Unlike most European vacations, where you can always count on a restaurant or shop being close by, Iceland is different.
You will be out in the wilderness for many days. Services will be rare. So it would be wise to make a meal plan, stock up on groceries, and cook for yourself. Besides, cooking is half the fun of camping!
Cooking on the road vs. eating out in a restaurant in Iceland
Eating out in restaurants in Iceland can get very expensive. When people say “food in Iceland is expensive,” they usually mean restaurants. However, shopping in supermarkets is quite comparable to American prices.
If you are traveling around Iceland in a motorhome, we highly recommend using the kitchen facilities in your motorhome. By cooking most of your meals, you can be more strategic about when and where you want to eat out. Plus, being able to eat out without having to search for a restaurant is one of the main advantages of renting a motorhome.
The Basics of Cooking in a Motorhome in Iceland
At the time of writing, we live permanently in our own DIY RV in the US. So we knew a little about how to cook in a car before we arrived in Iceland. But for those who have never cooked in a RV, here are some of our tips.
Meal Plan: Whether you’re exploring Iceland for 2 days or 2 weeks, we highly recommend making a meal plan before (or during) your trip to the grocery store. The refrigerators and cabinets in these motorhomes are small, and there’s not much room for extra supplies. So make a plan, buy what you need, and try to minimize waste.
Pack snacks for the road: We could have done better on this one. Iceland is very big and long, so you will spend a lot of time driving. Having good snacks on the road will be very useful between meals.
Reduce the number of dishes: Washing dishes in a motorhome can be a real challenge. The sink is small, there is no hot water, and it is a big struggle not to get everything wet. The smart thing to do is to reduce the number of dishes you use. We cooked a lot of “one-pot meals” and no-cook breakfasts/lunch to reduce the number of dishes. Most campsites have a dishwasher, so if we wanted to do something more complicated, we waited until we were at the campsite.
No-cook breakfasts/lunch: Not only do these meals cut down on the number of dishes you have to wash, they’re also quicker than cooking a hot meal. This is great for early mornings or when you’re just too busy.
Get rid of excess packaging: As soon as you get back to the RV with your groceries, go through your purchases and throw away all the excess packaging. Wrappings, boxes, etc. If something doesn’t need to be wrapped, put it away. The benefits are twofold: 1.) You’ll be able to fit more food in your small refrigerator 2.) A trash can right in front of the store. This is the easiest and most convenient time to get rid of your trash. Otherwise, you’ll have to store it in the RV until you find another trash can.
Be aware of the wind: Iceland is incredibly windy. Being able to cook inside your vehicle is one of the main benefits of renting a motorhome. On very windy (or rainy) days, it’s best to cook inside. You can open the front windows slightly to let in some fresh air, which will help reduce condensation.
On calmer days, you can cook outside, but you should position your motorhome so that the wind is at your back – if possible.
Where to buy groceries in Iceland
There are tons of places to buy groceries in Iceland. Here is a list of some of the more common places you will see during your travels, and this post includes maps of all the locations of each store!
Bonus: This was the store where we bought 90% of our groceries. It has a cult following among American travelers to Iceland. It offers a wide selection of relatively inexpensive items and has a quirky logo with a drunken pig. They had a pretty large meat section, but not a lot of fresh vegetables – which is understandable for an island nation just south of the Arctic Circle! You can find everything you need here.
Kronan: Another budget grocery store, similar in size and assortment to Bonus.
Netto: A true supermarket that sells more than just food; this is another budget option with a wide selection of products.
Hagkaup: Open 24 hours a day, this hypermarket sells almost everything. However, the products here are significantly more expensive than in other stores.
Kjarval: This chain has several small stores in small towns around the country. We stopped at the store in Vík (basically the only one in town). It had all the necessary assortment and a nice layout, but the prices were higher and the selection was limited.
Duty Free at Keflavik Airport: If you want to drink alcohol in Iceland, this is the cheapest option. Where is it? Don’t worry, they make all international arrivals to Iceland go through the duty free shop, so you won’t miss out!
What you need to know about buying groceries in Iceland
Bring a jacket: Meat, dairy, and vegetable sections are usually in separate coolers, so if you’re procrastinating trying to transfer ingredients and compare prices, you could get really cold.
Pay with a credit card with a chip: As everywhere in Iceland, you can pay for groceries with a credit card with a chip. No PIN is required (like at gas stations), but you will be asked to sign.
You’ll need to buy a bag (or bring your own): Iceland recently banned single-use plastic shopping bags, so you’ll need to buy one or bring your own. Bonus sells medium-strength reusable plastic bags, which we repurposed during our trip as a laundry bag, a dirty shoe bag, and ultimately a trash bag. They also sell heavy-duty reusable bags.
Self-service checkout: We only encountered a few self-service machines in the grocery stores we visited, but they all had English as an option. So don’t worry.
Must-try foods in Iceland
Pylsur (Hot Dogs): Forget the overrated fermented ake and 羊 battle, Iceland’s true national food is the humble hot dog. Judging by the fact that every store we visited had an entire wall dedicated to hot dogs, it’s safe to assume they’re pretty popular in Iceland. And we soon found out why.
These are not your standard American hot dogs. Icelandic hot dogs are mostly made from lamb with a bit of beef and pork added, giving them a rich and vibrant flavor. They also have a natural casing that gives off a very nice crunch with every bite. It’s a lot better than American hot dogs and definitely worth a try.
Pylsusinnep (Hot Dog Sauce): This sweet brown mustard sauce is a must-have for Icelandic hot dogs. If you’re having hot dogs, then you need to have Pylsusinnep. It’s also great on sandwiches or mixed with scrambled eggs.
Remoulade: Another must-have hot dog sauce with a multitude of uses. This is actually a French tartare sauce, most commonly found in Louisiana cuisine in the U.S. Yes, it tastes great on hot dogs, but it also goes well with any seafood or red meat.
Cronions: These crispy onion rings were the best find of the trip for us. They make everything taste better. Hot dogs, pasta, scrambled eggs, salmon. Basically, every meal we cooked in the RV, we found a way to add cronions.
Skyr: A distinctive Icelandic dairy product, skyr is similar in texture and flavor to Greek yogurt (but, in our opinion, much better). It’s so thick and creamy that it’s hard to even compare. Skyr is available in the U.S., but it’s considered a specialty product and comes at a price. In Iceland, however, skyr is incredibly cheap. So we ate it all the time. For breakfast, as a snack, after dinner, and even as dessert (Isey makes a skyr-flavored crème brûlée).
Kleina/Kleinur: These are popular cardamom-flavored pastries made from dough, tied into a knot and fried. They go perfectly with your morning coffee!
Rúgbrauð: This is a dense rye bread that was traditionally baked in a container by burying it near a hot spring. It is now baked using more traditional methods, but if you come across “hverabrauð” you will know it is the real deal.
Ready-made salads and dips: Bonus had an entire section dedicated to containers of ready-made salads and dips. We bought tuna salad, spicy tuna salad, turmeric hummus, and a few others. They were perfect for spreading on bread and making a quick sandwich for lunch.
Smjor (Icelandic Butter): The Icelandic cow – imported directly from Norway – has been genetically isolated for over a thousand years. The best way to appreciate its uniqueness is to try the local smjor.
Easy meal ideas while traveling in Iceland
Breakfast: Skyr & granola, scrambled eggs, pre-mixed Icelandic pancakes
Lunches: Hot dogs, rúgbrauð, prepared salads
Dinners: Salmon with potatoes, chicken or canned beans with curry, pasta with pesto and fresh pasta, tortillons or ravioli
