Camping holidays are coming up, and whether you’re with family or friends, it’s a good idea to plan a few things ahead of time. Mealtimes often feel like a chore during vacations, but with the right meal ideas for your mobile home holiday, they can become a fun and enjoyable part of the trip if everything is well prepared.
Kitchen equipment in mobile homes
No matter which campsite you choose for your holiday, the kitchen facilities inside mobile homes are generally quite similar from one place to another.
The kitchen area includes a countertop with a built-in sink and stovetop. The sink usually has enough space next to it to let your dishes or freshly washed vegetables drain.
As for the countertop, it’s large enough to hold the coffee maker and kettle provided by the campsite. However, it’s still too small to allow several people to cook at once. One person can wash dishes at the sink while another tends to pots on the stove, but only one person can really use the countertop for peeling or chopping ingredients, for example.
The kitchen is also equipped with a fridge that includes a freezer or icebox, and a microwave oven. Plus, all the basic cooking utensils you might need are provided in mobile homes.
Even though the compact kitchen doesn’t offer all the space and tools needed for group cooking, it’s still the perfect setup for preparing tasty meals during your holiday with friends.
These appliances and utensils are often the same as those you’d find in a fully equipped camper van.
Easy meal ideas
Good holidays also go through the stomach. And while cooking isn’t always a joy, preparing meals together can quickly turn into a fun group activity. Here are a few easy meal ideas that are practical to make in a small mobile home kitchen and perfect for camping.
Salads: a complete meal
Salads are adaptable to every taste and craving. Colorful and full of variety, they can be endlessly customized with all sorts of ingredients. You can make:
- A rice salad with fish or chicken
- A tomato and mozzarella salad
- A lentil salad
- A pasta salad
- A potato salad
- A Lyonnaise salad
- A fruit salad
- And more
Not only are salads delicious, but they’re also a great meal idea for camping in a mobile home. They’re healthy, varied, and can serve as either a main dish or a simple starter.
Basic ingredients like eggs, corn, tomatoes, or ham are more than enough to make something tasty. But you can also go for more refined ingredients like sausage, seeds, duck breast, cervelas, spices, cheese, and so on.
Barbecue: the summer meal
Just like soup is made for winter, the barbecue is the go-to summer meal for camping holidays—always a crowd-pleaser. And while most people think of meat when they hear “barbecue,” it can be used for all kinds of meals.
In the morning, you can toast bread on the grill. Add some homemade jam or chocolate spread, and enjoy it with a glass of fruit juice or a nice cup of coffee.
For lunch and dinner, the barbecue is great for cooking fish, meat, or vegetables in any form—skewered, wrapped in foil, or grilled in slabs. It works with just about everything.
Even for snacks, you can grill fruit skewers, stuff fruit with chocolate or caramel, or even make sweet grilled sandwiches. As you can see, the barbecue is your best summer companion for cooking. Whatever your family or friends like to eat, there’s something for everyone.
Other meal ideas
If salads and barbecues aren’t enough, there are plenty of other meals you can prepare in a mobile home.
You can cook all kinds of quiches, tarts, and gratins using ingredients similar to those in salads. You could also organize a casual get-together with your mobile home neighbors. Each person brings something, and you just add the peanuts, snacks, and cured sausage everyone loves.
If you’re heading out for a full day of exploring, sandwiches are a great choice. Add a bag of chips and a fruity or chocolatey dessert—an easy and practical meal idea for mobile home holidays. Like salads, sandwiches can be made to suit everyone’s tastes.
Local markets near Lyon
If you want to cook while staying at a campsite near Lyon, it’s best to choose seasonal, local products. And what better way to do that than by visiting nearby markets to discover fresh ingredients for your camping meals?
If you’re staying in a campsite close to Lyon, you’ll find plenty of markets to explore, offering everything you need for a delicious and authentic food experience.
Vourles Market
The fruit market in Vourles (69) is known for opening at the “sound of the bell”—6:30 p.m. in summer and 3:00 p.m. in winter.
If you’re staying in a campsite open all year round, Vourles Market is perfect both in summer and winter. In summer, it’s open every day for one hour, and in winter, every Wednesday and Saturday. You’ll find fresh, seasonal fruits—just what you need to prepare great meals at the campsite.
Markets in Lyon 2
If you’re camping in Lyon, you’ll want to explore the markets in the city itself. In the 2nd arrondissement, there are two markets worth visiting.
The Saint-Antoine food market is located on Quai Saint-Antoine. It’s open all year round every morning except Mondays, and offers a wide range of products: fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, cold cuts, cheese, bread, and more.
You can also visit the farmers’ market at Place Carnot every Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. There, you’ll find plenty of local delights including fresh produce, dairy and cheese, meat and charcuterie, plants, honey, wine, and more.
Markets in Saint-Genis-Laval
While staying in a campsite around Lyon, you’ll have the chance to visit the three markets in Saint-Genis-Laval—great places to stock up for your camping meals.
The mixed market takes place every Tuesday morning on Place des Collonges and every Friday morning on Place Jaboulay. As the name suggests, these markets offer a variety of goods.
You can also check out the organic market every Wednesday morning on Place Jaboulay, where over 20 vendors sell only certified organic products.
Chaponost Market
The local producers’ market in Chaponost is held on the Bellevue parking lot—perfect if you’re camping nearby.
It takes place every Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and offers a range of fully local products.