Everyone knows the feeling when you get back from the pre-trip grocery shop and realise you forgot the necessary staples, or even worse yet, when you arrive to your first campsite. Or sometimes you find a creative recipe idea while you’re on the road or can't find particular items in small country town convenient stores. To avoid the disappointment of missing out on a pantry staple, here are 10 must-have ingredients to keep in your caravan at all times.
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Salt and Pepper
Salt and pepper rarely hit the bottom of the shaker so it’s awesome to have on board permanently (rather than taking it from house to caravan for each trip). They are affordable so it won’t break the bank having two sets in your life. Salt and pepper really does add to every meal so it’s worthwhile having it on board at all times.
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Plain Flour
You never know when you may need a bit of flour for that on-the-road recipe that pops up in your Facebook newsfeed. Maybe you’ll be whipping up your own bread, cupcakes or pancakes amongst some of nature’s best backdrops? Either way, if you do decide to keep flour in your caravan for emergencies, keep it in an airtight container to ensure it lasts.
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Pasta and Pasta Sauce
After a long day out on the road you may not feel like cooking the meal you had planned on the itinerary. Ensuring you always have a spare packet or two of pasta and a jar of your favourite sauce, means you will always have a quick meal on hand, ready to go with just a pot of boiling water.
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Honey
If you run out of sugar for you cup of tea or need something sweet to add to your damper, honey is a wonderful product to keep on hand. It also has amazing natural healing powers for a range of different ailments that you may encounter while you’re out in the bush.
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Coconut Oil
Whether you need something to cook with or you want to add some flavour to your salad or dessert, coconut oil is a healthy and flavoursome alternative to other types of oil and has a long shelf life – perfect for you to keep in the van permanently.
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Nuts
Nuts are a great healthy and tasty treat, as well as an exciting addition to boring salds or dinners. Savoury or sweet, nuts are a versatile food to have on standby when you’re hitting the road.
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Quinoa/Rice
With a super fast cooking speed and long shelf life, both of these tasty whole grains are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.
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Stock cubes
Ready on hand for your next soup, stew, broth or all of the above – stock cubes (vegetable, chicken or beef) are amazingly handy to have on board. Stock cubes will bring your creations to life with flavour that would be hard to get otherwise (at least not without a lot of your usual fresh ingredients out on the road). They are compact and small for small caravan kitchens but can bring big flavour to your dishes.
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Tuna
Remember that pasta I mentioned earlier? Well, add some tuna to it for a bit of sustenance and protein. It’s also a healthy way to bulk up your salad when you want to fill up without resorting to breads and pastas. Like most tinned food, canned tuna will last a long time, so you won't have to worry about accidentally leaving it in the van.
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Long Life Milk
Never go without your late night cuppa again! Make sure you always have a carton (or two) of long life milk in your caravan. You don’t have to get the big 1L cartons if you’re conscious of space restrictions in your van, as there are plenty of small emergency size options perfect for your next trip.
This list of 10 must-have ingredients for your caravan will ensure you always have enough to make a quick, flavoursome meal until you can get to your next grocery shop. We’d love to hear any other suggestions for grocery items that you should never leave home without. Sharing is caring, right?
DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.
