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Writer's pictureAndrea Wenzel

Cooking with a Sun Oven: Prepping and Survival on a Budget

Updated: Sep 16, 2022

No power, no gas, no problem!



Sun ovens are the perfect prepping item to buy when you're on a budget. Even though the upfront cost may seem a little high, it's actually not bad when considering all the other factors.


  1. You don't need to buy any fuel. Running a gas stove and a camp oven will require plenty of energy, which comes at a cost. It also involves a lot of space to store all that fuel! Sun ovens are perfect for a small home or apartment prepper who can cook on a sunny balcony or backyard. When you purchase a sun oven, all you need is a sunny day, and you can cook a casserole or soup free. You also don't need matches or lighters. Yep, just the sun oven. That's it! Sun ovens are built to go the distance. They are prevalent in developing countries, and they tend to last around 20 years!


2. This brings me to my next point. You can start cooking with it immediately and make some of that money back. That's right, you can now cook for FREE, which will save lots of $$$ using natural resources. Bring out the solar oven when everyone is busting out their grills on a Saturday afternoon. It's always good to practice with your preparedness items to avoid getting overwhelmed in a real emergency. Plus, it will likely strike up a good conversation as curious neighbors and friends inquire about it. Have a few cold drinks ready when they do strike up a conversation!

It's educational! Bring the kids outside and bake chocolate chip cookies or make smores. What a fun way to teach kids and adults about solar power!


3. They are easy to make. Some people have made them out of pizza boxes, sunshades for your car windows, and even *-aluminum foil.


It wouldn't be fair if I didn't discuss the cons of sun ovens. There are cons!


Obviously, a lack of sunshine is the biggest one. If you want a solar oven as part of your preparedness plan, it should be precisely that, part of the plan.


Sun ovens will require a little finagling throughout the cooking process. The range needs to be pointed directly at the sun to get the best cooking conditions.


Weather. You can cook with sun ovens all year round but expect longer cooking times in subzero temperatures.


We bought this temperature gun for our RV a few years back but now I'm planning to store it with my sun oven. We now use a TPMS and no longer need it for travelling.

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