Traveling around the world — a dream for many, but the budget can sometimes get in the way. Eating out in particular can quickly become expensive. No worries! With a little creativity and handy tools like your kettle, you can easily whip up delicious, budget-friendly meals while on the go. How about warming up soup in your kettle, for example? This blog is full of tips on how to cook cheap meals during your round trip, with smart kettle recipes that are easy to make. Perfect if you want to save money on food and not depend on restaurants or pricey accommodations.
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The challenge: tasty meals without a kitchen, but with a kettle
A kettle is ideal if you want to cook budget-friendly meals while traveling. With a few simple tricks you can quickly and cheaply prepare tasty dishes, even without access to a full kitchen. Think of easy kettle recipes like instant noodles, couscous, or a warm breakfast.
Traveling with a backpack or moving from hotel to hotel often means you don’t have access to a real kitchen. No problem! With a bit of adaptability and smart choices, you can still prepare healthy and flavorful meals, even with limited resources. Your best travel buddy? Your kettle! This essential gadget heats water in no time, giving you surprisingly many cooking options. And almost every hotel provides one.
7x cheap meals to cook with a kettle while traveling
1. Mac & Cheese
Most supermarkets sell easy meals perfect for travel, and Mac & Cheese is one of them. If you’re lucky, you’ll find an instant Mac & Cheese pack like we did (see photo at the top of this blog). Otherwise, just add boiling water to some macaroni. Didn’t cook through the first time? Drain it and add another batch of boiling water. The macaroni will cook eventually.
Tastes great with a fresh salad!
2. Heating canned vegetables with a kettle
Many vegetables can easily be heated with a kettle. All you need is a heat-resistant bowl or pan and your kettle. Put the vegetables inside, pour boiling water over them, and drain. Works perfectly for beans or carrots from a jar or can.
Just make sure you have a can opener before buying canned food — chances are you didn’t pack one! In that case, you can also look for frozen vegetables instead.
3. Instant noodles
A classic when it comes to kettle meals. Just add the required amount of boiling water and enjoy!
4. Heat soup in a kettle
This one might surprise you, but it’s one of my favorites! You can also heat soup using a kettle, as long as your kettle is large enough.
Buy a bag of (fresh) soup — not a jar, but a bag like those you find in Dutch supermarkets (think Unox-style soup bags). These are perfect for warming up in a kettle since the heat spreads evenly through the bag.
Fill the kettle halfway and bring the water to a boil. Then carefully press the soup bag into the kettle until it’s fully submerged (watch your fingers!). Leave it in for at least 5 minutes so the hot water transfers its warmth to the soup.
If your soup is in a can or glass jar instead, make a hot water bath and place it inside. You might need to reheat the water a few times.
Tastes great with a baguette and your favorite spread!
5. Oatmeal with a twist: make it creamier with warm milk!
Oatmeal is a classic breakfast — quick, simple, and filling. But did you know you can take it to the next level with one simple trick? Warm milk! You’ll need a coffee machine with a cappuccino function for this.
Start by mixing oats with hot water, add some dried fruit, nuts, and honey, and stir well. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then use the cappuccino function of the coffee machine — stop the process right before it adds coffee. Voilà: a touch of warm milk for extra creaminess!
6. Boiling eggs in a kettle
Want something more savory? Try boiling eggs in your kettle (yes, really!). Carefully place them in a heatproof cup or bowl, pour in boiling water, and leave them for 7–8 minutes. They might take a little longer than at home, so keep them in the water a bit more if needed.
You may want to pour in another batch of boiling water to keep the temperature up. It’s best to test one egg first before removing them all. Good luck with your kettle-cooked eggs!
7. Couscous with a bouillon cube
Use the same trick as with macaroni: add boiling water and repeat until it’s fully cooked. Add a bouillon cube for extra flavor. Then mix in any toppings or ingredients you like.
Tip: never put milk directly in the kettle
Milk contains proteins, which burn on the kettle’s heating element — not something your hotel owner will appreciate! So it’s not possible to actually boil milk inside a kettle. However, you can still warm it by pouring the milk into a glass and placing that in a bowl of (boiling) hot water. The heat transfers gradually through the glass to the milk. Or, use the cappuccino function from tip #5.
Be careful with what you put in hotel kettles
Not every hotel will appreciate your creative use of the kettle. If they notice you didn’t leave it clean, you might get charged for it later. During our round trip through New Zealand, we even saw signs about this in several hotel rooms.
If you use your kettle wisely, it can save you a lot of money on food while traveling. Cooking cheap meals with a kettle is a budget tip worth remembering, especially for long trips.
Hopefully these tips help you cook more cheap kettle meals during your upcoming trip! Feel free to browse our travel blog full of advice about destinations like Iceland, New Zealand, Oman, and the American West — all by LetsTravel360.
