Your RV kitchen is small. Maybe not abysmally small, but probably smaller than your kitchen at home. You need kitchen tools that are efficient in size and utility, with multi-purpose functions.
You need kitchen tools that can be easily stored in your small cabinets, and that won’t break if you hit a bump in the road. You need tools that will allow you to spend more time doing what you love while traveling, without sacrificing the qualities of a formerly-laborious, delicious meal.
Lacking space or time is no longer a problem for campers who love to cook—or for those who simply wish to eat well while on the road. A plenitude of kitchen tools and utensils exist that provide all-of-the-above qualities, and that won’t put a major dent in your travel expenses.
Kitchen Appliances and Utensils
Here’s a look at some kitchen appliances and utensils that can make a huge difference inside your RV. If you don’t have at least some of these, it’s time to upgrade.
A Combo Mixer for Smoothies and Food Processing
A fraction of the size of standard blenders, this combo mixer is perfect for your RV. Chop, grind, blend, mix, or whip up your next meal. The mixer can be used for whisking omelets, blending single-serving smoothies, grinding coffee beans, chopping salsa, preparing frozen cocktails and fresh sorbets, and so much more.
Eating fresh has never been so easy, with the added benefit of avoiding all of the yucky preservatives and additives in canned/prepared food from the store.
An Air Fryer for Healthier Dishes
Fried foods are freaking delicious. The caveat is that they’re incredibly messy to prepare and unhealthy to eat regularly. Reduce clean-up, cook-time, calories, and saturated fats by treating yourself to an air fryer like the one shown above.
From $40 to $200, an air fryer won’t break your budget. The equivalent size to a toaster oven, the fryer won’t take up too much space in your rig’s kitchen. If you love fried foods, this healthier alternative would be a great addition to your home away from home.
Many recipes for the air fryer don’t use any oil at all, while oven-roasting uses about the same. Fry chicken, vegetables, and potatoes together for an easy, healthy meal. Canned chickpeas are excellent when air-fried with olive oil. Prepared frozen foods can be tossed in the fryer for a quick snack.
An Instant Pot for Easy Cooking
An Instant Pot will replace many kitchen tools and appliances in your kitchen. It can work as a slow cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, rice cooker, yogurt maker, and can even saute. Save space in your rig, and save time cooking, by using an Instant Pot.
The high temperatures and sealed environment of an Instant Pot produce savory results by locking in moisture, reducing your need for cooking oils and other saturated fats. Expect cooking time to be cut in half (or more) for most dishes.
Try Sous Vide
The Sous Vide style of cooking involves a few simple steps: seal your food in a bag, then submerge it in a water bath to cook it to a precise temperature.
Typically, you’ll finish prepping by grilling, searing, or broiling to add a crispy exterior layer. Sous Vide-prepared foods are exquisitely moist and flavorful. Pork belly, steaks, and lamb are especially delicious when cooked via Sous Vide, then seared for a short time as a final step.
Look for Reusable and Foldable Utensils
Anything you can reuse is a good idea at the campground. Definitely keep an eye out for tools and utensils you can use again and again. Here are a couple of ideas:
Soda Caps Keep the Fizz In
This cap will keep your canned beverage as bubbly as it was when you opened it: a great option for carbonated mixers and sodas. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to finish a full can after opening it, then this is a great help.
Reusable Coffee Brewing Dripper
This collapsible and reusable coffee drip brewer is made of silicone and can help save space while still getting you your daily cup of coffee. You won’t need filters for this either as it offers a screen system in the bottom.
This drip brewer will also work for teas and other hot beverages, making it a super handy item to have in your kitchen.
Foldable Kettle for Simplicity and Space Savings
Made of lightweight (but strong) food-grade quality silicone, you can boil water in a few minutes in a foldable kettle. Most foldable kettles collapse in half for storage and can be squished between other cooking tools in your cabinets when not in use.
Find Ways to Make the Most of Your Space
In addition to finding reusable items, you want to look for things that make it easy for your to make the most of your small kitchen space. Here are some fantastic options for your rig’s galley.
Racks for Storage Areas
A rack for your kitchen is the perfect multi-purpose tool. Use it to make extra space in your cooler or freezer, for dish-drying in the sink, or for additional cabinet storage.
Slide Out Spice Rack For Easy Access
This slide-out spice rack will keep your spice jars right where you left them, through even the bumpiest of terrains. The rack can hang from a shelf, slide out of a cabinet, or stand independently on a counter. It can be mounted with double-sided tape or can be screwed in.
An Under-the-Cabinet Hammock for Fruit
This under-the-cabinet fruit hammock can attach anywhere you can screw in two small hooks, keeping produce within your reach, but out of your way.
Adjustable Cargo Net for Odds and Ends
An adjustable cargo net is a useful device for just about anywhere in your RV, but it can be handy in certain storage areas of your kitchen. If you have some items you’re not sure what to do with, consider a cargo net for them.
Non-Slip Cabinet Liners Holding Things in Place
Simply line your cabinets with these non-slip liners and you’ll never have kitchen tools or appliances tumbling out of your cabinets again. These can be super helpful when transporting your RV from place to place if you keep the cabinets full.
Camping World Design Center
Interested in reimagining what your RV’s kitchen could look like? Camping World Design Centers exist to help RVers plan and complete interior design projects. Turn your vision into reality and travel in the RV of your dreams with the help of a Design Specialist. Whether you’re looking for ideas and inspiration for projects to complete yourself or you’re looking for help in upgrading your interior without breaking the bank, look no further than the Design Center.
In the end, it’s important to think about your kitchen space in your RV and how the items, appliances, and utensils fit into that space. Now that you’ve transformed your camper’s kitchen, check out these tips on transforming the rest of your camper’s interior. There are plenty of new and improved options out there. The ones called out above should help you make the most of your kitchen space.
How do you make the most of your RV’s kitchen area? Leave a comment below!
