I cooked dinner for 2 in a camper van's small kitchen, and it was surprisingly easy

Frank OlitoFeb 23, 2021, 21:53 IST

I cooked dinner in a camper van.Frank Olito/ Insider

I cooked taco bowls for two in a camper van's small kitchen.
Chopping vegetables and cooking the meat on the gas stovetop were surprisingly very easy tasks.
The hardest part of the process was washing dishes in the van.

People who live in camper vans full-time often photograph themselves cooking outside on small hot plates in the middle of a beautiful forest, or as they're cooking a delicious meal in their small kitchen in their van.

Determined to find out what van life is really like, I rented a camper van back in January and took a short road trip from New York City through New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Since most of the restaurants were closed or had limited capacity along my route, I thought it was the perfect time to see if cooking really as is easy as vanlifers on Instagram make it out to be.

From grocery shopping to washing dishes, here's what it was like to cook dinner for two in a camper van.

When I stepped into the camper van for the first time, I was surprised to find a full kitchen and everything I would need to cook a meal.

The entrance to the van. Frank Olito/ Insider

On one side of the vehicle, there was a large sink and a refrigerator.

The sink and fridge. Frank Olito/ Insider

On the opposite wall, there was a stove, an oven, and plenty of counter space.

The stove on the opposite wall. Frank Olito/ Insider

Plus, the kitchen had a ton of cabinet space for all the kitchenware I was going to need.

The cabinetry. Frank Olito/ Insider

Some of the utensils were creatively hung on the wall - a great way to save space.

The knives on the wall. Frank Olito/ Insider

On our second day in the van, we decided to buy ingredients to cook a simple American taco bowl for an early dinner.

My friend holding up some of our groceries. Frank Olito/ Insider

We decided to cook right there in the grocery store parking lot.

Getting started with the prep. Frank Olito/ Insider

After the countertops were cleared, I started to cut the vegetables.

Cutting the veggies. Frank Olito/ Insider

After the veggies were cut, we started to brown the ground turkey meat on the stove.

Browning the turkey meat. Frank Olito/ Insider

Once the turkey was browned, we had to dump the excess liquid into the sink, which was a challenge.

The browned meat. Frank Olito/ Insider

We then brought all the ingredients together into two bowls and enjoyed our meal.

Our meal. Frank Olito/ Insider

Washing the dishes, however, proved to be a hassle.

Washing dishes. Frank Olito/ Insider

Overall, I was surprised by how easy it was to cook dinner in the camper van.

The kitchen in the camper van. Frank Olito/ Insider

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