Batch cooking is a technique that fits a motorhome perfectly: cooking once for several days or several meals. In a space where gas, water and time are limited, doing it efficiently makes a lot of sense. Here's how to apply it in the camper galley.
Why it fits a camper so well
- It saves gas: you light the hob once and cook for several days, instead of using gas at every meal.
- It saves water: you wash up once, not three times (see water in the camper).
- It saves time: you spend a while cooking and then have days sorted to enjoy the trip.
- It avoids improvising when you arrive tired from a drive.
How to do it in a small space
- Choose dishes that keep: stews, pulses, sauces, rice dishes, roast vegetables, which all keep well for several days chilled.
- Use the pressure cooker: it cooks large quantities fast and with little gas (see the pressure cooker).
- Versatile bases: cook a sofrito, some pulses or a sauce that will serve several different dishes.
- Portion into airtight containers sized to your meals.
Keeping it properly: the key
Batch cooking depends on keeping what you've cooked, and that calls for a fridge that holds the cold steadily (where a good battery helps the compressor not to fail for lack of power). Chill what you've cooked quickly before storing it, use airtight containers and respect the keeping times for each food (see keeping food).
Final tips
- Don't cook more than you can keep properly: the aim is to save, not to waste.
- Combine it with the weekly menu to plan (see weekly menu).
- Label with the date if you make several batches.
In short
Batch cooking fits a camper wonderfully because it saves gas, water and time by cooking in batches, as long as you keep what you've prepared properly. The step you can take today: next time you cook, prepare a versatile base (a stew or some pulses in the pressure cooker) for two or three meals and store it in airtight containers; you'll have days sorted while using far less. Combine it with the camper cooking guide.