RV Kitchen and Grocery Checklist

In this checklist (part of our RV checklist series) I will share some of the ways I prepare my kitchen for travel and some of these tips may work for you too. Since everyone’s tastes in food and drink vary, I’m not going to make a grocery list for you, but I will share a couple of the basics so that you don’t find yourself a hundred miles away from the nearest grocery store without salt and pepper and a bunch of broken dishes.

• Dishware: As a rule, I try to avoid glass or ceramic dishes. Even when tightly stowed away in a cupboard, they will still shift around and occasional breakage will occur. For the few breakable plates and bowls that I do have stowed away when traveling between sites, I separate them with dishcloths making them less likely to be damaged. For people traveling in motorhomes, this will also dampen the noise as they rattle around.
• Cookware: You may remember that in a previous article I shared some of my best ideas for storage and organizing your RV‘s kitchen – I like to use plastic mixing and serving bowls that are stackable and take up less space. For cooking on my stove, I use a few cast iron skillets and some steel pots for sauces and soups. I also have a couple of non-stick pans and here again; I usually line all of my cookware with dish towels to prevent damage to them while traveling.
• Small appliances: Everybody loves their small appliances and food gadgets and so do I. For example, I love to cook things in a crock pot because I fish and hike. To me, it’s a great feeling to know that my slow cooker has been working all day to give me a good meal after a nice hike. While I am not a coffee aficionado, I have met many other folks that love their coffee and travel with their coffee grinder, brew, and even an appliance that turns their drink into a smoothie. It’s really all about what you want and what works best for you.

Let’s take a look at groceries.

I’m not going to make a grocery list or tell you what to eat, but there are few things you should consider when preparing a grocery list for your journey.

• Staples: This can be an easy decision or one that requires a bit more thought for others that follow a different diet. Personally, I like to make sure that I have enough flour, sugar, oils, and spices on hand to cover my stay at each location. Herbs and spices are especially important to me so I like to make sure that I’m well stocked there as well.
• A few meats, vegetables, fruits and dairy: If I plan on being in one location for a couple of weeks, I plan ahead. I try to stock up on some proteins and I make a few meals in my slow cooker to eat while I’m on the road. Your preferences may vary but it’s not that hard to dial in what you prefer.

Outfitting the kitchen? Check out these guides too.

• Best RV grills
• Best RV fridges and freezers
• RV kitchen essentials
• Cooking in your RV