Does inflation and the rising cost of, well, everything have you down? Traveling in a new or used RV is still one of the best ways to save big bucks on a vacation. And a little bit of smart meal planning can save you even more money. Our RV meal tips can help you eat well while traveling without breaking the bank!
Make a Meal Plan and Stick to It
One of the easiest and fastest ways to overspend your vacation budget is to eat out over and over again. But if you have a meal plan, with most ingredients bought and semi-assembled, it becomes a lot easier to save money on meals by making them yourself.
One way my family saves money on meal planning year round (whether we’re camping or not) is by picking recipes that have several shared ingredients. It saves money over the long haul. So say goodbye to throwing out half an onion or letting the celery go bad before you can use it all.
Purchasing shared ingredients in larger quantities also adds up the savings. If several recipes call for ground beef, don’t buy smaller, 1-lb packages. Get it in 5-lb packages and divide it up the way you need to.
Pre-Assembly is King
One of the best methods for convincing yourself not to eat out is having dinner already prepped and in the freezer. And when you have dinner ready to load into the slow cooker, it suddenly becomes a lot more fun to cook dinner. When I pre-assemble dishes (soups and stews are perfect for this), I portion the ingredients into gallon-size food storage bags. Grilled food is also perfect for assembling and freezing – just throw the marinade in with the meat, lay flat, and freeze!
Get up in the morning, plan your day over a hot cup of coffee, and as you’re clearing breakfast dishes and the kids are putting on their shoes, grab your pre-assembled dinner and slide it into a slow cooker. Supper will be ready when you get back after a long, fun day of nature hikes!
Minimize Your Tools
Kitchen gear weighs a lot – and packing along excess gear adds weight to your RV and decreases your fuel economy. Use your meal plan to guide your packing list. For instance, if you won’t be making soups or stews…you can probably leave that slow cooker behind. Will you actually be needing 3 different saucepans, or could you get away with one? Save space in your RV’s kitchen by packing less. You’ll save at the pump and pocket the savings!
These are only 3 easy RV meal tips that can save you money while traveling. We can also help you enjoy more affordable vacations with our RV financing options. Contact us today!
