Any RV owner will happily tell you just how awesome it is to have their kitchen with them wherever they may roam. That said, those same RVers would also be pretty quick to share how frustrating their small kitchen can be. After all, working with little to no counter space and trying to cook for a family with only two burners can be challenging, to say the least.
Fortunately, there are ways to make sure using your RV kitchen is less stressful and more convenient. Below are our favorite tiny kitchen ideas.
Choosing the Right Kitchen Design
Kitchen design for a small space is not something that is always done well, and carefully considering which of the small kitchen layouts you choose can make or break your cooking experience while camping.
Closely examine every little detail and really try to picture yourself cooking in the space:
- Take a good look at the countertops. Will you have enough prep space?
- Check out where the sink is, if you can reach it well, and if it’s big enough and deep enough for your tastes.
- Make sure the RV has all the appliances you need. Many only include tiny refrigerators, and some skip having an oven entirely.
By carefully considering the small kitchen design before you ever make a purchase, you might just save yourself numerous headaches.
Small Kitchen Ideas for Storage
Whether your tiny kitchen is well designed or not, storage solutions can make a world of difference. After all, small kitchen cabinets tend to be less than plentiful, meaning a bit of creativity is almost always needed to make the most of the space you do have.
Non-Skid Shelf Liner
Begin by putting some non-skid shelf liner in all of your cabinets. This will keep things from shifting during transit, saving you from needing to reorganize every time you change campsites.
Dish Storage
Changing the way you store dishes can give you tons of extra space. We really love these dish shelves for making sure all space is used effectively.
Can Organizer
If you carry canned goods in your RV, try using a can organizer to keep them all contained. This is the perfect way to keep cans from falling out of the cabinets as you drive.
Command Hooks
Scotch Command Hooks are great for organizing hanging things such as washcloths, pot holders, and more. Best of all, because they stick on and come off without messing up the wall, you won’t be decreasing the value of your rig by using them.
Tension Rods
Placing a tension rod at the front a cabinet behind the door will ensure nothing falls out on you when you open the cabinet after moving.
Magnetic Storage
Magnetic spice racks are perfect for getting your spices out of your cabinets or drawers, freeing up extra space for other things. Meanwhile, magnetic knife racks give you more drawer space and make digging for silverware a bit safer.
Tiny Kitchen Cooking Solutions
If your RV kitchen is one that doesn’t have an oven, or even if you just have a need to cook a large meal for a special occasion, you may be left wondering how on earth to get things done efficiently. Luckily, there are some ways to take care of this issue.
Cooking in Advance
There are some foods that are just as good a day or two after they’re made as they are the day of. Try weaving some of these foods into your meals so you can make them before ever leaving the house.
Examples of such foods include pasta salads, deviled eggs, pinwheels, and fruit and veggie trays.
Electric Appliances
If a lack of oven or insufficient burners are proving problematic, try employing some electric appliances. Instant Pots, NuWave Ovens, George Foreman Grills, and electric griddles can all give you extra ways to get things cooked and on the table. Just make sure you aren’t using too much electricity at once or you may flip a breaker.
Outdoor Cooking
Of course, you could also take some of the cooking outdoors. Grilled foods are always delicious during camping season. Try marinating some meat beforehand and putting it on the grill while you prepare the sides indoors.
Tips for Making the Most of Your RV Kitchen
Once you have storage and cooking methods sorted, you should be good to go. That said, there are some other tips that can help you along. Try these kitchen ideas on your next trip to see if they help you find your groove:
Prep in Advance
Before you head out for a weekend trip, do as much meal prep as possible at home. Cut vegetables, season meats, and bag meals up together. The less prepwork you have to do in your tiny kitchen, the better off you’ll be.
Stay on Top of Dishes
As tempting as it may be to leave the dishes until the last moments of your trip, doing so can really eat up your kitchen space and make cooking much more difficult. Instead, stay on top of those dishes by washing them after every meal. Consider using paper plates if the dishes seem to be taking over your camping time.
Folding Tables
If you find you just don’t have enough prep space, you might try setting up a small folding table to give yourself extra working room. If you don’t have room for one inside, take some prepwork outside.
