be refrigerated.
Van life without a fridge doesnt mean van life without cheese!
Starch
Whilst it might not be the longest lasting food to have around, having a good old fashioned loaf of bread can provide you with a whole host of breakfasts, lunches and dinners on your travels. Be it in the form of baguettes, bagels or a plain loaf, investing in some bread can make even the most meger of meals seem filling, with it being a great addition to a can of soup.
For a sweet take on the sandwich, opt for a chocolate spread filling or maybe peanut butter. Both of these are good options as they do not need to be kept in the fridge and last several weeks.
Freeze Dried
Freeze dried food can be a good way to get your carbohydrates for the day. Pasta mixes that you tear the top off of and fill with hot water, stir and leave for a few minutes are quick and warming meals.
There are similar things available involving rice and noodles too. Adding your own seasoning to any of these can make them flavourful and filling dishes.
Sweet Treats and Desserts
While they maybe a little more unconventional than a humble slice of cake, desserts can come in a range of forms, some of which are perfect for van life. If it’s on the shelf in a packet, chances are it has a long best before date on it!
From golden syrup sponges and sticky toffee puds, to lemon cake and gooey chocolate puddings all of these can easily be found in grocery stores and are super convenient treats that are easy to store and have reasonably good best before dates.
Whilst some can be heated, many can be consumed by removing the lid and tucking in your spoon.
Snacks
The good news here is that the majority of snack food, unless you only snack on fruit, is actually pretty good to take on the road with you.
Things such as popcorn and crisps can be good snacks to pick up as they do last a while and can satisfy many cravings, though of course be mindful of how much of these you consume, as they are not the healthiest options.
Granola bars are also a great snack to have around as they can provide you with energy throughout a busy day.
A simple bar of chocolate is also good to have to hand as who doesn’t love a treat every now and again?
General Tips
As we referenced earlier, be very careful what you cook in your van. You essentially need to sleep just a few feet away from where you have cooked your food and will not want to go to bed smelling like dinner or worse wake up smelling of your dinner!
Plan your meals in advance. As space is somewhat limited in your van, if you buy a packet of pasta or rice for example, plan a few dishes around that and buy things that will compliment each dish, that can be reused. If you pick up some bread, plan perhaps lighter meals that can be fleshed out by the addition of a slice of bread.
Always make sure you have a few staples in your cupboards, just in case you are not able to get to a grocery store as soon as you might need.
Long life foods that work in a multitude of dishes are the best picks; think along the lines of tinned tomatoes, tinned vegetables and rice.
Get bottles of your favourite herbs and spices, plus some salt and pepper – you won’t regret it.
Finally, meals that can be cooked all together in one pan are your new best friend.
They’re some great options for rice box meals that come packaged together with sauces and seasoning. All you need to add is some water and some meat or vegetables if you so wish. These boxes are useful, super quick to cook and easily store for several months.
Conclusion
Not having a fridge doesnt have to mean boring tasteless tinned food all the time. With careful planning of your meals it can be delicious and nutritious!
Think ahead of your meals and avoid living out of service station fast food!
If you are still set on installing a fridge and want to know the best fridge for a campervan then check out this article.
We will be including some no fridge long-lasting ingredient meal tutorials on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to not miss these when they are broadcasted.
Whilst the choice of many Van Lifers is to keep a van life oven simple and low cost, there are many options available to help you conjure up some incredible meals that people wouldn’t believe was van-made.
To find the best oven for Van Life you need to take into consideration a few things. The type of food you like to eat, the kitchen space available in your van and the type of fuel you want to run your Van Life oven with. With the right equipment, you can cook incredible meals in the simplest van kitchen.
If you are living in a van 24/7 and you aren’t rich enough to eat out every time you want a hot meal, then having some sort of cooking device in your van really is important and is something you need to look into. It will allow you to have cooked meals whenever you like. In this article, we will look into what cooking equipment is available out there and what we recommend you should look into buying.
The Ridge Monkey Toaster is an amazing piece of cooking equipment that allows you to cook just about anything on it.
It is essentially two frying pans that are on top of each other to create an enclosed pan. This makes it easy to simply turn the pan over to cook your food evenly.
One of my favourite advantages of the RidgeMonkey toaster is how it greatly minimises any oil or food splashes that you would get from a regular frying pan.
