Cooking In Your RV

Taking a break from normal life and going camping lets you see the sights on your own schedule, but cooking can be a pain when all you’ve got is a tent and some firewood. Thanks to RVs, however, a fun family outing won’t require you to sacrifice the joys of a home-cooked meal. Even then, cooking in an RV can present a challenge — RV kitchen space is limited and has fewer amenities than the average home.

To keep you sane and spare you some pain, we’re presenting some of our favorite tips for cooking in your RV. If you find yourself in need of an RV or have other questions, stop by 47 West Trailers in Troy, Missouri. We proudly serve Columbia and St. Louis, Missouri, and our friendly staff can help you with any concern.

Taking Stock

The first step to any outing is to make sure you have everything you need. Meal planning is vital when room is limited and grocery stores are far away, so make sure you have an outline for every day’s meals and even snacks. You want to have everything you need to make your favorite meals without overstocking your RV.

You can also plan ahead a bit further by planning for leftovers. If you make a bit extra that you can hide away in your fridge, it’ll save you some cooking time. Foods like chili are easy to heat up, still taste great, and are a classic camping staple. 

Prepping Meals

Before you head out on your nature adventure, you might want to consider cooking and freezing some meals in advance while you still have access to your home kitchen. Make a day of it and portion out large meals into microwavable containers for easy heating and distribution. You can even turn it into a family-wide activity! That way, you can have your favorite meals without even needing to use most of the fixtures in your kitchen, letting you relax for longer while you’re on your vacation. 

Batch Cooking

Batch cooking is another way to save time, money, water, and power. Basically, cook single ingredients in large batches so that you can use them in multiple meals. You have a dinner planned that requires two chicken breasts? Why not make six and use the extras in tomorrow’s meals? This is more than savvy, it’s convenient.

Shelf-Life

Shelf-life is a major consideration for your trip. If you’re bringing any perishable items, you’ll want to make sure they have room in your fridge, freezer, or a well-iced cooler. Nice steaks can make a camping trip feel like a visit to a resort, but only if they last long enough for you to actually cook them! Shelf-stable foods are easier to keep on your trip, since they last a long time and don’t need to be cooled. This will also clear up space in your fridge, freezer, or cooler for any items you can’t get canned and just have to have. 

Proteins like canned tuna and nut butters and dry foods like cereal and oatmeal are good investments. They last forever, can go in the pantry, and won’t go bad if you leave them out. As spacious as RVs can be, space is still limited on the road.

Clean As You Go

As always, it’s important to keep your RV as clean as possible. This means making sure you clean as soon as you can, even while you’re doing other things. Rinse cutting boards and knives as soon as you’re done with them, put away ingredients right after you use them, set pans aside to soak when they’re emptied, and don’t take out more than you need. This will make clean-up after your meal much easier and save counter space while you’re cooking. 

Try New Methods

While you’re out experiencing the wilderness is a great time to try out new cooking techniques. It can add a little spice to your trip and clear up space on your stove and oven for other parts of your next meal.

Slow-Cooker

A slow-cooker or crockpot is an excellent way to change up your food experience on your trip. Larger ones can create a multi-serving meal that lasts you a few days while taking up little space and requiring little to no preparation. Roasts, chilis, pasta dishes, desserts, and even bread can easily be made with a slow cooker and the right recipe. They also don’t generate much heat and lower the number of dishes you have to clean after cooking is through. They’re a great investment for your RV if you don’t have one already!

Microwave

It’s easy to forget sometimes just how versatile and powerful a microwave can be when you’re low on time or resources. From making leftovers piping hot to preparing frozen dinners when you’re not feeling up to cooking, the microwave is one of your best friends in an RV kitchen. With a microwave you can bake potatoes, steam vegetables, and rook instant rice for easy and nutritious sides. Don’t underestimate your microwave!

Campfire

And of course, you have the classic camping cooking method - a fire. Most camping trips will involve a fire anyway, so you might as well use it to its full potential! Try cooking some dutch oven chili, make yourself some kebabs, or wrap meat and veggies in foil and tuck them into the coals. There are always more ways to cook on a campfire, so experiment a little!

All of these tips and more can make cooking in your RV an absolute treat, and there’s no better place to get one than 47 West Trailers in Troy, Missouri. Stop by today and get yours!