Last Updated on December 18, 2021
You may have limited space in your RV kitchen, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat great meals. With a few simple steps, you can make the most of your small kitchen and still prep, cook, and eat mouth-watering meals. The whole idea behind the RV lifestyle is to keep things simple, and you can keep your meals simple too with these 6 tips.
1. Meal Planning
You know what you want to eat and what everyone likes, so you can essentially plan what to cook. Make a list of the meals you want to make and then check the cupboards and fridge for supplies. Many RVers like to eat the same meals for even more simplicity, planning for only three or four different meals and rotating them on a schedule. Whatever ingredients you don’t have, add to your shopping list. You may also have to develop new ways to cook foods. For example, boiling corn cobs in a large pan was easy when you had a large stove, but a small RV kitchen makes this difficult. Plan ahead and bring some foil with you, to grill them over the outside grill instead.
2. Keep Easy Foods On Hand
Certain foods or meals are easier to cook than others, so you want to keep these ready to go. Quick meals such as a can of chilli, some bread, and veggies is easy and can be ready in minutes. Making meals at home and freezing them is also easy to save time. Pre-made hamburger patties or lasagna can be frozen and thawed for a quick meal. And a can of tuna can be made into several meals. Boil a bunch of eggs ahead of time for a snack or to make egg sandwiches. Keep an extra loaf of bread in the freezer too. Having these easy foods on hand makes it much simpler to get meals prepared in limited spacing.
3. Invest in a Crock-Pot
Having a crock-pot simplifies cooking for RVers. You can put some potatoes, onions, carrots and a roast in there before you head out for a day of adventure. Stew is waiting for you when you get home for dinner. There are a number of quick and easy meals you can prepare in a crock-pot, so food will always be ready for you at dinnertime. Whatever is not eaten, can be frozen and used again for a quick lunch another day.
4. Freeze Extras
One of the best ways to save on prep time and space is to freeze meals. Whether you make stuff before you hit the road or have extras while RVing, freezing foods saves time. You can have complete meals ready to go with little prep time and only a microwave or crock-pot is needed to get them ready. No messy pots and pans. Of course, you will have to clean the storage containers too but this will still be less work then making an entire meal from scratch.
5. Use The Grill
RVing takes you back to the basic s and back to nature, so cook that way too. Stay out of the kitchen and cook over your grill or bbq. Make sure you load the grill up with whatever fits, and you can save the extras for another day. Grilling hash-browns and sausage for breakfast? Cook enough for two days so you save prep time on the next breakfast. Some grills have very large surfaces, so take advantage of this and cook all you can, so that other meals will be quick and easy.
6. Clean As You Go
With smaller spaces, cleaning up as you go is important. Used dishes can get in the way and full up your small sink quickly. I use a paper towel to wipe everything off before using a soapy sponge and rinsing it off. Wash utensils and dishes as you finish each segment of cooking. This gives you more space to work on the rest of the meal and makes the final cleanup much easier too.
The RV lifestyle is minimalist, and this means minimal kitchen space. Even with larger trailers and RVs, the kitchen is still significantly smaller than a home kitchen. Less space does not mean your food has to suffer. You just have to be prepared. Plan your meals, use your space wisely, save when you can, clean as you go, and your tiny RV kitchen can serve up some of the biggest and best meals.
