I’ve been living the van life since 2016, and cooking delicious meals in my camper van (or now my adventure truck) is one of my favorite parts of the van life. But now that I’m traveling full-time with my son, I’ve had to prioritize quick, convenient and easy-to-prepare meals. With limited storage space in our rig, I can’t pack everything I’d like, so I’ve organized our campervan cookware into the essentials we use the most.
In this post, I’m sharing my tried-and-true kitchen essentials – cookware, utensils, and gear that make cooking on the go easy and stress-free. Whether you’re remodeling a new building or upgrading your current setup, these van cooking essentials will help you eat well without cluttering up your space.
For more tips on planning van meals, check out my guide to cooking delicious meals in a small space.
Major Kitchen Appliances
Over the years, I’ve discovered what camper van cooking equipment really fits the space – and what we can live without. These are the major appliances I use the most in our van. Some people like to have things like a toaster oven or an Omnia stovetop oven (if they cook with gas), but in our setup, this list includes everything we use to make cooking on the road easier.
Induction stove: While gas stoves are great for outdoor cooking, an induction stove makes cooking inside your camper van much easier. No setup is required, no ingredients to pull out, and cleanup is a breeze. Just be aware that you will need a powerful battery system and inverter to run it. I highly recommend avoiding a built-in propane stove – I had one in my first van, and it took up a lot of space, wasn’t the safest option, and was a huge hassle to clean.
Small air fryer: Apart from our stove, our air stove is the appliance we use the most. We have an Instant Pot Vortex Mini (2 quart capacity), and it’s the perfect size for a packet of tofu, which we eat regularly. I also use it to make sweet potato cakes, roast vegetables, reheat leftovers, and even toast bread.
A small pressure vessel in a small pot: I bring a small size Instant Pot to our campsite, and it changes the game for quick, hand-made meals. Perfect for cooking rice, quinoa, beans, soups, lentils, and one-pot pasta. I love that I can set it and forget it – freeing me to clean, play outside with my son, or run errands while dinner cooks.
Cookware: I use the Magma Nesting Induction Stainless Steel Cookware Set, and it’s been great. Although this set is heavy, the handles are removable and the pots stay together to save space, and they are very high quality (unlike other camping cookware). In my experience, stainless steel holds up better than nonstick. I used to have the nonstick version and the adhesion was scratched on some hilly roads.
The microwave: A microwave is truly a luxury, but now that we have one at our Rossmonster Baja Trail truck camp, I use it every day. It makes heating up leftovers, milk for my morning matcha, or late night popcorn quick and easy. I’ve survived eight years of van life without one, but when you have the space and the power, it’s easy to have.
A blender: We brought our big Vitamix, but to be honest, it’s too big, heavy, and annoying to clean for van life. While I love smoothies and homemade hummus, the Ninja personal blender is a very practical choice. It’s compact, easy to clean, and you can eat or drink without a blender cup.
Most of my cookware fits in an under-counter cabinet in my Rossmonster Baja Trail truck camper
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Cooking utensils
Below is a list of the cookware that I use the most at my campsite. I recommend looking for a cookware set that includes most of these items so you don’t have to buy everything separately. Look for food-grade silicone utensils — they’re safe, heat-resistant, and easy to clean.
I keep things organized in my closet with dividers so everything is always within easy reach.
Get My Free Van Life Food Guide
Want to make cooking on the road even easier? Download my free list of easy van meals and must-haves. Packed with simple ideas and ingredients that make grocery shopping and meal planning a breeze – perfect for keeping your camper van kitchen stocked and clutter-free.
Dinnerware
When it comes to dinnerware in our camper van, I like to avoid plastic as much as possible. Since we make an effort to make delicious food, it is good to enjoy it on plates and bowls of normal size instead of small delicate dishes. Here are my recommendations:
4 plates: Even if you’re only traveling with two people, it helps to have four plates so you don’t have to wash the dishes quickly — and you’ll be ready when you have guests. I love the heavy duty RTIC Anywhere Plate Set and the lightweight Hydro Flask stainless steel plates.
4 dishes: These Hydro Flask camping containers are lightweight, durable, and large enough to hold a hearty bowl of soup, salad, or cereal.
Unlined cups: Bring one per person. I use a Yeti Rambler mug – it keeps coffee and tea hot for hours and the lid is easy to clean.
More cups: It’s good to have 1 or 2 extra lightweight mugs on hand for electrolytes, cold drinks after a walk, or a glass of wine by the fire.
Silverware: I prefer to use regular silverware rather than camping-specific dishes. It’s heavy, but it’s great to eat too and it makes the food feel like home.
Coffee/Tea
Coffee and matcha on our breakfast menu in our van. Here are the van-friendly kitchen items we use to fix up.
A kettle: A small electric kettle is ideal for quickly boiling water for coffee, tea, or fast food.
Coffee maker (Aeropress): The Aeropress is small, compact, and makes a great cup of coffee. And it’s very easy to clean – when you’re done, you just throw the reasons in the trash and clean it quickly. There are no dirty wet areas going down the drain.
Compact coffee grinder: We usually buy ground coffee because it’s easier, but if you prefer to use whole beans, you’ll want a small hand-crank or electric coffee grinder.
Milk frother: I use a handheld milk frother to make a creamy, frothy milk for my matcha. It’s lightweight, easy to store, and makes my morning drink feel delicious.
Loose leaf tea is rising: If you like to drink loose leaf tea, a small tea steeper is necessary. It takes up no space and makes it easy to enjoy high quality tea without wasting tea bags.
I use an Aeropress Go coffee maker in my camper van
Food Storage
When it comes to food storage in a van, saving space and keeping things organized is important. I like to use reusable, non-plastic options that are compact, durable, and easy to clean.
Collapsible silicone tupperware: Space is always at a premium in a camper van, and collapsible tupperware is a great solution. If you don’t use them, they flatten and don’t even take up room.
Stasher bags: Stasher bags are reusable, durable, and come in a variety of sizes. They’re perfect for packing snacks on the go, storing leftovers in the fridge, or even reheating food – they’re microwave safe and can’t be put in boiling water. Wait until they go on sale even though they are very expensive!
Clean up
Keeping your van kitchen clean is very easy if you have the right tools. I like to keep things simple with quick drying towels and compact cleaning gear that doesn’t take up a lot of space.
Microfiber hand towels: These super absorbent (and cheap!) towels are great for drying dishes and hands, and they take up very little space.
Quick dry towel or dish mat: When we wash the dishes, we quickly put a dry towel on the counter to put the clean dishes before drying.
Dish brush with soap on the handle: Make washing dishes quick and easy without needing a separate soap bottle.
Eco-friendly dish soap: Using biodegradable, non-toxic soap helps protect the environment — especially if you’re draining gray water outside.
Final thoughts
After years of living part-time in a van – and now traveling full-time with my son – I’ve learned that having a properly equipped kitchen can make or break your experience on the road. Keeping it simple, convenient, and easy to clean helps us spend less time doing dishes and more time soaking up the areas we’re in to check out.
I hope this list of my campervan cooking equipment and van kitchen essentials helps you feel more confident about building your own kitchen.
If you have any favorite kitchen gear that you can’t live without, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
