It’s an inevitability of any great RV trip: eventually, you’re going to get hungry. And while it’s great that your RV has a kitchen to help you solve that problem, not all recipes are ideal for the confines of a recreational vehicle. That’s why we’ve put together some RV cooking tips to keep things simple and mess-free without sacrificing flavor or quality.
Search for “One-Pot” Recipes
You may have heard of “one-pot” recipes, which you can start and finish in the same piece of cookware. These recipes are ideal for RV traveling, because they’ll take up minimal space and keep your tiny kitchen working at optimal capacity.
Even though many “one-pot” recipes aren’t designed specifically for RVs, you might want to search for them nonetheless. AllRecipes.com features hundreds of one-pot meals from pasta to casseroles and even pork chop dishes!
Equip Yourself with the Right Cookware
It’s great if you have a fully-loaded kitchen, but any RV will benefit from a few strategic kitchen equipment purchases.
For example, many RV owners swear by the value of the slow cooker. Not only does the slow cooker serve as an ideal vessel for one-pot recipes like those above, it’s an easy way to set a meal and forget it—allowing the cooker to do most of the work.
When you purchase pans, make sure that you invest in those that can also be put in the oven. A cast-iron skillet, for example, can be used for bacon and eggs in the morning or for baking a casserole in the oven.
Buy Fresh Ingredients
One of the advantages of living in an RV is that you’re mobile. Heading to the grocery store to purchase fresh ingredients like herbs and vegetables on the same day you prepare them is much easier. While it’s a good idea to keep plenty of pantry-ready ingredients on hand, try to purchase fresh ingredients as you need them. That can give you a better-tasting dish while helping you to save some storage space.
Which ingredients are best to purchase fresh?
- Fish
- Herbs
- Tomatoes
- Vegetables like lettuce, spinach, and asparagus
- Bread
- Fruit, especially berries
Pantry-Friendly Foods Are Great Too
While it’s a good idea to buy fresh ingredients for cooking, you won’t always want to cook in your RV. It helps to have plenty of additional ingredients that don’t take up a lot of space but do add a lot of flavor and heft to any meal.
Items like canned fish (tuna and sardines), peanut butter, canned tomato sauce or paste, chocolate, seasoning packets and mixes, and canned beans can make additions to any meal or even help you create your own meals without the need for cooking.
For Large Groups, Consider Cooking Outside
If you’re hosting a large group from your RV, you might want to consider grilling outside. Using a grill with plenty of space allows you to cook different types of meat and vegetables at once, which might be a problem if you’re working solely from a stove.
You can also use a grill to supplement your cooking space, especially grills that are designed to be mobile for these sorts of purposes. Camping grills are often designed specifically for this kind of mobility!
Enjoy a Great Meal in Your RV
With these tips, you’ll be able to accomplish a surprising amount of cooking in your RV. Just remember a few rules: know the location of your fire extinguisher, keep the cooking area clear for safety, and always keep the kitchen area clean, even while you cook. It’s also a good idea to keep plenty of RV cleaning products handy to clean as you go. A clean kitchen is a safer kitchen and will make cooking a much more enjoyable experience!
