Now that the RV of choice is in the driveway -- let's prepare the kitchen for the road. I have watched couples spend countless hours loading and unloading the kitchen. Make it easy by purchasing a set of forks, knives, and spoons to keep in the RV. Perhaps there is an older set in the house that isn't being used. The kitchen ought to have a can opener, a sharp set of cutting knives, a couple of mixing spoons, a manual mixer, and a set of measuring spoons and a cup. Buy pots that fit inside themselves and do the same with bowls. One platter and you are set. Dividers that keep this mess in order can be purchased for RV-size drawers at the Wal-Mart or a camping store.
The plates should be light and strong. I purchased small metal pizza plates for mine. The kids can't break them, they wash up nicely, and they have a groove that keeps them stacked neatly while the RV is in operation. I also have paper plates, but not every meal is light enough to use them. I keep a box of paper table covers so when we move on we just throw the used one away. A roll of paper towels, which also serve as napkins, and some cloth placemats complete the table setting. We keep a bug candle for night meals and board games at the picnic table.
I have a six-cup water pot for coffee and tea which we buy in bags. The biggest mess in the kitchen will be the coffee grounds that spill. If you use coffee bags, there won't be a problem. I make a full pot of hot water put the bags in and pour the coffee into a Connoisserve pot. The coffee stays hot for seven hours. The cover fits tightly so we have our breakfast cup, break camp, and have the second cup while driving to the next site. On the subject of cups, coffee mugs are great soup bowls so we use them for both. Items that have more than one use in an RV are worth their weight.
The stovetop in my unit is a two burner, although it is no problem cooking a great dinner for four with just one burner. The easy way to do this is purchase a light-weight griddle with a non-stick top. They cost about $1.99. This griddle will cover both burners, cook all the chicken, steak, or fish your family can hold and store like a dream. Purchase premixed salads in the vac-wrap. They cannot spoil until opened. Carry dried soups of all kinds and canned fish. Canned veggies are too heavy so I keep onions and potatoes, and purchase fresh vegetables from roadside stands along the way.
Pack the food the night before. First turn on the fridge. The unit may operate a number of ways -- off electricity or electric and LP gas. Turn this on and leave it alone for a hour or so prior to loading. A good idea is to keep a cooler in the RV for food that will be eaten going down the road. This keeps little fingers out of the fridge every ten minutes. Let them open the cooler all they want. They're excited too. This is fun and they have ants in their pants.
Keep a deck of cards in the kitchen. Countless hours have been spent with that deck. Traffic jams, rainy days, and upset tummies have passed without a hitch because of that deck. If you have kids, some coloring books and a story book or two are a help. I keep a small tin of favorite cookies with the books. This is all for them. Each person needs a small something for a comfort zone. My Mom has a favorite covered mug for ice water. Once this is in her cupholder, she is ready to roll.
Your fridge may have a freezer or it may be more of a dorm style like mine. If it is large enough, keep at least a gallon of bottled water in it. You will have a better time if you drink the bottled water and wash and cook with the camp water. When loading water into your RV remember how heavy water is. If you are traveling where there are water hookups just put maybe eight to ten gallons in the water tank. This is enough to flush the toilet and wash some dishes. Nobody is going to take a shower until you arrive anyway. The less weight the more miles per gallon (mpg). Since I do not have enough room in my fridge, I keep the bottled water with the cooler. I also keep a gallon milk jug of water in the bathroom to use for the toilet until we get there. I was able to get 23 mpg with my RV going through the Grand Canyon. This kind of planning will save countless dollars on the road.
My water is heated two ways -- off the engine and the hot-water heater. When I stop for a break and have a meal I do the dishes with hot water that was heated off the engine. Make sure to turn the water on and test it prior to letting someone else handle it. My water is very hot. If the cold is not mixed with it someone could get a nasty burn -- but the dishes are very clean. When I purchased the RV, many of the units had split sinks but many were only about two inches deep. That is worthless to me. I purchased a unit with one sink that is almost as deep as the one at home. When there's a stubborn sticky area on a pot or pan, it can soak in hot soapy water until later in the day. Then I remove the area easily and have a nice clean pan.
If one is available, take a small crock pot along. The evening meal can simmer away in the crock pot, as we go about our sightseeing. Open a salad and add some fresh bread. Buy some sparkling wine at a local vendor. It's a pot roast dinner with all the trimmings and very little preparation time. Breakfast is oatmeal, bacon, and toast. The bacon and the toast are on the griddle, and the oats cook up fast.
There is a fan above your head or over the cooktop. Use it. Make sure the LP gas is really all the way off when you're finished cooking. Some RVs have cooktops with the sleeping area or the sofa right beside the burners. Install a splatter shield. This will not only save the furniture, it might save your life. If your cooktop is right next to bedding, make sure the person is out of bed before you start cooking on it. Never use the cooktop for heating the RV. That's the purpose of the furnace.
Some RV kitchens have ice makers, dish washers, clothes washers and dryers, and more. I don't have a unit of that type so my experience is limited. The operation of these items are very close to their city cousins back at home. Most of the problems with these units come from the amount of time they sit around unused. They may work for two or three weeks in a year and not be used for another year. This means the upkeep on these items must be performed regularly so they can perform as expected.
If you are not living in your RV most of the time, the extras offered by the salesman are not worth the cost and upkeep. You will not get it back in a trade in. Many buyers do not want to fool with such items themselves. The most expensive item in camping for my family is laundry. That does not mean the washer/dryer will pay for itself if I add one to my next RV. What it does mean is to plan how many shirts, slacks, socks, and PJs each person will have and budget laundry costs into the trip. For a family of four with bath towels and clothes it will probably run about eight dollars every three or four days. If you are dry camping, these figures may differ.
Keep starter sticks in the cabinet to start campfires. Don't carry around lighter fluid -- it is too dangerous and messy. Take enough charcoal for two or three fires in a sealed plastic tub. Many times we never use it. Keep your matches in a safe dry place away from the kids. Never let the kids help light the fire. If they want to help, give them any job but that. If something goes wrong, you could be hours from medical help. This is just not worth the risk. Let the kids put the hot dogs on the sticks and cook them, but never take your eyes off your kids if they are near the fire. Things can go wrong fast. This reminds me, bring a good waterproof first aid kit with you. A good kit has a snake bite kit, a couple rolls of tape, some cotton (not cotton balls), self stick bandages, and various sizes of regular bandaids. You want a bottle of antiseptic, some children's and adult pain killers, and some sunburn lotion. A splint is not a bad idea, and a roll of plastic wrap. This can all fit in a box about 12" x 10" x 4".
If the dishes, crock pot, dish towels, oven mits, and coffee mugs are all just for the RV, they will be waiting for you each time you enter. I keep food in the RV all the time. Sometimes a short trip to the beach turns into a weekend. If you have things ready, some spare clothes and a can of tuna will turn a ho-hum weekend into something really wonderful.
Think that it's impossible. I would have too. When my 80-year-old Mom got off her Queen Anne chair in the living room, and traded it for a beach towel by the ocean so she could watch the wild ponies run along the shore, I knew we had something wonderful here. The first time you see the sun rise someplace you have only dreamed about, and you're not only there but you are there alone -- it will be worth all the preparation.
Next time we will talk about the engine.
