Cooking in the motorhome is one of the great pleasures (and savings) of camper travel. But space, pots and pans, and gas are all limited, so the key lies in simple recipes: few ingredients, one or two burners, and not much time. Here are some ideas for eating wonderfully without turning the kitchen into chaos.
The golden rule of camper cooking
"One-pot" dishes whenever you can: less washing-up, less gas and less hassle. A good frying pan and a saucepan solve almost everything. And make the most of local produce wherever you are: eating what the region offers is cheaper and part of the trip.
Fuss-free breakfasts
- Pan-toasted bread with tomato and olive oil, or with butter and jam.
- Scrambled or fried eggs with whatever you've got.
- Yoghurt with fruit and nuts (no gas needed and refreshing).
- A good coffee, of course (see coffee in the camper).
One-pot lunches and dinners
- Pasta in a thousand versions: with tomato, with vegetables, with tuna. Quick and satisfying.
- Simple rice dishes: rice with vegetables or with chicken, all in one pot.
- Tinned pulses sautéed with vegetables: nutritious and ready in five minutes.
- Vegetable stir-fries with egg or whatever's left over.
- Full salads with pulses, pasta or potato for hot days (zero gas).
The pressure cooker trick
A small pressure cooker is a real ally in the camper: it cooks pulses, stews or rice in much less time, which saves gas and lets you make more elaborate dishes with no extra effort. It's one of the best kitchen investments for camper life.
For lazy days
There's nothing wrong with keeping it simple: good tinned food (pulses, fish), bread and a piece of fruit make a perfectly respectable meal. And every now and then, treat yourself at the local pub; that's part of the trip too.
In summary
Cooking in the camper is easy with one-pot, low-gas recipes: pasta, rice dishes, stir-fries, tinned pulses and salads, with a pressure cooker as a great ally. The step to take today: plan a simple three- or four-dish "one-pot" menu for your next trip; you'll eat well, use little gas and do less washing-up. More in cooking in the camper.