Camp kitchen for beginners

[carpanda]

Okay basically this will be our first big trip in our caravan when we get it.
We basically really stayed in cabins/ apartments that had everything we need in it.
So I've been buying a few things we need for the caravan, kettle and toaster etc
Do u buy everything u need so the van is packed ready to go or do u take things u need from your own home kitchen?
Also we don't want to really used the stove in the caravan as we didn't want the caravan to smell etc ( would that be a good idea)
Should we cook outside? What does your camp kitchen look like? Sorry if this is such a basic question but we are complete beginners and don't want out first trip to be a complete nightmare

 

[Colsar]

gi day and welcome,
we have purchased for our van ( well actually transferred from our last van ) dedicated toaster, kettle, etc all kitchen items except we bring coffee machine from house.
we have a dedicated oil heater we bring when cold. extra blankets stay in van, purchased new donnas sheets for van.
we as a rule don't like to cook in our van either, unless is terrible weather and we might do toast or boil something.
our van has a slide out bbq, or if at a park we their electric ones.
we also have dedicated, portable 240volt induction cook top that we use a fry pan on, very safe as it doesn't get hot only whats on it.
we purchased a cry vac machine for about $60 with 500 bags ( actually got 2 as i got one for the boat shed to do bait),
which if going for a while, we will seal food, sauces, meat n fish etc.
for us we just pack clothes (plus wet pack)and food in to separate tubs and take straight out to van and were away.
the more u dedicate the easier it becomes, but i guess its a cost verus how much u use the van and how much work u want to do.
one thing i must say is a lot have a weber baby q's to do roasts, pizza etc n run off there gas.
i am sure you will get plenty of gr8 help from members.
best wishes for great travels…. enjoy

 

[17triton]

Best if you set your van up with all the cooking utensils you think you will need and leave them in the van. We dont cook in the van either, we take our weber Q to cook on or use a frypan on the picnictable or use the camp kitchens( but we use our own stuff just to be safe.) We nuke veggies in the microwave. Try to keep it fairly basic to what you usually cook with if you can and make a list if anything you forget so you can get it on the next shop. And most of all ENJOY!!!!!

 

[Colsar]

Best if you set your van up with all the cooking utensils you think you will need and leave them in the van. We dont cook in the van either, we take our weber Q to cook on or use a frypan on the picnictable or use the camp kitchens( but we use our own stuff just to be safe.) We nuke veggies in the microwave. Try to keep it fairly basic to what you usually cook with if you can and make a list if anything you forget so you can get it on the next shop. And most of all ENJOY!!!!!

yep ur right triton, we use micro wave as well, forgot we had one, as for park BBQ's we use a teflon mat "just to be safe" as you pointed out. and i must get one of those weber q's (maybe for christmas).

 

[DRW]

As above we bought a weber Q (at home with a roast pork on it as we speak) and a twin gas stove from Supercheap with about 4 packets of cas cartridges we use the stove on the outside fold down table. We will probably get a gas stove eventually once I get a second gas fitting fitted. We bought some cheap cooking stuff from Big W till we found what we needed, but we did buy a set of arcopal dinner ware which we find really great oh and a Oztrail kettle

 

[Dandy]

Hi @carpanda I think most people like to get outside to cook. We (like many on here) love our little weber Q BBQ. We have ours on a little trolley with a hose to the gas bayonet. I recommend that you do a search on "weber" and you will find heaps of info ranging from roasts, pizzas to bread recipes. It has also given the family a few ideas for birthdays:hungry:.

 

[twscoot]

As others have said a Weber Q is fantastic. But I'd put a plug in for an electric frypan. We often cook rice and pasta inside on the stove (clean cooking) and pasta sauces, curries etc all get cooked in the electric frypan. In the morning it turns into a great place to cook bacon and eggs. Very versatile and at about $40 probably the best cooking extra we have bought.

 

[fishinglizard]

I can understand why everyone has bbq's ect, personally I do most the cooking in the van. My bb q is a gas mate butane burner that was 20 bucks and a frypan, if i couldnt be bothered getting it out of the front boot I cook it in the van. I am probally at the other end of the scale, I dont see the point of buying
a van and being to scared to cook in it for fear of a cooking smell hanging around. I have just spent 5 weeks travelling with my brother he is a chef and the meals he has cooked in his van on 3 gas burners and an oven have been unbelievable and his van doesnt smell. He uses a butane burner for a bbq but uses cast ion pans on it. Everything in my van stays in here except clothes and perishables.

