vanbrat
Well-known member
yummy soooo if ever we meet on the road I'll cook us up a soup and we will have some fresh bread to go with it..
What's in your van kitchen!
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vanbrat
Well-known member
After a few trips I have worked on this list a bit. I still do most cooking in the van whenever possible, but I don't do as much big meals as I want.
I have replaced the 2 glass bowls with one glass flat bottomed bowl for making egg sandwiches in the micro.
I have kept the plastic plates for now, but I think they will go I have not used them yet and I think I will just use the paper ones that we have used so far. But I want them if ever I do a "fancy" dinner with friends so ....
The coffee maker is gone, instant coffee, much faster and easier.
I still carry the one small saucepan but don't use it much.
The clay pots are gone.
I don't bring the cast iron fry pan. I did find a smaller light weight fry pan that lives in the van.
The 2nd jerry jug is gone
I did add a waffle maker it was another gift from DIL and it stays in the van full time with the small air fryer.
The bar got bigger and now we have 2 glass cocktail glasses cause cocktails don't taste as good in plastic or paper. We also know the amount of booze is ok but not if people want to share our booze and they always want to share my homemade booze. So now we carry a bigger bottle of that one.
The emulsifier is gone.
I added 2 string bags that hang without hitting or touching anything to keep apples bananas etc in so they don't get bruised while driving.
I only carry 1 dishrag and 2 dish towels.
The deep dish thing is gone.
The seat cushions just got to dirty and they are gone.
I only carry 1 tablecloth now and keep it washed and ready to use at EACH table. The one time I forgot it the table that night was yukky.
The cook book is still getting added to but mostly my cooking is heating up stuff that was cooked at home and frozen. I want to do more slow down and cook fresh but Hubby is still learning the whole slow down and enjoy the trip type road trips.
The ice chest now has 2 wool covers. They really help keep things cool. They keep the blocks of ice for 2-3 days longer.
I now carry 2 thermoses for cold milk water tea or ?? these can fit in the ice chest and the milk stays much colder and fresher longer.
The tool closet has more tools and the doggy side is also holding more. We are also learning to hold less in the way of groceries at any one time.
I have added a salad bag to my ice chest as I found lettuce doesn't keep well in there without some extra care.
I made a couple boards that have the lids for glass jars screwed to them and are now screwed to the bottom of my shelf the big one to hold flour, oats, rice, etc. the second one holds 14 small jars of spices and herbs.
WandringKnight
Member
Sheesh
A cast iron pan, a wok, a kettle. Spatula, flatware, deep dish plate that serves as a bowl or plate. Metal coffee mug. 2 cutting boards - one as a counter top, and one to chop on. Coleman 2 burner stove with 5 pound propane bottle (lasts me about a month). Vinegar and water in a spray bottle, paper towels for rough clean and microfiber for finishing touches.
I have a lot of stuff that rarely gets used. Garlic press, whisks, serving spoons, small pots, scissors, grater...
I keep a small tote box with spices only, and a large one with canned and instant food. Fresh food stays in the fridge, mostly meats and dairy.
Damn, this list got long fast.
Sheesh, way too detailed...
A cast iron pan, a wok, a kettle. Spatula, flatware, deep dish plate that serves as a bowl or plate. Metal coffee mug. 2 cutting boards - one as a counter top, and one to chop on. Coleman 2 burner stove with 5 pound propane bottle (lasts me about a month). Vinegar and water in a spray bottle, paper towels for rough clean and microfiber for finishing touches.
I have a lot of stuff that rarely gets used. Garlic press, whisks, serving spoons, small pots, scissors, grater...
I keep a small tote box with spices only, and a large one with canned and instant food. Fresh food stays in the fridge, mostly meats and dairy.
Damn, this list got long fast.
eDJ_
Well-known member
Tomorrow morning, Thanksgiving, Dollar General stores have advertised a few small appliances for $5 dollars each. Some of these are three times more expensive normally. They go fast too.
The 1 1/2 cup food processor is 100 watt and is a handy item.
