Simple tools, plant-based meals, and compact solutions for life on the road.
Living in a van as a vegetarian means getting creative with limited space, power, and ingredients. After months of trial and error on the road, I’ve discovered a set of kitchen essentials that keep me cooking healthy, hearty meals with minimal fuss. Whether you’re parked in the woods or chasing sunsets on the coast, these tools make van life delicious and doable.
🍳 1. Compact Camping Stove
A reliable, portable stove that heats quickly and stores easily. I use a single-burner butane stove that fits in a carry case—great for outdoor cooking. In the summer when it is hot, I love to explore and find a shady picnic area where I can set up my little stove and cook outside. This stove works great even when it is windy outside. It has it own carry case and also 4 bottles of butane gas are included.
🥄 2. Stackable Pots & Pans
Stackable, non-stick cookware saves lots of space in the van kitchen cupboards. Mine have removable handles so they double as food storage containers. The set also includes a silicone spatula, a ladle type spoon and a cute little mesh bag in case you want to take your cooking outside.
🥕 3. Manual Food Processor or Grater
Forget electric tools—a hand-powered grater or veggie chopper helps prep meals fast without draining power.
🛍️ 4. Reusable Produce Bags
Lightweight, washable mesh bags help reduce plastic and keep fruits and veggies organized. These ones are great because they are cotton, biodegradable, reusable, sustainable bags which include cute little labels for labelling your produce. There are a range of sizes.
🌿 5. Collapsible Strainer
Essential for draining pasta or rinsing beans—and they fold flat into your cupboard! I chose the set of two, one with a handle for tricky spaghetti draining on your own.
🧂 6. DIY Spice Kit
Keep your favourite herbs and spices in mini screw-top jars or repurposed pill containers. This set is great because it comes with a little funnel for easy spice pouring. I bring garlic powder, turmeric, paprika, salt, and a curry mix.
🥣 7. Insulated Food Flask
Perfect for keeping soups or rice warm for hours—and it saves you heating fuel later. This one actually keeps food warm until the next day! It’s really handy to have whilst on the road.
🔪 8. Multifunctional Chopping Board
I love this! A multifunctional chopping board with two really sharp knives, lots of graters and a collapsible vegetable drainer—lightweight and low bulk, yet super functional. (I also use the veggie drainer for draining the dishes and as a salad washer)
This is really one of my best buys!
💧 9. Refillable Water Container
A 5–10 L BPA-free container with a spout keeps your setup simple for drinking, cooking, and washing up.
🍌 10. USB-Rechargeable Blender (Optional)
I am a smoothie addict so this awesome blender for me is not optional, it’s essential! If you enjoy smoothies or sauces, this little blender is a luxury worth having. It charges from your van’s USB port and is surprisingly powerful.
🔥 11. Portable Camping Oven
Yes, it’s totally possible to bake fresh bread or roast veggies in your van! This compact 2-burner gas oven with grill lets you cook full meals off-grid. It’s stainless steel, lightweight, and runs on gas canisters—ideal for tiny kitchens. I use this in my van for all my cooking needs, it’s great and hardly uses any gas even when the oven is on.
❄️ 12. 3-Way Absorption Fridge
Stay off-grid longer and keep food fresh. This really is an essential, especially in the summer. A 3-way fridge runs on 12 V, mains, or gas—quiet, compact, and ideal for vegetarian van living.
🥘 Bonus: 3 Easy Vegetarian Van Meals
- Chickpea stir-fry (tin of chickpeas, chopped veg, soy sauce, chili)
- Instant couscous bowls (boil water, stir in herbs, raisins, nuts)
- Veggie tortilla wraps with hummus, avocado, tomato, and greens
🧘 Final Thoughts
The van life kitchen doesn’t need to be fancy—just functional, organized, and you. With these compact tools and a handful of vegetarian staples, you’ll be cooking up joyful meals wherever the road takes you.
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