There are many issues to think about when planning your eating lifestyle. As with living in a home, you have to determine how much you want to eat-out or eat-in. Eating out can be very expensive over time, so I usually eat-in. I’ve setup two van kitchens now and I have to say that starting with the essentials is very important. It’s frustrating to buy a can and discover you don’t have a can opener! (I’ve done this twice now!) Living in a house or apartment, you rarely have to think about what’s there, because it’s always there. Every time I’ve moved into a van, it’s basically from scratch, so it’s really important to have the basics:
- Can Opener!
- Cutting Board and Knife
- Utensils (or at least a spoon)
- Stove (camp or propane)
- Lighter or Matches
- Pot (with lid)
- Oil and Salt/Spices
- Food and Food Storage
- Water and Water Container
Of course, it’s nice to have a bit more (plate, bowl, tupperware, mug, travel mug, etc) but you really don’t need more than what’s in the list to get started. The stove is the most expensive thing on that list unless you decide to get a tiny 12v fridge! Luckily, I’m borrowing my mom’s old camp stove. I get a lot of my things second hand; it’s perfectly good and much cheaper, not to mention recycling is more sustainable! I added a wooden trunk ($25 Good Will) to my van to organize my kitchen. (In Hawaii, I used a plastic bin.) I stuck a cardboard box inside to act as a divider. In the box, I keep all my dishes, pots and pan, which only takes up about a quarter of the trunk. On one side of the box (the small side) I keep my teas, spices and extra fuel canisters. On the other side of the box, I keep my dry food, cutting board, stove, tupperware, can opener(!) travel mug, oils, balsamic, soy sauce (liquid aminos) and a few non-kitchen related items that I use often.
Keeping fresh food can be a bit tricky depending on the location. Some people opt for the 12v fridge if they can afford it, but that takes planning a power system too. I prefer a cooler. I bought a Coleman Extreme 5-day cooler ($50 REI) for a few reasons: It’s the smallest, high rated cooler you can get and it has a spout at the bottom for draining. It also doesn’t have wheels taking up precious space. When I was in Seattle, keeping food cool wasn’t a challenge. In Hawaii and other warmer places, keeping a cooler is a daily chore. I have to drain the cooler once a day and replace the ice every 3-5 days. I try to buy small amounts of fresh food because I don’t want it to go bad before I can eat it. The ice floods the bottom of the cooler quite often, so I’m considering getting a small rack to keep my vegetables out of the water. I tend not to buy dairy or drinks that need to be kept cool, since I don’t eat those things fast enough. For someone who eats lots of cheese or eggs or milk, it would make a lot more sense. It’s hard to keep things like mustard too. If I go into a place that has free packets of condiments (delis, grocery stores or certain restaurants) I’ll usually pick up some packs and save them for later.
When it’s time to eat, I park my van in a flat location. I’ve never had a problem picking a spot to eat because I know I won’t be there long enough for anyone to care. If I’m in a town I might pick the back of a large parking lot and out of town I might pick a park or rest area. I’ve done plenty of cooking on residential streets too. I chop and cook on the trunk or, if I think I’ll be getting in and out of the trunk often, I’ll cook on the floor.
Water is obviously very important for cooking and just plain living. I bought a 2 gallon BPA-free container ($15 PCC) and I usually fill it for less than a dollar at places that sell reverse-osmosis water. I keep a second plastic 1 gallon jug of plain tap water to do dishes with or as emergency water. When I’m done eating, I do my dishes right out the side door. Soap (Dr. Bronner’s) is used only as needed, just like for camping. I keep my paper towels and clean dish rags next to the door too.
This system is working really well for me! If I were to upgrade anything in the future, I’d probably switch to a 2 burner, propane camp stove. Also, once I have my solar power going, I’ll be able to use my juicer ($30 thrift store)!
