For travellers who prefer to cook their own meals while on holiday, the quality of kitchen equipment in rental properties can be a major source of frustration. After spending four months in various rentals across Europe and the UK, one seasoned traveller has compiled definitive packing lists to ensure you can cook effectively, whether you're flying with hand luggage or driving with a car boot at your disposal.
The Flying Holiday Toolkit: Packing Light and Smart
When travelling by air, especially with carry-on luggage only, your options are limited but strategic. Holiday rentals are notoriously lacking in sharp knives, and you cannot pack your own blades in hand luggage. The solution? A small, pull-through knife sharpener. This compact tool can transform the dull knives you'll likely find into usable implements.
Other essential items for the flying traveller include an immersion heater for boiling water in a mug—a lifesaver in rooms without kettles—and a universal adaptor. For a touch of holiday cheer, a lightweight plastic champagne sealer will help preserve your bubbles. If you have checked luggage, you gain the luxury of packing a decent knife with a sheath, a portable coffee-maker like an Aeropress (which can also brew tea), and a reliable vegetable peeler, which is often absent or blunt in rentals.
The Driving Holiday Advantage: Luxury and Extras
The beauty of a motoring holiday is the space a car boot provides. This allows for a few extravagant extras that can dramatically improve your cooking-away-from-home experience. For rental accommodation, consider packing a rotary cheese grater or a Microplane to safely grate parmesan without risking your fingertips on poorly designed box graters.
A manual pull-through food processor is a versatile rogue entry, perfect for making pesto, guacamole, or salsa. A salad spinner is crucial for avoiding gritty or soggy leaves, and a soda maker can provide fizzy water without the plastic waste. For those mixing hotel stays into their itinerary, a set of reusable plastic bowls and spoons allows for simple, economical breakfasts if there's a bar fridge for milk and yoghurt.
Hotel Stays and On-the-Road Solutions
Even in hotel rooms, limited self-catering is possible and can help economise. With a small chopping board, a sharp knife, and a bread knife, you can assemble cheese boards, antipasto platters, or ploughman's lunches. To keep perishables cool between stops, a 12V portable car refrigerator is ideal, though a small cooler with a well-sealed bag of ice can also suffice.
The key takeaway for any holiday chef is preparedness. By packing a small, curated selection of tools tailored to your mode of transport, you can ensure your holiday meals are a pleasure to prepare, not a battle with inadequate equipment.
