Every now and then someone asks for more information on how I live in my RV such as what I have and where I stash it. So today’s blog is about cooking and eating gear.
My upper right cupboard in my galley looks like this:
On the right is my stack of Tupperware mixing bowls with their lids. Inside that stack are also some silicone muffin cups I can use for baking but mostly use to serve nuts. Next are two Corning baking dishes with glass lids. I bought these specifically to use in my RV so I kept the inserts that let the lids nest inside the bowls without rattling around. On top of that is my beverage carry-out tray for the rare occasion I go to Wendy’s and fetch both a soft drink and a Frosty Junior. Left of that are two Corning Grab-it bowls that I microwave single serving things in and in front of them are two small serving bowls I use mostly for measuring my detergent into when going to the laundry so I don’t have to carry the whole bottle. I may move them to the cleaning cupboard.
The upper left galley cupboard looks like this:
Messy, huh? But since most things in that cupboard are not breakable I just let them find their own places. That green thing in the lower left is the handle of the silicone vegetable steamer I’m still promising to use one of these days. The two red things above it are silicone baking pans–one 8×8 and one loaf. Inside them is some storage containers and a glass jar I’m keeping to put used grease in if I ever cook anything that requires that. The white thing on the bottom in the middle is my food scale which is protected by a clear plastic bowl that fits over it. Then there’s three red silicone lids which can go on most anything needing a lid at anytime. Then my microwave bacon tray–2 slices at 2 minutes is just right. The green thing is my collapsible strainer used mostly for washing grapes. The white pan on top is a tray leftover from some food I bought which I kept because I thought might be handy for taking to a potluck where I didn’t want to have to remember to bring my dish home. And on the right are two glass measuring cups separated by a washcloth to protect them while traveling. Behind all that where you can’t see them are some Tupperware iced tea glasses and some tiny Tupper cups just the right size for measuring out cold medicine to take during the night when you don’t want to wake up enough to measure more. Fortunately, I haven’t had to do that on this trip yet.
Under my counter I have two drawers. Well, there are three but the third one is my junk drawer so is not part of this post. The far most right drawer looks like this:
In the back left is my stack of Corning dishes. I have two each of dinner, luncheon, and salad plates, and cereal bowls. Next to them where you can’t really see them are my Tupperware cereal bowls that I use for occasional storage. In front of them are some storage containers that came in handy when Toni did all that cooking for me. And in the front left is my bin of everyday grooming tools since I do my grooming at the kitchen sink. The bathroom sink is too small to be of much use.
The drawer to the left of that one looks like this:
The small bin on the right holds my scissors, potato peeler, meat thermometer, twist ties, and serving utensils. The one next to it holds my two sets of silverware, and the final one my two sets of measuring spoons one set of which is shaped to go into spice containers. The rest of the drawer holds my cooking utensils including an extendable wiener fork, pancake turner, hot pad that opens like a star, a can opener, silicone spatula I use as a cooking spoon, sharp knives in blade safes (the one you can actually see is empty because that knife is awaiting washing), dry goods measuring cups hiding under a jar gripper, chip clip, and a pastry blender that I use for chopping things like eggs for egg salad or deviled eggs.
Under the drawers is a double door cabinet only the top shelf of which stores kitchen stuff.
On the right you see the back of my toaster oven. The red slice next to it is the edge of my cutting board. Then we have my one pot with its lid sitting on a pizza pan, which is the biggest baking sheet that fits in my microwave/convection oven, then my induction burner with my tiny dish drainer sitting on top of it.
Across the aisle from all this is a tall cupboard that holds a few more kitchen tools as well as some groceries and paper goods.
On the top shelf is the rack from my oven holding two Corning pie plates with plastic lids. I use these mostly as dinner plates for reheating leftovers. Next to it is a MicroHearth–my new favorite appliance since it lets me grill meats in my microwave faster and with a lot less hassle than a real grill does. On the next shelf down is my big skillet and its lid with some non-slip mat keeping the lid in place. Down one more is my blender and my food processor and some beverage containers.
There you have it. Other than some paper plates and bowls and plastic silverware stashed elsewhere, these are the items I use for cooking and eating.
It’s not a lot but it is more than I need since I have not yet used everything in this inventory in the four months I’ve been living in this RV. How much kitchen gear do you use?
TTYL,
Linda
~ I just let them find their own places. ~
HAHAAAAA ~
When we first started to full time, I thought I needed everything I had in my home. Boy was I wrong. As we continued to traveling gave much of it away or donated it. I have downsized a ton. One thing I can’t live without are my big salad bowls. We eat salads more than anything else.
One bowl, one mug, one spoon, one fork, one knife, one plate, one plastic storage container.
One microhearth grill, measuring cup, can opener, serving spoon, pair of tongs, spatula, and scizzors.
That’s it!
We have way too much stuff in our cupboards. However, most of it we’ve used but only because it’s been there and not necessarily because we needed to.
It’s always interesting to see how others have adapted to living in a small space.
Last summer we had a spate with field mice that got into our RV some way or another. It took a good while to get them all out of there but along the way we realized the little critters were feeding on the crumbs in the toaster. Our solution was to buy a poly bread box to store our toaster in — keeping whatever crumbs there might be within the plastic box. The box is not much larger than the toaster (keeping it easy to store) and it solved a food source issue at the same time.
IKEA has a saying: “Look behind. Look below. Look under. There is always some unused space to discover.”
We too have a large salad bowl. It’s wood and round: 5″ high by 16″ round. It’s a luxury that I refuse to live without; and it’s a storage nightmare. But I don’t see myself getting rid of it. Somethings are worth a little lost storage 🙂
Peter @ Life Unscripted
wow! amazing storage in your rig!
much more than in my tiny apartment!
but i’m liking it just fine. I weeded out again after I got here. now it’s just perfect and I don’t cook that much anyway. it’s almost like ‘playing house’ !
it really is fun isn’t it . . . seeing and hearing how everybody lives!
Hey Linda,if you get a chance,I would love to hear from you in ref to the warnings and bans on the SKP forums.Thanks
WOW! You have a lot more space than I do in my Winnie! Loved having a peek.
Just curious about the silicon stuff…have you used it much? Do you notice a difference in taste? I bought a steamer and threw it away, because I thought I could taste the plastic in my veggies. It certainly had a smell when steaming, so I don’t know that it was imagined. I would like to buy some of the bakeware, but wondering if it would be the same as the steamer…
Our 5th wheel has a huge u-shaped kitchen and we have everything in there that we have at home. As for the truck camper that is just for me alone – I’m sort of like Kim. One of everything because storage space is at a premium. In place of the oven, I now have a nice size cabinet with a lifting counter-top lid. It’s sectioned off inside to store the keurig and mini-blender, both of which I use multiple times a day. My little boss grill is in the little pantry closet, along with assorted dishes (plate, pie plate, measuring cup — all microwave safe). I don’t have a drawer for utensils so I’ll use a plastic tub to hold the minimal utensils I’ll need for eating and cooking.