Van Life Kitchen Essentials: 10 Things We Actually Used to Cook on the Road

Context: Our van came with a 400Ah LiFePO4 battery bank (2x 200Ah batteries), a 320W solar panel, and two induction burners, plus a microwave. Roughly 10 minutes on high heat would drain about 15% of the battery, which comes out to approximately 720 watt-hours (based on a 400Ah × 12V = 4800Wh battery bank). So we optimized for:

  1. Delicious, high-protein meals
  2. That didn’t take more than 20–30% battery each

This led us to a rhythm of fast/no-cook breakfasts (like oatmeal, yogurt, and coffee), and the ability to properly cook both lunch and dinner. In colder or shadier areas where the battery couldn’t fully recharge, we cooked only dinner and microwaved leftovers for lunch—super energy-efficient.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Our Essential Van Life Cooking Tools

  1. Cast Iron Dutch Oven
    LODGE MFG Lodge LCC3 Pre-Seasoned Combo Cooker, 3.2 qt
    This was our workhorse. It handled 90% of our cooking. We left the heavy lid at home and used a light piece of plywood instead. Perfect for steaks and stews.

  2. Small Nonstick Fry Pan
    Tramontina Professional Aluminum Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan
    While we could scramble eggs on the cast iron, it was a much better experience with this nonstick pan. It also made cleanup easier and reduced food waste in the sink.

  3. Hot Water Boiler
    Gooseneck Electric Kettle
    Essential for coffee, ramen, oatmeal, and other quick meals. We started with a cheap gooseneck kettle from Amazon, but now that we have a Stagg, we’d recommend that instead.

  4. Chef’s Knife + Knife Roll
    Chef Knife Roll Bag
    We felt better having a knife roll than a knife holder or magnetic strip—it meant we could safely store the knife with the other kitchen tools. We brought the Wüsthof 8” chef knife we used at home.

  5. Knife Sharpening Stone
    1000/6000 Grit Whetstone Knife Sharpening Stone
    This small sharpening stone kept our one knife in great shape.

  6. Wooden Cutting Board
    Wooden Cutting Board
    We tucked it behind the sink and velcro’d it to the wall.

  7. Wooden Spatula
    Wooden Spatula
    Worked great with the nonstick pan and was perfect for scraping the last bit of sauce off the cast iron.

  8. Pair of Tongs
    Kitchen Tongs
    These were only used on the cast iron, and they were essential for steaks and anything that needed flipping. Also nice for the few times we went

  9. Instant Pot
    Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1
    Amazingly energy-efficient. It let us cook stews, rice, and vegetables, or prepare cheaper cuts of meat.

  10. Large Saucepot
    Tramontina Sauce Pot
    We rarely used this—mostly for boiling pasta or mixing salads. Both could have been handled in the Instant Pot.

Cutlery

  • 1 Camp Mug per Person
    Stanley 12oz Stay Hot Mug
  • 4 Spoons + 4 Forks per Person – we liked not having to wash after every meal
  • 1 Steak Knife per Person – but we mostly used our chef’s knife or meat scissors

We didn’t bother with ultralight camp utensils—this wasn’t a backpacking trip. We just tossed all our utensils in a cloth bag and kept it in a drawer. Our mugs lived in a box next to the microwave.

Optional but Awesome