It is reasonably small in size, so I suggest purchasing the XL version to suit cooking for two people. You can easily get two chicken breasts cooking in this.
The amount of meals you can cook using this device are endless. All it needs is a basic heat source such as a stove top.
If you are out of the van, you can even use it on campfires or fire pits. If you don’t have a hob and are trying to live a more minimal life this versatile cooking pan is a must!
This is a popular device amongst those who travel around in vans. It’s also one of our favourite kitchen accessories!
The Omnia Stove Top Oven is a circular tin that sits on your stovetop and is very versatile in what you can cook in it.
Omnia describe this kitchen accessory as a ‘bread baking and oven cooker’, which goes to show how it can be used to cook a variety of dishes. Can you imagine being able to make cakes in your van? ?
The Omnia website has a variety of recipes as well so that you are able to get a lot of ideas for what you can use the oven for. It is definitely worth checking out here!
If you want to be able to cook amazingly delicious slow cooked food from the comfort of your own van, then this device will be an absolute game changer!
The hay box / dutch oven technique has been used for centuries. It is an insulation technique that is used to cook food over a period of hours, which then results in a slow tender cooked dish.
The idea is to conceal the heat within an enclosure made of a material that has minimal cooling, thus when hot food is placed within, it reamains at suitable temperature to slowly continue the cooking process.
One of the best things about this device is that it uses little to no power at all to operate! The only use of heat or gas is at the beginning when you first cook to the desired temperature you need the food to be at. After that, it can just be placed in the box and it will cook itself.
This means that it not only saves you a lot of money, about also a lot of time as you can just leave the meal to cook and head off to do other things in the day whilst you wait!
Solar ovens allow you to cook anywhere without the use of any electricity or gas.
The solar oven uses heat from the sun to cook your food. As the sun reaches temperatures of up to 288 degrees Celsius, you are able to cook, bake, steam and roast a meal in under 20 minutes.
This makes them not only very environmentally friendly but also great for van builds with minimal fuel sources.
The solar ovens themselves are relatively lightweight which makes them a great option for vans and is also ideal for those who spend a lot of time outside of their van.
Solar ovens can vary in price and vary on how efficient they are but if you are the hands-on type, a simple google search will show there are DIY options where you can make one yourself.
The Vogvigo solar oven is the perfect size to suit Van Life and not unusably small like some other brands can be.
We have always been a big fan of the Kampa brand. Affordable and you always get a lot of bang for your buck! The Kampa Roast Master is certainly no exception.
It has a two burner stove top as well as a powerful two shelve gas oven, making this ideal for just about any recipe requirments both in and out of a van.
Although its advertised as a portable oven we found its not that easy to lug around so we would recommend this as a more semi to perminant feature of your van life kitchen.
2 in 1 combo hob and oven
Combines compact size, portability and cooking power
Stainless steel insulated shell
Porcelain enamel hob top
Hob with two powerful, fully adjustable, brass burners – up to 1.6kW each
Matchless ignition – just turn the control knob to ignite hob or oven
Lid and windshields protect burners in windy conditions
Sleek and super space saving this hob is very poular with the more compact van builds.
The glass lids double up as an additional work surface either side depending on whether you are washing up or have something on the hob. This is incredibly useful when you are limited on work surface space. Another use for the glass lids is when they are up they act as a splashback guard to stop oil and even water splashing.
The sink has a depth of 152mm which is perfectly suitable for most pots and pans and the built-in tap is small and adjustable as to not get in the way whilst washing up.
Split (2 part) glass lid
Hob/s output 1 x 1.0 kW; 1 x 1.8 kW
Gas consumption 204 g/h
Gas supply pressure 30 mbar
Quality features 2 heat-resistant safety glass lids, detachable chrome pot grids, enamelled burner caps, Piezo ignition, safety ignition system, AC 540 siphon, rubber seal, with hole for tap ( 39 mm)
Dimensions (WxHxD) 900 x 152 x 370 mm
Built-in dimensions (WxD) 793 x 307 mm
Weight 5.8 kg
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has helped you decide whether you need an oven or whether you can get by with other cooking equipment that is available out there.
Take in consideration how much space you have and what will work best for you. Each piece of equipment listed above varies in price and efficiency so do some research in what you are willing to put money on and whether you will actually use it whilst you are travelling around in a van.
Before you go and spend out, dont forget to ask on our forums here
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