They used to have all of their items for $5 bucks but now it is only the hand mixer, can opener, processor, and toaster. For a Van dweller, the processor & maybe the hand mixer could be useful. People in larger RV's may have room
and use for the other items. It's up to each individual.
Dollar General TG Sale appliances
The 1 1/2 cup food processor is 100 watt and is a handy item.
They used to have all of their items for $5 bucks but now it is only the hand mixer, can opener, processor, and toaster. For a Van dweller, the processor & maybe the hand mixer could be useful. People in larger RV's may have room
and use for the other items. It's up to each individual.
Dollar General TG Sale appliances
twomountainlions
Well-known member
I just keep it minimal to conserve water for remote stays as cleaning after fancy meal cooking adds up. Right now I have to refill water once a month, so I can go from one 14 day dry spot to another without going to a town, while still keeping a lot of backup water for emergencies. My rule is to never be below 25 gals emergency water. I got 2 small pots and 2 baking dishes for cooking. Have full rv kitchen but cook outside on backpacking propane stove. My rv oven is also propane. Use paper plates for cutting things and eating a lot of things off them too. Got a blender but only used it after pulling wisdom teeth, just a bummer to wash it. Want to get outdoor portable oven.
DLTooley
Well-known member
I just got a small air fryer, love it.
eDJ_
Well-known member
Air fryer's have come a long ways. Facebook has pages with enthusiast and websites with recipes as well as message boards are becoming more common now. I visit this one from time to time:
Mine is a Bella, that I use liners with. I find liners at Walmart.
Air Fryer Addicts
Mine is a Bella, that I use liners with. I find liners at Walmart.
Air Fryer Addicts
vanbrat
Well-known member
I have a big air fryer in my S&B house and a small one in my van I love both of them.
I don't judge if what you want is just the fast and easy if you don't like to cook..... Don't. If you don't want to cook and do the cleaning after.... don't. It's up to you.
Most of the time hubby can't stand being in one spot for to long so we move around a lot when we are out and the most water I have ever carried is 10 gallons. and even that is more than what I carry now. The last 2 trips out (only 3 days each) we just did the fast and easy.
I like to cook and will if I can. I do both, minimal as in heat and eat. And full on 4-5 course meals. I don't always have time or power or energy to make a fancy meal but when I do I enjoy making something extra. Sometimes it turns out yummy sometimes we take a bite and nope skip to something else.
I don't judge if what you want is just the fast and easy if you don't like to cook..... Don't. If you don't want to cook and do the cleaning after.... don't. It's up to you.
Most of the time hubby can't stand being in one spot for to long so we move around a lot when we are out and the most water I have ever carried is 10 gallons. and even that is more than what I carry now. The last 2 trips out (only 3 days each) we just did the fast and easy.
twomountainlions
Well-known member
I liked to cook fancy in a house, sometimes, but out there on the road it just never worked for me because of extra cleaning involved. 4-5 course meal is fancy.... Since I cook for myself it's really the same amount of prep, cooking and cleaning as for 2 people but I have to do it all by myself.
I carry may be 80 gals of non drinking water alone but like it to last with no pressure to go into town. If there is a creek its unlimited water but still all the cleaning without big sink and unlimited running water bums me out. I have and use tons of spices though. My rig is like a food warehouse with all the grains, jars and cans to last months if I get stuck
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bullfrog !
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I’m usually a no pan or one skillet cooking kind of guy! Lol!!! Usually breakfast and usually an egg dish for my hot meal unless open fire is allowed then grilled meat on a stick and foil wrapped veggies in the coals for dinner.
Something special in the way of kitchen appliance. A diesel fueled ceramic stove top that when you lower the lid is a thermostat controlled heater with a blower fan. Very fuel efficient. It made my breakfast and then kept my space warm while I ate and lounged this chilly Thanksgiving morning. The photo is of it in use on a boat. I did my build in a waterfront community so a lot of my fittings came from
Marine suppliers.
