10 Easy Meals to Cook in Your Caravan

When you’re out and about exploring in your caravan, you don’t want to be worrying about what’s on the menu for tea. Instead, you should be able to whip up a quick and tasty meal so you can get on with enjoying your travels. In this blog, we’ll give some easy caravan meals you can cook with limited kitchen access that will help fuel your fun throughout the day.

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Does a caravan have a kitchen? 

You’ll be pleased to know that most modern caravans have a fully fitted kitchen that includes an oven, hob and even a microwave if there’s space. This means you’ll have all the resources and utensils you need to cook a full meal as you would at home. 

You should also have a fridge and possibly even a small freezer which will allow you to store fresh fruit, vegetables and meat. You’ll also be able to enjoy tea and coffee in the mornings using milk from your fridge.

If you don’t have these amenities in an older model you can modernise your caravan with a kitchen renovation, but it’s important to remember you can’t alter your vehicle until you’ve fully paid off your loan and the caravan is yours.  

Although you have all these amenities, when you’re on holiday you might not want to spend your time slaving away at the stove making full meals. If you’re looking for something quick, easy and satisfying then here are our top picks for easy caravan meals.

How to prepare for caravan cooking 

Before you embark on your adventures, there are a few steps you should take to ensure you’re fully prepared to make your easy caravan meals when you’re away from home. 

Plan in advance 

If you’re heading to a remote area on your caravan travels the last thing you want is last minute planning what’s for dinner and trying to source ingredients. Ensure you’ve got your chosen recipes before you set off and all of the right ingredients for each meal. This will ensure you spend less time cooking and more time relaxing. 

Remember that should you run out of any ingredients or forget something, some of the best campsites in the UK have onsite shops for all of your essentials should you need something last minute.

Choose recipes you can cook in one pot

When accessing the pros and cons of caravan living, one of the main downsides is that these vehicles have limited space, and you’ll have a lot to pack and carry on your trip. This means you’ll want to reduce the amount of crockery and cooking equipment you bring. You can achieve this by choosing meals that can be cooked in one pan or pot. Adding a large stew pot or a sturdy frying pan/ wok to your campervan trip checklist is the best way to utilise your space and reduce cleanup time. 

Opt for cupboard foods as well as fresh goods 

Whilst cooking with fresh ingredients is brilliant for ensuring a varied diet and some tasty meals, you’ll also want to ensure your cupboards are stocked too. Make sure to bring snacks like biscuits and crisps as well as tinned foods like chopped tomatoes and beans that you can add to your meals. 

Coffee granules, tea bags and hot chocolate are also part of the cupboard essentials you won’t want to forget.

Full English Breakfast 

A staple breakfast for any holiday goer, a fry-up can be cooked all day not just in the morning. What makes a full English one of the best easy caravan meals is that it’s a true one-pan wonder, with all the ingredients being easily cooked in the same single pan.

From eggs, bacon and sausages to beans and black pudding, one large pan will let you cook a full tasty breakfast with fresh ingredients. This not only saves you washing up and prep time, but it means you can cook up this tasty meal even in older or more basic caravans as you’ll only need a single hob to get the job done! 

Pasta Bake

If you’ve got an oven in your vehicle then this is one of the most delicious easy caravan meals for you. Simply preheat your oven and fill a glass cooking dish with your pasta sauce, vegetables and pasta. The great thing about this meal is that the pasta cooks inside the sauce in the oven so you don’t need to worry about using the hob and waste time boiling your water. 

Grate some fresh cheese from the fridge and layer this on top of the pasta bake when it’s almost done and then place it back in the oven for another 15 minutes or until it’s golden brown. If you’ve not got access to a fridge for fresh cheese, some long-life cupboard parmesan can be sprinkled over your pasta once it’s done so you don’t have to sacrifice any cheesy goodness. 

This recipe is great if you’ve got other activities to enjoy, simply stick the ingredients in the oven and have fun with the family for 45 minutes until your meal is ready!

Egg Meals – Omelette, Scrambled Eggs Etc 

Eggs are a reliable and versatile staple ingredient for any caravan trip and can be used in literally hundreds of recipes, but are especially good for easy caravan meals with minimal ingredients. 

You could create a tasty omelette with ham, cheese or any vegetables of your choice or keep things simple with eggy soldiers or scrambled eggs on toast. For a more tasty but equally quick treat, you could whip up some pancakes. 

