There is a lot of gadgetry available these days but I still believe that a campervan kitchen is about making the most of your ingredients and your time, not wielding your super-duper mini slicer dicer or putting your tefal portable hotplate to the test.

There are a few gadgets I simply cannot live without in MY campervan kitchen but I have the excuse that I LIVE IN IT! Like my blender for example.

You on the other hand are probably going away for a weekend, a week, a month, or two even; so choose your weapons carefully. Do you REALLY need that electric carving knife? That pineapple corer? Plus, don’t forget that unless you are plugged into a power source you are likely to drain your battery incredibly fast trying to use such tools.

The first thing I suggest you don’t forget is the cork screw, the fun of hacking open a bottle of wine with a mini screwdriver you found in the bottom of your glove box from that Christmas cracker is short lived…believe me. One time is enough.

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Here goes. It looks like a long list, but its not, honestly!

Basics

1 medium pan with lid – big enough to hold a chicken carcass or make a large batch of soup

2 small saucepans, stack-able with lid

1 medium Frying pan – if you can get one to fit the lid of your medium pan or visa versa, perfect. This link takes you to a 9.5″ Green+Life frying pan. I love their products and with a little care it will serve you well. My Frying pan is 11″, it doesn’t quite fit on my hob but I manage.

Spatter guard to fit frying pan

Mixing bowls, I have 3 stack-able ones that double as serving bowls, display bowls and mixing bowls with non-slip bottoms. They also match my campervan colour scheme!

Measuring Cup Set – These will double as shaping tools for rice, veggies, even desserts.

1 set of measuring spoons – (Included with measuring set above if you follow the link)

1 plastic jug

A small box grater

Chopping Boards– preferably two. I really like Epicurean boards, lightweight and suitable for everything.

1 wooden spoon

1 fish slice that you can use in all of your pans

1 slotted spoon

1 good Chef’s Knife – I have only one really good 8″ knife that I use for everything, fish, meat, veggies.

1 paring knife

1 bread knife

Swivel peeler

tin opener

Cork screw

Minimum 4 plates for 2 people – be warned that this shit isn’t pretty. You really have to shop around and find some decent looking anti-smash plates. Believe me, we’ve looked and we currently have blue square ones, which are pretty terrible! If you have any suggestions where I can get pretty ones please let me know!

Minimum 4 bowls

Minimum 4 sets of cutlery

Mugs / cups for how many people are camping. Pack one or two extras to use for sauces etc.

wine glasses – I insist on having GLASS but we have to wrap them up every time we use them rather than just sling them in a cupboard.

Non-slip, Non-Adhesive Roll– life saver. Stops cans, cups, pans and plates rolling around while on the road. Every cupboard surface in my van is covered in this stuff.

Heat Resistant mats– work surface and finger savers, plus pretty colours to brighten things up. Useful for lifting hot pans too.

Disposables

Thick tinfoil

ziploc bags of varying sizes

Kitchen roll

Washing up sponges

washing up liquid – Consider Earth Friendly soaps as there may be a time you need to swirl the washing up water on the side of the road.

Stove lighter and or matches (I suggest both)

Tupperware – I personally don’t think you can have enough tupperware but make sure you can store it when it is full before you take it. I have a tendency to re-use everything and utilise yoghurt pots, coffee containers and jars rather than buy more plastic.

Re-usable shopping bags – Always keep a stash of these for all of the great food markets you are going to stumble across.

Luxuries

These things are optional but honestly, I can’t live without them and am happy to personally recommend them. If you have the space, fill it with these three wonderful things!

Portable Grill – Gas BBQ– Mine is Orange and I love it more than marmite!

3.5 cup food processor – Small and compact yet so powerful you have to keep a hold of it or it bounces away. Perfect for dips, sauces and chopping to a paste.

Use this link and insert promo code ‘FP20’ to get 20% off all processors from Kitchenaid.  

KitchenAid Food Processorse -Use Promo Code ‘FP20’

Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine – More Alex’s baby but it means he makes me amazing coffee in bed every. single. day.

So that wasn’t so bad was it? Is there anything on there you can live without?