Cooking in an AirBnB sounds simple until you’re staring at one dull knife, two plates, and a bottle of expired vegetable oil. Most listings say “fully equipped kitchen,” but that often means “barely usable.” You’re lucky if you get a working burner and something that resembles a spatula. Still, it’s totally possible to throw together decent meals without blowing your budget or settling for takeout every night. You just need to shop smart, keep things simple, and lower your expectations a little. These tips will help you make it work without turning vacation dinner into a full-time job.
Check what’s actually in the kitchen before planning anything
The online listing might say “full kitchen,” but that could mean anything from a stocked setup to a single pan and three mismatched forks. Before you grocery shop or start planning meals, go through every drawer and cabinet to see what’s really there. Look for essentials like oil, salt, a spatula, and at least one functioning burner. You might find expired spices or no knives sharper than a spoon. Knowing exactly what’s available helps you plan meals that are actually doable and saves you from buying things you didn’t need or forgetting things you do.
Prioritize one-pan meals
Most AirBnBs don’t come with a full range of pots, pans, or baking gear—and even if they do, they’re usually not great. Stick with meals that only need one pan or pot to cook. Things like stir fries, shakshuka, skillet pasta, or fried rice are easy to adapt based on what’s available. Fewer dishes also means less cleanup in a space where you might be washing everything by hand in a tiny sink with weak water pressure and a sponge that’s seen better days.
Buy versatile ingredients you can reuse
The key to cooking in a short-term rental is getting the most mileage out of a few ingredients. Go for basics that play well together: eggs, tortillas, canned beans, pre-chopped veggies, cheese, and maybe a rotisserie chicken. From those alone, you can throw together wraps, scrambles, quesadillas, or salads without needing to buy sauces or spices you’ll leave behind. It’s less waste, less cost, and way easier to deal with if you’re only staying a few days.
Don’t rely on an oven
Some ovens in vacation rentals are spotless and work great. Others are storage units for old pans, smell like something burned in 2009, or take 30 minutes just to preheat. Stick to stovetop cooking whenever you can. It’s faster, more predictable, and you don’t have to figure out weird temperature conversions or second-guess how clean the oven is. If you really need to bake something, check if the host mentions it in reviews or ask before booking next time.
Shop once and plan for leftovers
When you’re only cooking a few meals, it doesn’t make sense to buy ingredients for seven different dishes. Choose one or two meals that share core ingredients and make enough to eat twice. Cook dinner and eat the rest for lunch the next day, or repurpose the leftovers into something else (last night’s pasta becomes a cold salad, roasted veggies go in an omelet). This keeps shopping minimal, avoids wasting food, and saves time when you’d rather be out doing things.
Pick up a basic seasoning and a ready-made sauce
Most rental kitchens are stocked with dusty paprika and not much else. Grab a small jar of salt and a ready-made sauce like pesto, salsa, or stir-fry sauce on your first grocery run. These don’t take up much space, don’t require cooking, and instantly make whatever you’re throwing together taste better. A single sauce can stretch across multiple meals and save you from bland or dry food with zero extra effort.
Lean into partial meals and shortcut ingredients
You don’t need to cook everything from scratch. Grab a bagged salad mix and bulk it up with beans or grilled meat. Buy par-cooked grains like microwaveable rice or canned lentils to save time. Even something like rotisserie chicken with avocado and store-bought salsa wrapped in a tortilla is still a better option than spending money on takeout every night. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s practicality.
Know when to skip cooking altogether
Sometimes, it’s just not worth the effort. If you’re staying one night or the kitchen is barely usable, grab some good bread, cheese, fruit, and a bottle of wine or a cold drink. You can still make a solid meal out of basic snacks that don’t require any cooking. Knowing when to skip the stove altogether can be the smartest call, especially if you’re running on limited energy or time.
Stick to meals that don’t rely on strict timing
When you’re working with an unfamiliar stove and maybe one pan, it’s safer to make things that don’t fall apart if the timing is off. Scrambles, grain bowls, and quesadillas are hard to mess up. Avoid stuff that needs precision like searing meat or perfectly al dente pasta unless you’re up for a challenge.
Go for pre-cooked proteins to skip extra steps
If you don’t want to deal with raw meat in a shared fridge or questionable kitchen, pick up ready-to-eat proteins like canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, cooked lentils, or rotisserie chicken. You can throw these into salads, wraps, or bowls without touching the stove.
Use the microwave if it works—just test it first
Some rentals have a microwave that’s actually useful, while others are more decorative. Test it with a cup of water before you commit. If it works, you’ve got access to steamed veggies, reheated leftovers, and shortcut grains with zero cleanup.
Make breakfast count
If you’re only cooking one meal a day, breakfast is usually the easiest win. Grab eggs, bread, and something like avocado or yogurt. You can make toast, a scramble, or a breakfast bowl with minimal gear and still feel like you cooked something.
Keep a few no-cook backup meals on hand
Even with the best intentions, sometimes the kitchen setup just doesn’t cooperate. Having a few no-cook options—like wraps, instant oatmeal, or hummus with veggies—means you’re covered when cooking feels like too much. It’s not about being lazy, it’s about being realistic.
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*Select images provided by Depositphotos.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
