Experienced RVers know that for as great as living on the road may be, kitchen space in even the largest RV is extremely limited. The counter space is minimal, the storage space will always be tight, and you really need to get creative to cram everything you need into your refrigerator. Then there’s also the fact your cookware is limited from the space and storage constraints. Despite all these obstacles, great RV cooking is possible in such a small space you. With a little bit of ingenuity and a fair amount of patience, you can prepare outstanding meals in your RV regardless of the size and how many you need to fit. Here are some tips to keep top of mind.
Plan ahead
Plan out meals at least a few days in advance and shop accordingly. How many days you can shop for will depend on the number of people you’re feeding, and refrigerator and storage space. The less comfortable you are in the kitchen, the more important it is to plan as planning will make you feel more in control. Spontaneous RV cooking can work, but you’re more likely to have good results if your meal prep skills are at least at an intermediate level.
Keep it simple
You’d be hard pressed to find a person who doesn’t love being presented with a fancy plate of high quality and well prepared food. From a cooking standpoint, those meals are usually best left at home in a better equipped kitchen. For RV cooking, it’s best to streamline and simplify meaning meals that can be made in a single pot or pan.
Buy good cookware
While it may be tempting to pick up a whole cookware set for your RV kitchen, it’s just not practical. There’s simply no place to put it, and you probably don’t have enough burners to use them all anyway. Instead, buy a large six or eight quart pot. Stainless steel is good, but cast iron may be better. A large crock pot is also great for RV cooking. Keep in mind you’ll need a reliable source of electricity though for at least four and as many as eight hours to use it.
Prep ahead of time
If you know you’ll be cooking in your RV for multiple days, try to do all of your chopping, slicing, cutting, and ingredient portioning in one session. Having zip lock bags or small containers on hand will help with storage. Doing this will not only save time, but also water because you won’t have to wash as many cutting boards and knives each day. If you’re going out in your RV for just a few days, prepping everything in your home kitchen before leaving will cut down on meal prep time once on the road. You could also buy your ingredients pre-prepped.
Cold meals
You don’t have to cook anything to have a great meal. Having cold meals is great in the summer or in warmer climates because you don’t have to heat up your entire vehicle by cooking hot food.
Cook once, eat twice
Plan for, store, and eat leftovers. This may not be easy to do if you have a lot of people to feed. However, if you’re camping with a smaller group, this is a great way to maximize your fun time and still have enjoyable and affordable meals when everyone gets hungry.
Skip the kitchen and use fire
RV cooking doesn’t have to mean it’s done inside. Head outside and cook your meal over a grill or campfire. Many RV parks have fire pits and grills for guests so you may not even need to bring your own. When you cook outside, there’s usually very little prep needed to get the flavors you want. Nothing beats the taste of food cooked over an open fire.
Clean up
It’s the least fun part of cooking whether in your RV or at home, but it has to be done. Letting dirty dishes pile up in your small RV kitchen sink will smell bad, attract bugs, and discourage you from eating more meals in or around the vehicle. Have everyone pitch in with the washing, drying, and putting away, and it shouldn’t take long at all.