The Ultimate Guide to Packing Your Nomad Kitchen
As a nomad, having a functional kitchen is important. You aren’t on vacation eating every meal out, but it can be challenging to decide what to bring and what to leave behind. In this guide, we will provide you with a list of essential items to bring, items to leave behind, and optional items to consider packing to make your nomad kitchen more manageable.
Things to bring:
Spices: These are expensive to repurchase everywhere you go. We found poor quality spices, if any, of the places we stayed at, which made some of our favorite recipes taste bland.
Air Fryer: This is a great appliance to bring as many locations don’t come with a microwave. It's an efficient and quick way to reheat leftovers without turning on the oven or stove.
Rice cooker: If you eat a lot of rice or rice-based dishes, this is a must-have appliance. We used it extensively during our travels.
Kitchen knives: If you love to cook, bring your own knives as the kitchens may not be equipped with quality products. We brought a set of knives that came with covers and a traveling case for easy packing and storage.
Reusable water bottles: This is a win-win for the environment and your wallet.
Kitchen basics: Bring aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and plastic bags, as these are things you use regularly in the kitchen and won't be provided.
Brita filter: Not all locations will have refrigerators large enough for in-fridge water and ice, and water quality everywhere is different. Investing in a small Brita filter saved us a lot in single-use plastic bottles
Cleaning supplies: Keep the basics on hand with disinfectant wipes, window cleaner wipes, dish soap, dishwasher pods, paper towels and sponges. Opt for the convenience and avoid bulky bottles.
What to Leave:
Air popper: While an air popper may seem like a must-have for popcorn lovers, it can take up too much space in your car. Consider alternatives, from a rough lesson learned.
Glassware: We received a nice etched glass as a thoughtful gift, but it is stressful trying to protect it from place to place. Consider leaving the fragile glassware at home and using what’s available.
Coffee machine: Landlords tend to provide quality coffee machines in their rental properties. Some went as far as providing filters and the first bag of beans.
Wine key: Most rental properties will already have a wine key available for guests to use. Consider leaving yours at home to avoid the hassle of keeping track of it.
Full bar: Traveling with fragile liquor and wine bottles is an unnecessary stress. Consider buying as needed and in small quantities.
Multiple small appliances: While it may be tempting to pack your entire kitchen, consider being strategic. Small appliances can be bulky, fragile, and difficult to move place to place. For us it was the rice cooker and air fryer. The blender, mixer and slow cookers are all packed away.
Kitchen towels: These should be provided, so there's no need to bring your own.
By leaving behind these items, you can lighten your load and make your nomad kitchen more manageable. Don't let unnecessary items weigh you down on your travels.
Optional items we travel with:
Cloth napkins: They are reusable, eco-friendly, and can help you save money on paper towels or paper napkins. Additionally, they can be used to protect other fragile items like a glass lid to your rice cooker, when you’re on the move.
Chopsticks: These small and versatile utensils can come in handy when you are traveling. If you already use them in your daily routine, there is no reason not to bring them with you.
Cocktail shaker: If you enjoy mixing your own drinks, a cocktail shaker may be worth packing. While it is not essential, it can add some fun to your travels, but you can still enjoy a good drink without one.
