5 Ways to Chef it Up While RVing

Just because you're in an RV and away from home/restaurants, doesn't mean you have to throw in the towel when it comes to eating great meals. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good hot dog or hamburger, especially on an open fire. And after being on the road all day, rolling into your spot, setting up your site, sometimes all you want is something quick and easy.

However, with just a little planning, some creativity and a sense of fun, YOU can prepare meals that any judge on "Top Chef" would embrace as pure comfort food. (Padma & Gail... call me!)

Here are five ways you can up your cooking game on the road:

1. Prep before you hit the road

There's no shame in your game, if you put some stuff together BEFORE you load up your RV and get to driving. Prepping at home also allows you to do some meal planning and can help with what exactly you need to bring with you. It also saves on time if you have a couple of things ready to go.

For example, I love waffles and pancakes so the night before I'm heading out, I'll put together my famous batter from scratch, store it in an empty Gatorade bottle and pack it in my cooler until I get into my rig and load up my fridge. Then once I'm out in wild and wake up jonesing for a great breakfast and my coffee, I'm all set because I have batter for a week ready to go!

2. Eat local

No matter if you're "Glamping it up," "Boondocking" away from the world, or discovering a new State Park, as you're making your way to your spot, pick something up to cook the area's known for. If you're near someplace known for their seafood, grab some shrimp or fish and bring it back to basecamp and do your magic.

Shopping local generally assures you, you're getting the freshest food, known to the region and instead of going from "Farm-to-Table," you're going "Farm-to-RV" for a great meal or snack on the road!

3. Embrace the fire

Hmmm Fire... good! Yes, cooking outside, on a grill is ... as the kids say, "awesome!"

Pick yourself up a small grill, pack it in your ride and bring it with you everywhere. Cooking outside is not only fun, but when you're using charcoal and wood, it adds so much flavor to your meal.

Now here's the thing ... don't go for gas. You can do gas at home or "Flying-J" but you're outside in the elements, embrace them and grill baby grill!

4. Homage things

Okay, I've given you a couple of pretty neat cooking suggestions, now get to work... scroll social media, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube (RVJedyeye) and search for meals that others are doing that you look at and say, "Hmmm that looks good, I should try it!"

By finding recipes and meals you're interested in, it's a fun map to trying to duplicate and make your own version of a culinary masterpiece.

5. Just have fun... go crazy, go nuts

Cooking needs to be fun! It sounds simple... it sounds so easy... but for some, it's hard. When you're out on the road, take some chances... cook something you've never done before in a way you've never cooked before.

Be experimental and try new things. Challenge yourself... give everyone in your RV $20 bucks, head to a grocery store, tell them you have to have at least one protein and let them spend it all. When you get back to your RV site, leave everything in bags. If you have four people in your party, each gets a bag at random and a night to cook, set a time clock and they have to create something for the group to eat that night. It's like the RV version of "Chopped!" You'll create great memories, have a ton of fun and maybe even a good meal or two.

So, there you have it, five suggestions on how to "Chef it UP" on the road. Just because you're out there in your RV, doesn't mean you have to eat poorly. I hope these ideas inspire you to be your own, "Top Chef!" (No seriously... Padma, Gail... DM me!)

You can follow David's RVing adventures at RVJedeye.com.