Everyday Life in the RV: Meal Plans

 

RV traveling requires a different mindset.

On the one hand, we are away from home and on vacation. We want to relax, sightsee, and go out to dinner. On the other hand, the RV is our home away from home, and we can't ignore household tasks. If on the road for any length of time (a week or more), we need to address such mundane chores as laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping. 

So this past week we spent ten days in a state park close to home. We wanted to try full-time RV living before we snowbird this winter. But we wanted the assurance that we could easily return home if needed. 

The result? Geoff and I are still friends, the dogs are still alive, and we have clean clothes. I declare the experiment a success!

Today I'm starting a new blog series: Everyday Chores in an RV. While this lifestyle is definitely fun and adventurous, it is not always glamorous. In an effort to report "full disclosure" (the good and bad) I will share our real-life RV experiences. Today I will focus on one of our favorite topics -- food (or more to the point, eating).

Weekly Meal Planning

Because Hero is still anxious whenever Geoff leaves the RV, we have yet to attempt going out to dinner while on the road. Fortunately, I don't mind cooking 😌

We tend to be creatures of habit when it comes to breakfast (I eat yogurt with blueberries and granola while Geoff enjoys two hard-boiled eggs). And lunch is typically a sandwich or rice cakes and peanut butter if leftovers are unavailable.

However, I do like variety when it comes to the evening meal.

This week I created a menu plan that not only included a variety of ingredients but also cooking methods. I want to know which methods work well so I can efficiently pack for our snowbird adventure. 

• Outdoor Grill
• Air Fryer
• Convection/Microwave
• Propane Cooktop
• Instant Pot 

My favorite method is the outdoor grill (and not only because Geoff is the grill master). It's easy to prepare extras for leftovers. And on hot days, cooking outside does not needlessly heat up the inside.

The Instant Pot is my favorite indoor cooking method. In fact, I'm learning how to make pasta in the IP so I do not have to store a large stockpot. So far I adapted recipes for Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Ground Beef and Pasta,  Cashew Chicken with Broccoli, and our gameday staple, Chili.

Another consideration when planning the weekly menu is the water supply. When we are staying at a campsite with full hookups, I don't worry if we have enough to wash dishes. However, when we aren't hooked up to water, I try to conserve by using minimal pots, pans, and cutting boards. The Instant Pot is a fabulous way to maximize time and minimize cookware.

Leftovers

Because I am cooking for two rather than a large family, we invariably have leftovers. A large part of my meal planning is learning how to use those leftovers in a variety of ways. 

For example, grilled chicken one night can be chicken sandwiches the next day for lunch and chicken enchiladas for dinner on day three. Or... grilled steak one night can become steak salads for lunch the next day and homemade pizza with steak and veggie toppings for dinner.

I'm also learning leftovers are handy for travel days. We often stop at the halfway point for lunch, and I can easily make sandwiches for us to eat at the rest area. Since we are tired after driving and setting up camp (some of us emotionally rather than physically exhausted), warming leftovers in the microwave is the perfect dinner option.

Up Next...

As you can tell, a lot of planning and careful consideration goes into creating weekly meal plans for this particular lifestyle. My goal is to have six weeks' worth of tried-and-true RV recipes that I can mix and match while we are on the road. That should provide plenty of variety with minimal effort.

Of course, a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator are essential too. And often the campsite is not conveniently located to run into town for a couple of forgotten items. Next time I will share how I grocery shop to ensure essentials are on hand.