7 tips for eating whilst travelling in a camper van

So you have a campervan to go traveling in, woo, give yourself a pat on the back as I really do believe it is the best way to see some of the world. But if you are a newbie and haven't done it before, here are some important tips food related that we found out whilst out on the road because lets face it, food is one of THE most important things ever. #Foodie

Number 1: You've got to make sure your campervan has the basics covered to fully embrace eating out in the wild such as a hob - and it really does only need to be one - and a fridge. Once you've got that right you should then go ahead and stocking up on supplies - easier said than done.

The road to Glenorchy from Queenstown - the perfect spot for lunch

Number 2: We picked up our campervan in Christchurch by the airport. We paid extra to have satnav available in the van just to make sure we didn't get lost and one of the first things we did was look for a supermarket to go and stuck up on food bits. Hurrah, one was only a 15 minute drive away so we headed off, forgetting we were about to take this monster of a beast with us into a city centre with small roads, and even smaller corners to turn into. I don't why we didn't think about it, of course driving a camper van around a city is going to be awkward! You have to think about the extra space you need, and then when it comes to parking, well, you need a whole road in my opinion just to make sure you don't hit anything. So when it came to getting into the supermarket car park... we were stuck, and at one point I didn't think we would get out of it, but with the hubby directing outside and patience, we managed it, parked up on the road and headed in to stock up on our groceries.

So there we are, we've now got our shopping, pretty happy with our loot, a few goodies as well as some basics, and we are back in the campervan. We put the fresh stuff in the fridge - is it me or are the fridges in there a lot smaller than they look - and then we put the dry stuff in bags on the seat to sort out later as we hadn't even unpacked our cases at that point. What a mistake that was! Again what you don't think about is velocity when driving a campervan... so a word of warning to anyone, things move around, a lot, when left on seats in a campervan. No matter how slow you move around a corner or how slow you go over bumps, things fly everywhere. We drove for 30 minutes out of the city and then had to stop to pick up EVERYTHING that had fallen on the floor. Looking back at it now it's quite funny, but at the time I was cursing until I was blue in the face.

Our camper van in New Zealand

Number 3:One pot meals will be a lifesaver for you. Not only will it save you on the washing up, but its just so much easier and quicker to make. We made a lot of Bolognese (minus the pasta) and a lot of chicken in some sort of sauce with vegetables. Just imagine pulling up on the side of the road surrounded by no-one, with a mountain view sipping on an ice cold cider and a homemade meal in the middle of no-where, bliss!

Number 4: From a snack perspective we lived off of crisps, or chips if you are american, and to go along with it New Zealand's fabulous chip dip which again was super easy to do and store in a campervan.

Parking up for dinner near the Franz Joseph glacier

Number 5: This is more of a don't forget tip. Yes you have a hob and sink, this is ace for travelling about, but don't forget the waste water has to go somewhere. So if you don't drain the tank every other day it will stink! Something we learnt very very quickly. You can do this when at a camp site parked up, they have excellent facilities.

Number 6: Embrace eating outside, but beware of bugs. Theres something about eating outside that makes you feel somehow free, at least it does for me. So you have your one pot meal, your ice cold cider, your view with peace and quiet, but there will be bugs. I found that by hanging a bag with water and vinegar nearby draws the attention away form you.

Morning view for breakfast - up in the clouds

Number 7: Depending on how long you are travelling for you have to buy at least these 2 things to make every dish taste wonderful. Salt & Pepper! Don't underestimate the power of a good seasoning whilst away, if you only buy the one/two staple condiments make sure it is them.

Did I miss anything out?