Cooking on Car Trips – The Cooking Equipment

Heat source

I was always used to travelling on foot and being very minimalistic with my cookware, but in this case, when we have a whole car, we are able to pack a few more useful items. Of course, your most important piece of gear will be a heat source. A gas stove is great for this purpose — reliable, efficient and with the fuel readily available in different shops. An alcohol stove is also good, but it’s not as efficient as the gas one. Grill or other wood burners, on the other hand, are less practical.

Not every place will allow for an open fire (sometimes because of the lack of fuel, sometimes because of local laws), and even if you have your own coal/firewood, it takes some time to light it up. However, if you are planning on buying fresh ingredients on your trip, the grill can become an awesome choice. Grilled steak or fish, some roasted vegetables or cheese, everything coated with a layer of mind-soothing, smoky flavour — that’s a dream come true for any traveller after a long, busy day. So, if fresh food is available and you have some free time to cook, the grill is definitely the smart option.

Cooking and dining gear

The type of utensils varies depending on environmental conditions and the number of travellers. If you’re travelling alone or with 1-2 people, a standard-sized frying pan and two small pots with lids should be enough to cook in. But if you’re cooking for more people, consider taking bigger pots and a pan or, if lighting fires is possible, a large Hungarian-style pot to cook in. When it comes to plates, they’re not that necessary when there are only 1-3 travellers — you can eat together straight from the cooking vessel. If you decide you need them, or when you have more people on board, I recommend using just stainless steel bowls — they’re durable, easy to clean, plus you can eat both solid and liquid food from them. Military mess kits are also great for that purpose, but don’t use aluminium and plastic ones — both plastic and aluminium can be harmful to your health, each one in a different way. For cutlery, make sure everybody has their own spoon and a knife. The knife can be of any type — a pocket knife, penknife, bushcraft knife or regular butter knife, just something to cut the food and spread butter. A fork isn’t necessary, but can be nice to have — that’s why sporks are also a great option.

Cleaning

Always remember to take some sponges, cloths and dish soap to clean your utensils after use. You may take a big bowl for washing your dishes and fresh produce — the bowl may even be foldable. Dirty water should never be poured into or near water sources. You should dig a hole in the ground, at least 20-50 meters from the nearest body of water, and pour the dirty water into the hole where the soil will act as a natural filter. Of course, if you can use a sink to do the dishes, take the opportunity.

Other kitchen utensils

If you have the equipment above, you’ll be well-prepared. The things I’ll write down in this paragraph can just make your life easier.

• Cutting board — especially useful when dealing with fresh ingredients. Canned and dry goods usually don’t require any cutting, but if you want to prepare something special using local veggies and other stuff, the board will come in handy. If possible, use a wooden board. Plastic ones can be easier to transport, but they may expose you to microplastics, which can be harmful.
• Chef’s knife — for most of the cooking, a penknife or other EDC knife is enough, but if you want to make some bigger meals (e.g. for a larger group), a proper knife is really the key to success. It takes more space and care than a simple pocket knife, but when paired with a cutting board, it allows for fast cutting and easy meal prep.
• Foldable table — it’s always more convenient to cook on a raised surface. Not every place you stop in will have a table or counter available, so if you have some spare space in the car, consider bringing one along. If you don’t have extra space, you can always use one of your crates/boxes turned upside down as a makeshift table.
• Campfire kettle — if you drink coffee or tea every day, this one is for you! Having a vessel dedicated to boiling water is very useful when you want to have your daily hot drink. If everybody in the party drinks the same stuff, you can make the beverage straight in the kettle, not worrying about flavour transfers between different drinks.
• Grate — when cooking over a campfire, the grate can be very useful to put your pots on or to use as a grill. In Scandinavian countries, where campfires are legal, a grate makes outdoor cooking much easier.
• Trays — you can also use box lids for that purpose. You don’t always get to cook exactly on the side of your vehicle, but you still don’t want to carry a few big crates to the cooking spot. Trays allow you to take just the ingredients you need and keep them organised.
• Cooking spatulas and spoons — they make it more comfortable to cook larger quantities of food. You can always substitute them with a flattened stick, but it will never be as good as a proper spatula.
• Ladle — very useful when cooking for many people and serving soup or stew. You can use a mug to portion the food instead, but it’s not the most hygienic and practical method.

If you have your own experiences with long car travels and cooking, write your thoughts in the comments below — I’m sure there are plenty of things I didn’t cover in this article, so every extra bit of knowledge is welcome.