Need to know what your mobile kitchen deserves? This is van kitchen essentials, volume one. Get ready and start organizing your small space for these kitchen gadgets.
There are a few things we've learned along the way of what we need and probably what we don't need. This is some basic essentials to get you going on what we feel like yeah, YOU NEED.
Alright, here are a few go-tos on how your mobile kitchen is going to supply you with all the delights that a normal, in-house, kitchen might.
Van Kitchen Essential #1) CAST IRONS. Big or small. Pot or not.
I already had a love affair with cast irons before we even moved into the van, so we were completely set to go on this front. Cast irons are fantastic because they don't require a big, soapy, clean up (with a tiny space and limited water, this is huge). Depending on the meal, we can just do a wipe down and be set to go. They also retain heat GREAT, so things cook evenly and quickly without the need for an oven.
We have a two sizes of pans (10" and 7", with a 10" lid), which stack perfectly into a small space in the back. On top of that, we also have a dutch oven pot with a lid, handle and little "feet" that we can stick in/over a fire. This is good for meals over the fire and acting like a little campfire oven. Not only can it bake but it's great for big pots of stew.
BEST ALL-AROUND CAST IRON: For the van, the 10" is my go-to. This one below comes with some pretty necessary items if you're going to have the cast iron, which would be the lid and the silicone handle grabber. The scraper is a nice touch as well for easier clean ups. Find it HERE.
BEST FOR CAMPFIRE COOKING: Pot with a lipped lid and legs. Ultimate for fire and coal cooking. Plus this one comes with a multiuse lid which anything that has a dual use in the van makes it that much more valuable. Find it HERE.
Van Kitchen Essential #2) Electric Kettle - Low watt, low storage
Huge fan of this if you have a van set up that doesn't have a stove that's set up all the time. Since we work off of a MSR Dragonfly Stove that we set up and break down with each meal, it's nice to have something that we can just plug in to zap some hot water for our coffee in the morning instead of breaking out the whole stove.
We got this great collapsible one that takes up no space at all. Only problem is that it is pretty high wattage ~650W. So, if you're working off a smaller battery bank, you may want to value a lower watt kettle that doesn't break down over one that collapses.
BEST COLLAPSIBLE KETTLE: Higher watt ~650W, heats 600mL, though minimal storage space needed. Find it HERE
BEST LOW WATT KETTLE: Lower watt, heats 370mL of water, doesn't break down. Find the low watt kettle HERE.
Van Kitchen Essential #3) The coffee set up - Aeropress or pour over
I've always been a classic pour over sort of lady, but man, the Aeropress turned my head. It gives you 3 brew methods in one - french press, pour over AND espresso. The set up also fits in your hand and gives you a damn good cup of coffee. Overall, Aeropress gave me that one step towards espresso that I want,
The Aeropress is a great addition to the van if you want a little 'zazz to your morning coffee routine without a whole lot of fuss. The pour over will give you the classic drip taste and is a great, cheaper alternative. Pick your poison.
OVERALL PICK: Aeropress. Great cup of coffee, a little higher price tag than your average pour over. Find it HERE.
GREAT ALTERNATIVE: Classic pour over cone. Cheap, easy, great cup of coffee. Find it HERE.
Van Kitchen Essential #4) HotLogic - slow cooker greatness
My sister was the one who brought this into my life and it's fantastic for anyone who is on the go, not just van lifers. She's a pilot and brings it with her to heat up all of her prep meals in her hotel room. We have it in the van to heat up anything from beans, to making full blown slow cooker meals. If you pick up some bomb food during the day and want to heat it back up for later, this is the gadget you need.
There are HotLogics that plug directly into the cigarette lighter, to ones that plug into the wall. Find one that suits your needs, though the mini one seems to fit enough food for two. Find it HERE.
Van Kitchen Essential #5) Collapsible Dish Drying Rack
Collapsible is your new best friend. That and multiuse, which this rack is both. It's a good container to put your dishes while you clean them, and it also can be used as a strainer to wash your veggies in over the sink. We also have a set up where we wash our dishes up from and then have to bring them on back, so having something portable is real nice.
Even in if you don't have to do a whole routine to get them to the back of your van, just having a rack to dry that's momentarily out and away from the sink is extremely nice.
Find it HERE.
That's certainly not all....
Your kitchen may be small, but it doesn't mean it can't be equipped with all your needs. These are just a few of the go-to items, though be sure to check out the other articles for more tried and trues.
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