8 Tips for Making the Most of Your RV Kitchen

8 Tips for Making the Most of Your RV Kitchen
Insights for baking, cooking, and keeping your kitchen organized on the road.

By: GoLife Staff

As the weather turns cooler in many areas, you may be craving some home-cooked hot meals and treats. While your RV kitchen may be a little smaller than what you are used to in a house or apartment, you can still create many of your go-to recipes with just a few adjustments. 

If you love to cook and bake, or want to give it a try, make sure to take advantage of all the great features of your RV kitchen! Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Get Organized

Organization is key for success in any kitchen, especially a tiny one. Not having to dig around for what you are looking for can make a huge difference in your mood while cooking, and it can greatly decrease the time spent prepping your meal.

Make sure the items you use regularly are easy to get to. If putting larger kitchen appliances or entertaining supplies in your outdoor storage bays, make sure they won’t move around a lot and potentially break. If in a larger RV, making note of where you put what can be a huge help as well!

2. Don’t Forget to Use Your Oven

Cooking and baking in an RV may seem new and intimidating, but it is surprisingly similar to what you are used to in a traditional house. While some RVers who aren’t as keen to make their own dishes may use their oven as additional storage, you can certainly use it to make your favorite recipes instead!

Some RVers have even created an entire holiday feast inside their rolling home’s kitchen!

Read more insights from RVers about cooking and baking their RVs here.

3. Use Space Creatively & Store Smart

Winnebago always has storage in mind when building RVs, so you likely have many great little (and big) storage areas throughout your RV. However, it is still important to keep in mind that your RV and its contents will be shaking around a bit as it rolls down the road.

Secure anything breakable and make sure all containers are closed to avoid a mess. Some RVers line shelves with no-slip paper or use tension rods to secure items in the cabinet or refrigerator. It is also key to use care when opening up cabinets after driving in case anything has moved.

4. Make Life Easier with Appliances

Many RVers have fallen in love with the Instant Pot as a way to make meals quickly with minimal dishes. Rice cookers, NutriBullets, and air fryers are also popular. However, you will use much more power to run these appliances and may need to be plugged into shore power depending on your RV setup, so keep that in mind.

Read about other kitchen gadgets RVers love!

5. Meal Prep When Going Off-Grid

Since many larger appliances do necessitate shore power and cooking a large meal can mean using a lot of water to cleanup, meal prepping before boondocking without hookups is a great habit to get into. One pot meals are a common go-to for many RVers (get some ideas here).

It is also important to have all of your necessities and plenty of drinking water if going to an area far off the beaten path. You may find it helpful to look ahead at what grocery store options you will have available since rural areas will likely have less options.

Read how one van life couple manages their meals on the road, here.

6. Purchase Small-Space-Friendly Dishes & Cookware

There seems to be a product solution to most challenges these days; nesting cookware and collapsible dishware is a great option for home chefs in a small kitchen. Not only do they save space, they are usually made with materials that won’t break if jostled around or dropped.

Here is a review of a collapsible dishware set that one RVing couple loves. This article also lists some great options for nesting cookware and more top RV cooking supplies.

7. Shop Locally & Seasonally

Why not take advantage of traveling to a new place by trying their local produce at a Farmer’s Market or cooking some regional specialties on your own. Harvest Hosts is a great way to try out local produce options by staying at farms or wineries.

8. Don’t Forget Your Outdoor Kitchen!

Although weather may prevent you from cooking outside on occasion, using your outdoor kitchen or portable grill can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors even more during your RV getaway. Cooking outside can also help you avoid adding moisture and heat to the inside of your RV. 

Happy cooking!