Marine suppliers.
twomountainlions
Well-known member
Peanut butter for breakfast, avocado sandivch and cold spicy cocoa, works for me lol, no heat or dishwashing required. I used to eat only raw food to try it out but didnt work too well, no cleanup and no cooking were nice though. I want to try folding outdoor Coleman oven but not sure on heat efficiency compared to indoor rv oven, wouldnt want to be wasting tons of propane
vanbrat
Well-known member
I made a reflector oven out of $$ store cookie sheets and tried it out at the firepit in the back yard it worked just fine so I packed it into the van ..... where it has not been out again yet. It worked and I baked biscuits just fine watched them close and they didn't taste smoky or anything, but the oven is a bit of a pain in the butt to put together and the fire bans have made it less then practical.
I have this year gotten more into cold plates of goodies and 2-3 times a week right now we just have a cold salad and deli meats or ? with cheeses and bread or crackers. I read somewhere that shellfish is good for some types of brain health so now I have an excuse (as if I need an excuse) to eat more shrimp cocktails with my cold plates. I don't know if that is true or not but I'm not going to take the chance.
Because I am doing more cold dinners, I am now thinking of increasing the size of my ice chest. Maybe, or I want to make something for my milk bottles/jugs. Hubby has his type of milk and I have mine so I want to find a good box and put my empty jugs of milk in it and fill the spaces around them with spray foam. I will have space between them for a freezer thingy but the Idea is that it will ONLY hold the 2 milk things as they take up the most space in the ice chest and if they have their own box the other Ice chest will have more space. Also if the foam stuff is good and thick and covered with a good foam lid and wrapped in wool it will keep the milk cold longer. Last summer I used 2 old really good thermoses for the milk and put them in wool blankets and they stayed cold for 2 days. but not really cold at the end of the 2 days. So any input on the spray foam idea????
eDJ_
Well-known member
Interesting vanbrat. Wish you could post a photo of that build.
Some time ago I used Dollar Tree foil items to make a smoker grill.
The clips you see on the grill are paper clips used to hold the four sides together. The lid is one of those Turkey deep dis pans where the top has a damper made from a #10 size can lid. The grill handle has a hole in it just slightly larger than the rod it rides on. By leveling the handle it's elevation above the fire can be changed. Weight and friction is what holds it in place. When it's all knocked down and and pieces placed together it takes up very little room.
When positioned above a bed of embers I place wood chips (Hickory usually) wrapped in foil and pierced with a fork into the fire to produce smoke. Wood chips are soaked in water for a couple of minutes so hey are less likely to ignite while producing more smoke.
When smoking meat, fish, or fowl I try to keep the temps at around 230 F for this method of cooking. I use a temp probe to make sure what I've has reached a safe temperature.
Some time ago I used Dollar Tree foil items to make a smoker grill.
The clips you see on the grill are paper clips used to hold the four sides together. The lid is one of those Turkey deep dis pans where the top has a damper made from a #10 size can lid. The grill handle has a hole in it just slightly larger than the rod it rides on. By leveling the handle it's elevation above the fire can be changed. Weight and friction is what holds it in place. When it's all knocked down and and pieces placed together it takes up very little room.
When positioned above a bed of embers I place wood chips (Hickory usually) wrapped in foil and pierced with a fork into the fire to produce smoke. Wood chips are soaked in water for a couple of minutes so hey are less likely to ignite while producing more smoke.
When smoking meat, fish, or fowl I try to keep the temps at around 230 F for this method of cooking. I use a temp probe to make sure what I've has reached a safe temperature.
twomountainlions
Well-known member
That DYI stove sounds really neat and saves $50 extra on Coleman stove.I made a reflector oven out of $$ store cookie sheets and tried it out at the firepit in the back yard it worked just fine so I packed it into the van ..... where it has not been out again yet. It worked and I baked biscuits just fine watched them close and they didn't taste smoky or anything, but the oven is a bit of a pain in the butt to put together and the fire bans have made it less then practical.
I have this year gotten more into cold plates of goodies and 2-3 times a week right now we just have a cold salad and deli meats or ? with cheeses and bread or crackers. I read somewhere that shellfish is good for some types of brain health so now I have an excuse (as if I need an excuse) to eat more shrimp cocktails with my cold plates. I don't know if that is true or not but I'm not going to take the chance.
