5 Easy Meal Planning Tips for RV Trips
RVing is a great way to explore the country, enjoy the outdoors, and break from routine. One of the many benefits of RV travel is the ability to cook for yourself, which can be cost-effective and healthier than eating out. Additionally, cooking your own meals allows you to accommodate personal tastes and food allergies, which can be important when dining options are limited while RVing. Here are five easy meal-planning tips to help make RV cooking experiences simple, delicious, and cost-effective.
1. Plan Ahead
Being organized makes all the difference when cooking in an RV. Planning is especially important when traveling in isolated or remote areas. Consider cooking meals that use different methods, such as a slow cooker, fry pan, or campfire. Meal planning for RV travel includes gathering recipes that lend themselves well to RV and campout cooking. Choose recipes that use many of the same ingredients for convenience.
2. Create the Menu in Advance
Plan out your entire trip menu, especially if you’ll be away for a week or less. This makes it possible to save space by stocking your RV with only the cooking tools and ingredients you know you’ll use. For each meal, determine what you’ll need in terms of cooking vessels, utensils, spices, and ingredients. Some ingredients may need to be purchased while on your trip, but pack all ingredients that you can in advance.
3. Think About Temperatures
Plan some meals that don’t require refrigerated foods to make you less dependent on refrigeration overall and lessen how often the fridge door needs to be opened while on the road. Invest in a high-quality cooler engineered to keep food and drinks cold for 4-7 days at a time if you plan to camp without RV hookups.
4. Keep Meals Simple
Kitchen cooking and prep space are at a premium, even for those with a large or luxurious RV. For hassle-free cooking, choose simple meals that don’t require numerous ingredients or steps. Take advantage of having access to a fire or hot coals to grill meats and vegetables.
5. Use Leftovers to Make New Meals
Consider ways to use leftovers to vary your meals and reduce food waste – good for your wallet and the planet! Batch-prepping ingredients, choosing simple recipes, and making creative use of convenience foods and leftovers will minimize the time, expense, and stress involved in cooking without sacrificing taste or variety.
It’s important to become familiar with your RV kitchen and appliances before the trip. Ensure you know how to operate everything and consider what adjustments you may need to make to your food preparation and cooking habits. By using these tips, you can have a better food experience and enjoy this aspect of RVing as much as the travel itself. Don’t let the stress or fear of meal planning stop you from adventuring.