Katie and Pierce
Cooking in a van can feel impossible at first. The kitchen is tiny, storage is limited, and everything moves around when driving. But once someone learns a few simple tricks, making great meals on the road becomes totally doable.
These hacks will help anyone work smarter, not harder, in their mobile kitchen.
1. Use Cast Iron Pans for Maximum Versatility
Most people think cast iron is too heavy for van life, but it’s worth considering. One cast iron skillet can do the job of multiple pans. Cook breakfast on the stovetop, bake cornbread in the oven, or grill burgers over an open fire at camp.
The best part? Cast iron actually gets better over time as it builds up seasoning. Sure, it weighs more than aluminum, but it’s basically indestructible and will last an entire van life journey.
2. Store Spices and Oils in Watertight Bins
Opening a spice cabinet after a long drive to find paprika mixed with olive oil coating everything inside is no fun. Watertight containers solve this problem completely. All seasonings and cooking oils stay put no matter how bumpy the road gets. Clear containers work even better since they let people see what’s inside without opening every single one when cooking.
3. Pack Your Fridge Full for Better Cooling
Empty fridges have to work harder to stay cold. When a fridge is packed full, all that cold food helps keep the temperature stable. Not enough groceries? Fill up water bottles and stick them in the empty spots.
The fridge will use less power, food will stay fresher, and batteries will last longer. Just leave a little room for air to move around or nothing will cool properly.
4. Get Collapsible Kitchen Tools to Save Space
Regular measuring cups and mixing bowls eat up way too much cabinet space. Collapsible versions made from flexible silicone fold completely flat when not in use. A whole set of measuring cups can fit in the same space as one regular cup. These aren’t cheap knockoffs either. The silicone ones available now are really well made and can handle hot liquids and dishwashers without any problems.
5. Turn Your Sink Into Extra Counter Space
Van counters are laughably small, but sinks don’t have to sit there empty all day. Sink covers turn that wasted space into a valuable work area instantly. Suddenly there’s room to prepare vegetables, knead bread, or spread out ingredients for a big meal.
When dinner’s over, remove the cover and wash dishes like normal. It’s the easiest kitchen upgrade anyone will ever make.
6. Secure Your Kitchen Setup for Travel
Everything in a van becomes a flying object when hitting the brakes hard or taking a sharp corner. Magnetic knife strips keep blades safely stuck to the wall. Bungee cords stretched across cabinet openings stop pots and pans from launching themselves around the kitchen. Spend some time thinking about what could go wrong, then prevent it before it happens.
7. Invest in Quality Knives and Keep Them Sharp
Forget about buying a whole knife block. Get one really good chef’s knife and one smaller paring knife. That covers 90% of what anyone will ever need to cut. But here’s the key part: buy a knife sharpener and actually use it.
Dull knives make cooking frustrating and dangerous. Sharp knives make every task easier and more enjoyable. Plus they’re safer since people won’t have to press as hard to cut through things.
8. Store Your Stove in a Drawer
Portable camp stoves don’t need to live on counters permanently. They’re designed to be moved around, so take advantage of that. Store them in a drawer or cabinet when not cooking.
This frees up counter space for food prep and makes the kitchen look less cramped. Just make sure the storage spot is secure so the stove won’t slide around and get damaged while driving.
9. Marinate Food Ahead of Time
Marinating is like a cheat code for better tasting food. Throw some chicken, tofu, or vegetables in a bag with sauce and spices, then let time do the work. When ready to cook, everything is already flavored and will cook faster too.
The best part is doing all the prep work when there’s plenty of space and time, then just cooking the marinated food when parked somewhere with a great view.
10. Use Drawer Dividers to Organize Dishes
Loose dishes in drawers drive people crazy. Every time someone opens a drawer, plates and bowls slide around making noise and potentially breaking. Simple dividers fix this completely. Dishes stay exactly where they’re put, and people can find what they need without digging through a pile. This is especially important for anything breakable like wine glasses or ceramic mugs.
11. Freeze Soup and Pre-Cut Vegetables
Home prep saves tons of time on the road. Make big batches of soup and freeze them in meal sized portions. Cut up vegetables that freeze well and store them in bags.
When tired after driving all day, just grab a container from the freezer and heat it up. No chopping, no measuring, no thinking required. It’s like having a personal chef who works for free.
12. Bring a Folding Table for Extra Prep Space
Sometimes van cooking requires more room than tiny kitchens can provide. A lightweight folding table gives proper workspace for big cooking projects. Set it up outside to prep vegetables in the fresh air, or use it inside when making bread or rolling out pie crust.
When finished, it folds up and slides into a narrow storage spot behind the bed or under the couch.
13. Choose the Right Stove for Your Cooking Style
Single burner stoves work great if people mostly make simple meals like pasta, soup, or grilled cheese. But if someone likes cooking multiple things at once, they’ll want at least two burners.
Think honestly about how cooking actually happens, not how it should happen. There’s no point hauling around a fancy stove setup if most meals are sandwiches and instant oatmeal.
14. Protect Cookware in Airtight Storage Bins
Dirt roads and dusty campsites mean everything gets dirty fast. Airtight storage bins keep pots and pans clean even when camping in the middle of nowhere. No more washing dishes before cooking with them. These bins stack neatly too, so storage areas stay organized instead of turning into a jumbled mess of cookware.
15. Use Hybrid Bowls That Double as Plates
Traditional round bowls are space wasters in van kitchens. Look for bowls with flat bottoms and straight sides that work like plates when needed. One set of dishes handles everything from cereal and soup to pasta and stir fry.
They stack better than round bowls, take up less cabinet space, and mean fewer dishes to wash after meals. Tiny kitchens will feel much more functional with the right dishes.
