Hi, and welcome back to my travel journal. Today I will go through the primary cooking equipment we use in our campervan, alongside a few of the go-to dishes we make.

There has been a lot of trial and error in creating the perfect cooking setup for the camper. We started out using our camping gear but quickly changed direction. Having the camper allowed us to be more creative with our meals than in our tent. No more one-pot wonders, thankfully.

Tapas stacking plates

Cooking equipment

Number one has to be my coffee pot, a Bialetti Moka pot. Mine is a 6-cup. We also have a small whistle kettle for the hob, which is rarely used.

Next up are the plates and cups. Because we have limited space, I wanted to focus on the quality and details of these items. After much searching, we finally got two thimble mugs and a set of tapas stacking plates from Rosie’s Pottery Studio in Easky, Co Sligo. We like visiting Co Sligo on our travels, and our favourite place to stay is Easky, so it was perfect that we could get the pottery pieces there. https://rosiespotterystudio.com

The next item on the list was a game-changer.

We purchased two Ridgemonkey cookers. I had seen a few people posting about them and was very interested. Alan, not so much. They are mid-range price-wise, and he was not convinced that €40 for a toaster was a great deal. 

On one of our longer trips, we found a shop that stocked them, and we decided to invest in the RidgeMonkey Connect Sandwich Toaster – XL Edition. 

Note this is not just a toaster – It will cook everything you need and make delicious toasty sandwiches. But for an XL, we thought it was just a little small. 

Alan, now smitten, ordered a Ridgemonkey Connect Combi Pan and Steamer Set, which was €50 plus postage. 

These two items will literally cook everything we need in the camper, full dinners with each item cooked separately. (No one-pot wonders) 

The RidgeMonkey Connect Sandwich Toaster XL has a cover and set of utensils. It folds down super flat and is perfect for storing away.

https://campingbaby.ie/product/ridgemonkey-compact-sandwich-toaster-xl/

The Ridgemonkey Connect Combi Pan and Steamer Set comes with a steamer tray and detachable handles like the toaster. In this case, the handles have the storage bag. I made a bag for the whole unit from an upcycled fleece blanket. 

https://southsideangling.ie/product/ridgemonkey-connect-combi-pan-and-steamer-set/ 

The last items are just cutlery. We have two of each spoon, fork, knife, and then a chopping knife & board.

The rest of the cooking area is taken up with storage boxes and jars. The jars double as storage and for making overnight oats.

Sandwich Toaster with Tofu & Veggies

This leads to what we like to cook/eat while out in the camper. I’ll separate these into breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, all of which can overlap. A quick note here we are both Vegan and have been for the past seven years.

Breakfast:
Black coffee with vegan croissants heated on top of the pot as the coffee percolates.
Overnight oats with berries, bananas, peanut butter or mixed nuts.
Tomato toastie with hummus is another go-to. This can also work for lunch.

Lunch:
If we want something quick, a large mixed salad with a generous dollop of hummus always works.
And if the weather is cool, a warm vegetable and tofu wrap hits the spot.

Dinner:
A mix of rice, veggies and tofu/tempeh.
We also like big, generously filled fajitas.
Finally, a mix of sliced potatoes and vegetables. I particularly like broccoli with a side of beans and tofu.

Ridgemonkey Connect Combi Pan and Steamer Set

Snacks:
More coffee, a selection of fruit – peaches, blueberries, strawberries and a mix of nuts – almonds, brazil, walnuts and cashew with a Greek alpro yoghurt.

What type of food do you enjoy eating when out and about? We used to have a fair amount of takeaways, but this has definitely changed since organising how we cook in the camper. The initial outlay on the right cooking equipment has saved us financially in the long run.