 

[dagree]

All our "accessories" and utensils etc are stored in the van. Like others we leave it packed, apart from clothes and perishables. Everything has been sourced over the years of camping and 3 years with the previous van..... And she still finds things that "we need" everytime we go away :noidea:

Most cooking is done outside on the weber Q or single burner cartridge burner and frypan/pot. Inside cooking (Basics) and boiling water gets done inside when away on short stays or when free camping overnight.

Longer stays, of over a week or more, even the bread maker and extra bar fridge (72 litre) for the annexe gets packed!!!!! Fridge probably no more now we have the bigger fridge in the van.

 

[carpanda]

Thanks everybody for your great suggestions I can understand to what your saying @fishinglizard , using the kitchen to its full potential.

I'm excited I brought a boiled egg maker today it's so compact, it's from aldi and it boils 7 eggs or it can poach 4 eggs at a time.
I'm kind of getting into novelty appliances at the moment

 

[carpanda]

Omg a bread maker!! Fresh bread in the morning yummy

 

[Colsar]

All our "accessories" and utensils etc are stored in the van. Like others we leave it packed, apart from clothes and perishables. Everything has been sourced over the years of camping and 3 years with the previous van..... And she still finds things that "we need" everytime we go away :noidea:

Most cooking is done outside on the weber Q or single burner cartridge burner and frypan/pot. Inside cooking (Basics) and boiling water gets done inside when away on short stays or when free camping overnight.

Longer stays, of over a week or more, even the bread maker and extra bar fridge (72 litre) for the annexe gets packed!!!!! Fridge probably no more now we have the bigger fridge in the van.

Extra bar fridge, did that when we used to tent in the old days , and still got the engel running great after 25 years ( parents brought it for my 21st ). Bread maker, we use it to make pizza dough. Ur on to it'. Dagree!

 

[Wanda]

:welcome: @carpanda. I have to agree with @fishinglizard , after 10 years of camping with a trailer tent and cooking on a portable 2 burner gas stove sitting on the tailgate, I absolutely love being able to cook INSIDE. This love may wear off in time (only had the panda about 7 months) but for now it's INSIDE for me
Mrs W

 

[dagree]

Extra bar fridge, did that when we used to tent in the old days , and still got the engel running great after 25 years ( parents brought it for my 21st ). Bread maker, we use it to make pizza dough. Ur on to it'. Dagree!

Same here @Colin&Sue ... Fridge idea started from the tenting days but we downsized the size this year 1 month before deciding to upgrade the van. Thinking about selling it so someone will get some use out of it.

 

[jacbaz]

Our van is packed and ready to go all the time ... another well used item in ours is a smallish wok with a lid. We have a baby q that we use a lot, but we also cook inside - as others have said, why have a kitchen and not use it! We also have a couple of the butane cartridge cookers in there that are also well utilised. We had an oven in our hawk which we rarely used and find the weber does everything plus more than an oven ... You can always 'add and remove' as you go!

 

[davemc]

We brought things for van only. Even got a TV instead of taking kids as just easier to through clothes in empty inside fridge and go.
Friend gave me her Aldi Coffee machine she never used was nice on our last trip.
We brought a toaster, kettle, webber Q, bowls, etc . Have glad wrap, tin foil etc in there and filled up with some tins and tea/coffee etc.
we brought some of those quick dry towels for the van only. Pillows doona's, kids got sleeping bags although twins we take there home doonas. (Fireman Sam)
Have a bread maker and and air fryer we do not use thought to take those.. a George Foreman type grill somewhere as well.
Jaffle maker we looked at.. have a mini pancake maker as well.. Maybe we should pack them in.. not using under the bunk space although extra weight.

 

[17triton]

yep ur right triton, we use micro wave as well, forgot we had one, as for park BBQ's we use a teflon mat "just to be safe" as you pointed out. and i must get one of those weber q's (maybe for christmas).

You can check out my grubby old weber at Beaufort and we might even do some pizzas in it. Better go clean it up!

 

[jacbaz]

A grubby weber is a well used weber @17triton !!!

 

[Stan53]

Well Carpanda, I think you've got the picture now. Like some here, I am packed and ready to go except for food. Non perishable food lives in the van. Pots pans kettles toasters and all that stuff lives in the van. A place for everything and everything in its place.
I am considering moving the toaster out as we go through a loaf of sliced bread a day with my lot. They love toast but it sure do cost a small fortune keeping up. I was doing Ok until Cathy, 7, woke up that she could make toast "all by myself".
I also have a 2 burner portable stove and one of those methane burner thingys. Very handy when the other stove is full. I dont have 240v so I am all gas or camp fire.

 

[davemc]

@Stan53 Toast yes 4 kids a loaf goes before you can blink.. We went for a 4 slice toaster and I struggle to keep up.