Your privacy choices

Optional analytics helps us understand which guides are useful. It stays off until you allow it. We store your choice on this device. Cookies and storage · Privacy policy

Current choice: optional analytics off.

Skip to content
Van Life UK
Explore guides
THE VAN LIFE FIELD GUIDE

Food & Cookery

Kitchen layouts, cooking without a full galley, and how to plan and store food for a week at a time. The guides assume a two-ring hob and a small fridge far more often than a full oven, so the sink, storage and shopping advice matters as much as the recipes.

51 published guides · 50 of them grouped into 4 subjects below

Start here

Van Life Kitchen Cooking Complete Guide

One of the greatest joys of van life is the freedom to cook and eat wherever your wheels take you—whether that's a sunrise breakfast overlooking a misty

15 min read →

Browse by subject

Each subject is a group of guides that answer the same decision. Pick the one you are facing, then work through it.

Kitchen setup

Sinks, storage, worktops and organising a small galley.

23 guides in this subject · more in the library below

Meal planning, diet & budget

Planning a week of meals, shopping for it and eating well.

11 guides in this subject · more in the library below

Cooking on the road

Hobs, stoves, ovens, coffee and one-pot cooking.

10 guides in this subject · more in the library below

Food storage

Fridges, cool boxes and keeping food safe.

6 guides in this subject · more in the library below

Looking for something specific? Search all guides or use the planning tools.

All food & cookery guides

51 published guides, 50 of them grouped above. The archive includes legacy material; each page explains its editorial status.

Food & Cookery

12V Compressor Fridges UK

A 12V compressor fridge is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade you can make to a campervan. With one, you have cold beer, fresh milk

6 min read

Food & Cookery

2-Burner Gas Hobs (Smev)

The Smev 2-burner gas hob is the most common choice for UK campervan conversions. It's fitted by almost every professional converter and used in thousands

6 min read

Food & Cookery

Best 12V Cool Boxes

A 12V cool box is the budget alternative to a compressor fridge. It costs a fraction of the price (£30-100 vs £250-800), uses more power, and keeps things

6 min read

Food & Cookery

Best Van Life Kitchen Setup UK 2026 Guide

A well-designed campervan kitchen transforms meal times from stressful to enjoyable. Here's how to create a kitchen that works in a small space.

3 min read

Food & Cookery

Kitchen Planning — Know Your Needs

A well-designed kitchen is the heart of any campervan. Whether you're planning simple toast and coffee in the morning or full gourmet meals

4 min read

Food & Cookery

The £500 Kitchen Challenge

Picture this: Rolling hills of the Lake District at dawn, the kettle boiling over your portable stove as mist rises from the valley.

7 min read

Food & Cookery

Drawer vs Upright Fridges

The fridge is the most energy-hungry appliance in a campervan and the one you interact with most often.

5 min read

Food & Cookery

Fridge Power Consumption Tests

The brochure says your 12V compressor fridge uses "12Ah per day at 20°C ambient. " Real-world usage depends on ambient temperature, how often you open

5 min read

Food & Cookery

How To Choose Campervan Stove

A good stove is essential for any van life setup. Whether you're cooking a quick breakfast or a full roast dinner, choosing the right stove affects

4 min read

Food & Cookery

Mastering Camping Stove Van Life

Cooking in a van transforms the everyday act of making a meal into a ritual of freedom and flexibility.

21 min read

Showing 1–24 of 51 guides

Every food & cookery guide, A–Z

The complete index — 51 guides in one place.