What Should I Put In My RV Kitchen?

(Last Updated On: December 18, 2019)

The kitchen is considered the heart of any home– whether in an RV or a standard one. Hence, finding the right stuff to put in your RV kitchen is essential as the trip itself.

What should I put in my RV kitchen? To make a kitchen work for RV-ing, it is essential to be functional and customized. Space can be a challenge when living in an RV and having all the things in a conventional kitchen can prove to be unwise.

The idea is to keep cooking a breeze for meal times to be enjoyable, without having so much clutter taking up your space.

How to do that? Here are important items to remember when organizing a nomad’s kitchen on a small but happy camper.

RV Kitchen Essentials

As mentioned, whatever you put in a RV’s kitchen it should cover two things– functionality and space-saving. Here are excellent points to ponder when starting out.

Cabinets. Whether its a big cabinet that can hold all pots and pans, and other cooking utensils, or an overboard one that only covers the basics, cabinets must be organized carefully to hold as much items as you need for the kitchen and even some more. Think:

 

• Stackable food storage bins
• Undercabinet hooks or holders
• Undercabinet organizer
• Broom/dustpan and trash can (must-have!)

Try to invest in stackable clear plastic bins or nesting items that easily fits. Go for airtight storage bins that are not only space-savvy but also freezer or fridge- friendly like this piece from mDesign.

Add hooks underneath to hold pots and pans, or simply add an under-cabinet organizer rack to maximize space.

Pantry. No RV kitchen will ever be complete without a pantry to hold food and kitchen supplies. Aside from the usual herbs and spices, cereals and pancake mix, powdered milk, and such, restock items such as the following are mainstays when RV-ing.

• Paper towels
• Napkins
• Coffee filters
• Plastic/litter bags
• Garbage bags
• Foil/plastic wrap
• Dish soap and sponges
• Sink/countertop cleaner

Countertop. A countertop is another essential addition to any RV kitchen. This can be used for preparing a meal and then, conversely as a mealtime table.

You can go for granite or laminates or even quartz. Aside from its functionality, a good choice of countertop can add more charm to your RV kitchen.

Appliances. You will need kitchen appliances. Here, you need to assess beforehand if you’re going all-out offgrid, use solar power or have electricity or gas. Your choice will help determine what type of brand to choose for the following:

• Stovetop (induction or flame type?)
• Blender (hand-pressed or programmable?)
• Coffeemaker (aeropress?)
• Instapot
• Dishwasher
• Oven

Cooking/Eating Utensils. Another must-have in an RV kitchen are cooking and eating utensils. You must have the following items and some of them will be dependent on how many will be staying in the camper:

• Pots and pans
• Cast iron skillet / Dutch oven
• Plates
• Nesting/mixing/serving bowls
• Drinking glsses/coffee mugs
• Pot holder
• Spoon and fork
• Laddle and spatula for cooking
• Knives, chopping board
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Peeler
• Tongs
• Can opener/corkscrew/bottle opener
• Pitcher
• Grill rack
• Drying rack
• Cooler

Functional Sink. Often overlooked, a sink is an essential part of food preparation in the kitchen. This area will be used to clean and rinse food as well as thaw frozen ones. A sink caddy to hold sponge and soap is a likely addition. So is a rolled drying rack. An under-sink organizer also helps increase storage space for your RV kitchen.

Decor. Don’t make a kitchen look blah just because you lack space. Adding a pop of color via a curtain or a wall art. A retro backsplash also counts. Add texture with throw pillows with colorful fabrics propped up on a breakfast nook. Definitely, you can do a lot to spruce up an RV kitchen while maintaining its functionality and charm.

Got more suggestions on what to put inside an RV kitchen? Share it with us.