Cooking in a caravan is a great way to save money and eat exactly what you want when on holiday!
You can prepare all of your favourite meals and eat whenever you want to. Plus, you’ll have the added bonus of being able to take your home-cooked meals with you wherever you go!
We’ve rounded up some of our favourite ideas for cooking in a caravan, together with some top tips for caravan cooking.
Barbecue
Having a barbecue when on a campsite or holiday park is one of the most popular ways to cook. The smell of sizzling sausages and bacon is a familiar scent that wafts throughout a camping and caravanning site!
But before you light up the BBQ, make sure they are allowed on the site.
There are various types of BBQs you can take with you for your caravan, including bucket, foldaway, portable and collapsible.
Stir Fry
A stir fry is a super simple meal that can be made for 1, 2 or plenty of people. Better still, it requires very few ingredients – make a pork, beef, chicken or vegetable stir fry; all you need are some fresh vegetables, meat (if using) and some stir fry sauce. All of this can be easily bought at a local supermarket or shop.
A stir fry is easily made in a wok, either on the hob in your caravan or on the BBQ!
Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti bolognese is a family classic and is perfect for cooking in bulk. Most ingredients can be transported from home (tinned tomatoes, herbs, spaghetti) with the mince either bought locally or brought from home and stored in a caravan fridge or freezer.
Spaghetti bolognese can be cooked in a large pot on the caravan hob, camping stove, or a slow cooker.
Pasta & Pesto
Like spaghetti bolognese, pasta is quick to prepare and a loved by all dish. You can easily bring all the ingredients straight from home and have it as a standby meal.
Simply boil the pasta in a saucepan on the hob or camping stove (you could also cook it in a microwave), and then stir a jar of pesto through.
Curry
If you’re used to your weekly curry night at home, there’s no reason why you can’t continue this at the caravan!
Either make your curry in a pot on the stove or make one in a slow cooker or pressure cooker.
Pack some curry sauce jars, pastes or spice mixes alongside some rice, and buy any extra fresh ingredients locally.
And remember, if you don’t feel like cooking, there’s bound to be a tasty curry takeaway not too far away.
Pizza
The options for enjoying a pizza on your caravan holiday are plentiful.
- Buy a pizza from the supermarket that can be cooked in an oven.
- Order a pizza from the local takeaway – some holiday parks even have restaurants or pizza delivery onsite.
- Use a portable pizza oven – if you have the room to take it with you, there are options for lightweight and transportable pizza ovens; some can even be used as an accessory on a BBQ.
Full English Breakfast
What better way to start the day than with a traditional full English breakfast? Take some ingredients with you such as baked beans, tinned tomatoes and condiments, fresh meat can be bought locally or stored in the caravan fridge.
You can cook it up in a frying pan in the caravan or outside on the BBQ.
Salad
If you’re lucky enough to be caravanning during a hot summer’s day, you might not be in the mood for cooking something hot.
A salad also makes a great side dish when you’re having a BBQ or can be served as a light lunch.
Fresh salad ingredients can be bought locally or taken with you if you and stored in a cool place.
Top Tips For Cooking In A Caravan
1) Plan ahead. Decide what dishes you want to make before you hit the road, and make sure to pack all of the necessary ingredients and cooking equipment. For fresh ingredients such as fruit, vegetables and any meat, you can also shop locally when you reach your destination.
2) If you are using different kitchen gadgets and accessories, check their power before plugging them in – the last thing you want to do is overload your electricity supply!
3) Organise your storage. Whereas it’s good to have enough food to see you through your caravan holiday, make sure you have suitable caravan storage so you can stay organised.
4) Keep it simple. Cooking in a caravan should be about preparing the food you want to cook, not struggling with nightmares of storage and complicated recipes!
5) Cook a little extra. If you can, cook some extra food so you can have some leftovers to enjoy the next day.
6) Have a dedicated eating area. Most caravans will have a dining area in the layout where you can eat. But if you find it a little small, you can set up an eating and social space outside the caravan; this could be in an awning or under a gazebo.
7) Keep the windows open. When you are cooking in a caravan, you want to avoid lingering smells, especially if you are trying to sleep in there later that night. Ensure there is enough ventilation by keeping a window and door open.
8) Make it fun. If you’re cooking for the whole family, why not take them on an adventure to forage for wild garlic or berries? It’s a great way to teach them about nature and add a unique dimension to your caravan holiday. Just double-check that you have the knowledge required to identify what you are picking and have permission to pick it.