Whatever you decide, make sure some egg recipes are on your list for your next trip. The only thing you’ll need to create this delicious meal is a hob and a large pan. If you want to make things extra easy, you can even make scrambled eggs in the microwave! 

BBQ Foods

If you’re looking for a fun, easy caravan meal that gives you a break from traditional home-cooked meals then you could have your own mini BBQ. You could use a tabletop grill, your oven’s grill or even invest in a small BBQ for cooking outside. 

Cook up everything from hot dogs to burgers and enjoy a delicious treat. If you’re off to a private campsite, one of the brilliant benefits of a caravan community is being able to share an experience with friends and fellow travellers, so planning a group BBQ can also be a great experience and can help with food costs. 

Remember that if you do choose to cook in a shared area you should always follow caravan site etiquette and ensure you’re being respectful.

Soups

In the colder months, a nice hearty soup is the perfect way to warm you up. You can choose to make your soup from scratch using a range of vegetables of your choice, or for a quick but satisfying alternative, you can heat up some tinned soup. With so many options from tomato, to pumpkin and even leek and potato, you’re bound to find the right soup that’s perfect for all the family, even the picky eaters!

Slice your favourite bread and butter to nibble alongside for a simple yet satisfying meal for those cold nights exploring the countryside. 

Vegetable Stir Fry

A brilliant option for vegetarians or for when you’re not able to bring fresh or frozen meat, a vegetable stir fry is one of the great caravan meal ideas when you’re short on fresh produce.  

All you need for this meal is a sturdy wok and your favourite vegetables. Simply fry them in seasoning on the hob and add in pre-packed noodles or cooked rice. 

A great tip for saving time is to cook some rice before your trip and bring it in a Tupperware container for frying in with your vegetables and sauce. 

Jacket Potatoes 

If you’re making the most of wild camping in your vehicle then a hearty option like jacket potatoes can make an easy caravan meal. Wrap your potatoes in tin foil and leave them on the fire to cook ‘au naturel’ or if you prefer your cosy comforts, stick them inside the oven and leave them to cook for around an hour and a half until the skin is crispy and the inside is fluffy.

Don’t forget to bring all your favourite toppings like cheese, sour cream or even baked beans. Meals like jacket potatoes are an easy win when you’re camping with kids too as you can choose any kind of topping so everyone can have a different choice, keeping both kids and adults happy.

Curries 

Curries are some of the most satisfying caravan meal ideas you can make. With so many different types of curries to choose from across the world, you’ll have no shortage of ideas for all the family. Indian kormas, baltis, Thai green curry and Japanese katsu curry are all some of the stunning options for curries in your caravan. 

The majority of ingredients and seasoning in curries are also dried or stored in the cupboard like lentils, and curry powder, so you don’t have to worry about taking up valuable fridge space or packing lots of fresh ingredients. Choose a full veggie option or add any meat you want for a fully customizable curry.

Salads 

In the summertime sometimes you want a refreshing meal without the heat of the oven or hob. A salad made from your favourite fresh veg is one the easiest caravan meal ideas that require no cooking. If you want meat for your meal like a chicken Caesar salad, cook your chicken before you leave and safely package it to add to your fresh lettuce, tomatoes and dressing before mixing. 

There are thousands of salad varieties for you to choose from and if you want to practice sustainable caravan travel, utilise what you already have in the fridge or the garden in your salad to reduce food waste and buying excess produce. 

Pizza 

A tasty traditional Saturday night treat, anyone can make their own pizza in a few easy steps, even in a caravan! You can make smaller pizzas using tortillas or pita bread paired with a tomato base and cheese on your oven grill.

If you’re into going all out on your camping trips, you can purchase special camping pizza ovens which let you make authentic fresh pizzas. Just bear in mind that this option is more suited to those who like their luxuries on a trip away and these ovens can take up space in your vehicle. 

Make Marvelous Meals in Your Own Caravan with Auto Finance

If you’re looking to finance a motorhome, there’s no better place than Auto Finance. We’re dedicated to giving our customers the best deals on a wide range of vehicle loans even if you’ve been refused finance before. We’ve got connections to some of the best dealers in the UK and we can get you on the road and making those easy caravan meals in no time. 

Before you make any big decisions, you can check out our finance budget calculator to determine how much you can borrow and your repayment rates. Once you’re happy with your terms, get in touch with our team and we’ll get the loan process started.