Because I am doing more cold dinners, I am now thinking of increasing the size of my ice chest. Maybe, or I want to make something for my milk bottles/jugs. Hubby has his type of milk and I have mine so I want to find a good box and put my empty jugs of milk in it and fill the spaces around them with spray foam. I will have space between them for a freezer thingy but the Idea is that it will ONLY hold the 2 milk things as they take up the most space in the ice chest and if they have their own box the other Ice chest will have more space. Also if the foam stuff is good and thick and covered with a good foam lid and wrapped in wool it will keep the milk cold longer. Last summer I used 2 old really good thermoses for the milk and put them in wool blankets and they stayed cold for 2 days. but not really cold at the end of the 2 days. So any input on the spray foam idea????
If you are going to have ice in that chest I'm not sure spray foam wouldnt prevent cooling, actually. May be can try packing foam peanuts, easy to remove.
I just tried new Walmart whole dried milk (never cared for fat free version) and its heavenly. I think I found solution to my cocoa milk for 2-4 week runs away from towns. I run propane fridge only at night when its cool, so things don't survive for that long in it except in the freezer. I was loading on packaged almond milk from Dollar Tree which is easy to restock in many small towns, but it takes up space.
Last year I sold my great hardly used big electrical car fridge/freezer for $100 on FB, new one like that costs $300, there might be fridge deals from people who are relocating and need to sell stuff, it used 40watt on average when it was running and only was running 50% of the time, it was easy to keep it running with basic portable solar
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vanbrat
Well-known member
Hubby only drinks 1% milk and the only milk my body will tolerate any more is almond milk. Which by the way is the best milk for Hot cocoa. I am allergic to soy mildly but still hits when it's 'milk' and cows milk sets off my asthma pretty bad. Rice milk is yukky to me I haven't tried coconut milk yet but I like almond so I will probably stick with that. We both agree it has to be COLD cold Cold. Unless we are making hot cocoa. We both like milk for breakfast and again late night dessert time.
So what I am now thinking, as someone else said, the foam spray would not really work if it was to soggy in the ice chest. So now I am thinking I will get a cheap foam ice chest and use bags of something to pack around the thermoses as in foam stuff for bean bags or? to keep the foam pellets or? together in doubled zip bags What I think is if I have 2-3 freezer things that I rotate in and out of my electric freezer and pour the milk in to really good thermoses and then put those in the ice chest and stuff the bags of ??? around them that should keep them cold enough for us. I have 10-12 little plastic freezer balls that are small enough to fit into the thermoses as well. I think we could do with only quarts of milk not gallons like we do here at home. I don't expect the things to cool any boxed milk to cold,.... but hopefully it will keep cold milk cold for us.
I have a small bag that fits into my ice chest now that is a zip bag in a zip bag in a waterproof bag with 3 layers of foam like what you could find in packing boxes that hold my tea ice cubes it keeps my ice ice for 3-4 days hot days and 5-6 days cold days if I keep the ice chest taken care of, it might also fit into the milk box as I have been calling it. I like the idea of 2 smaller boxes rather than 1 big box.
I had a really old wool blanket that I made covers for the ice chest that when we stop for a few days I get it wet and then as it evaporates it cools things even more. It is also cute. I sewed some fun designs into it and had some fun with it
So what I am now thinking, as someone else said, the foam spray would not really work if it was to soggy in the ice chest. So now I am thinking I will get a cheap foam ice chest and use bags of something to pack around the thermoses as in foam stuff for bean bags or? to keep the foam pellets or? together in doubled zip bags What I think is if I have 2-3 freezer things that I rotate in and out of my electric freezer and pour the milk in to really good thermoses and then put those in the ice chest and stuff the bags of ??? around them that should keep them cold enough for us. I have 10-12 little plastic freezer balls that are small enough to fit into the thermoses as well. I think we could do with only quarts of milk not gallons like we do here at home. I don't expect the things to cool any boxed milk to cold,.... but hopefully it will keep cold milk cold for us.
I have a small bag that fits into my ice chest now that is a zip bag in a zip bag in a waterproof bag with 3 layers of foam like what you could find in packing boxes that hold my tea ice cubes it keeps my ice ice for 3-4 days hot days and 5-6 days cold days if I keep the ice chest taken care of, it might also fit into the milk box as I have been calling it. I like the idea of 2 smaller boxes rather than 1 big box.
I had a really old wool blanket that I made covers for the ice chest that when we stop for a few days I get it wet and then as it evaporates it cools things even more. It is also cute. I sewed some fun designs into it and had some fun with it
^^^sounds like a lot of work. Check frequently on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for a 12v portable fridge freezer.
I found my 17liter Engel which was imported and rebranded Norcold that way. It is a real champ, they are super reliable and very, very energy efficient too. I did not have the budget to buy a new one but that fridge last for many decades of use and as the design never needed “improving”. Engel still makes the very same models they did many decades ago so if needed you get the spare parts to do repairs. They have a dial to set the temp, no complex electronics readouts to fail, just a simple and totally reliable temperature control. It is the one and only 12v portable fridge company that defied “they don’t make them like they used to” statement. They made the most reliable and most energy efficient 12v fridge ever and they are still making it.
Today on Facebook Market place over by Phoenixthere is an Engel fridge that was rebrand by Norcold when they used to import them. Good price on this one, $200, it is a decent size capacity and appears to be in very good condition too.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1822UMrDdt/?mibextid=79PoIi
I found my 17liter Engel which was imported and rebranded Norcold that way. It is a real champ, they are super reliable and very, very energy efficient too. I did not have the budget to buy a new one but that fridge last for many decades of use and as the design never needed “improving”. Engel still makes the very same models they did many decades ago so if needed you get the spare parts to do repairs. They have a dial to set the temp, no complex electronics readouts to fail, just a simple and totally reliable temperature control. It is the one and only 12v portable fridge company that defied “they don’t make them like they used to” statement. They made the most reliable and most energy efficient 12v fridge ever and they are still making it.
Today on Facebook Market place over by Phoenixthere is an Engel fridge that was rebrand by Norcold when they used to import them. Good price on this one, $200, it is a decent size capacity and appears to be in very good condition too.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1822UMrDdt/?mibextid=79PoIi
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twomountainlions
Well-known member
Rotating things out of the freezer since you already got one sounds like it might work. Also can wrap reflecting insulation in top but if you use wer blanket for further cooling it got to be one or another
I noticed that new whole milk powder from Walmart doesn't set off milk intolerance, by the way, for some reason. Almond milk is probably the best for cocoa out of all plant milks, I make cold spiced cocoa with 5-6 spices which requires no effort or cleanup because can use disposable cup/spoon, unlike with hot one (I reuse them a few times within a couple of days)
vanbrat
Well-known member
I have a tiny 12V Fridge and it is always set for freezing. Which is where I keep my swap out freezer things as well as my ice cream and my frozen meats, dogs food, and the heat and eat cooked meals. That is about all that fits. I use it if we are going out more than 3 days at a time. I am thinking the milk always take up the most room in my small ice chest. And sometimes it is not really cold enough. That is why I'm considering the milk box idea. I think the less an ice chest is opened the longer it will stay cold so if I split up the stuff and again the only time we drink milk is for breakfast and late-night dessert so it will not get opened much.
I have always used 1/2 gallon milk jugs of water frozen to put in the ice chest. and it will keep for 4-5 days even in hot weather if we are careful about where it sits. The water as it melts is water for dog. He does better with water from home. When that is gone we fill the jug with ice from the store. I take out the meats or ? early in the day from the freezer to the ice chest and swap the freezer block things each morning. So far we have not had a problem other than the milk is not always cold enough. I am very careful of things going bad. Food poisoning does not sound like what I ever want to do in the van!!
I am experimenting with more food that is shelf safe and have had mixed results. Milk is one that so far just is not good to us from a shelf box.
twomountainlions
Well-known member
Boxed long storage almond milk can taste as good as short storage one but at least it wont go bad, that's why I use it, same with long storage regular milk, and they dont have preservatives added, can even buy organic if one lives near big city
