Recipe(tried): Stocking a Motor Home Kitchen - Congratulations, (I think! LOL)

A lot of what you will need depends on how you're going to be using your motor home - will you be traveling alot, going from place to place all over the country, or will you just be traveling to one place and then leaving it there for awhile.

Also, how many of you are traveling - if it's just two of you, a set of dishes (Hard plastic, or Corningware type are great for 6 or even just 4 is fine. Depending on what I'm cooking that day, I always go to Sam's or BJ's and stock up on a summer's supply of good disposable plates, small saucers and bowls which we use for breakfasts and lunches, mainly. Dinner, too if it's just hamburgers or something casual. If I'm having steak or company, then I bring out the regular dishes.

I have a service of six, because we often have company, and there's really only room for that many in a motor home or outdoor picnic table on the site.

I have a good set of Stainless pans, including one very large one for corn on the cob. Plus I have a small sized slow-cooker. I also keep three skillets - small, large and wok type. I figure if I'm doing cooking in a small inconvenient place, there's no reason why I should be inconvenienced further by cheap, thin pots and pans!

I have a muffin tin, loaf pan, small cookie sheet (big ones don't fit in my stove) and a set of Corningware baking dishes, plus one pie plate (I use it for things other than pies) When outfitting my kitchen, I was on the lookout at WalMarts for sales of small sizes of kitchen appliances - one day they had hand mixers, small blender, small processor for $9.99 each so I got those.

Re: food - I happen to have a wonderful pullout pantry of four drawers where I keep all my canned goods, cereals, baking goods, and I keep the basics of spices and p.butter, oils, etc in the cupboard right next to my stove.

I have room for four wine glasses, and 4 juice glasses, plus a few assorted odd sized glasses, plus I keep a large assortment of plastic cups which we use more than the regular glasses.

Because I don't have my beloved dishwasher, I use as much disposable as possible. Make it easy on yourself. One of the things we do here at this place when we have a big get-together, everyone is asked to bring their own plates and silverware, and their own drinks. When you're cramped for space and have limited hot water, it's no fun doing dishes for 10 people after a party! This way, everyone is responsible for their own clean-ups. No one here can really afford to supply a large group with alcohol, so people bring their own drinks.

I have a flat griddle pan for pancakes, and of course, don't forget your coffee pot. In addition to a small electic drip set-up, I bought a small, inexpensive aluminum coffee pot that goes on a regular gas stove, (not electric) because there will come a day when you lose power during a storm, and you can still have that coffee that you'll desperately need! We also got a small sized toaster oven.

One of the things we learned early on, was if you KNOW in advance that there's going to be a big storm and you're apt to loose power, fill your onboard water tank ahead of time - even if you don't use it, it's worth the peace of mind having it there.

We rode out Hurricane Bob here on Cape Cod back in the early 90s by having that tank filled and keeping our trailer batteries charged for powering the basics. we were without power for 8 days!! Those of us in the campground made out better than town folks in their homes, because we were all self-contained.

We also always carry a small branch/shrub cutter because some places have overhanging branches, or tree limbs that have grown out into the sites, making space tight.

If you don't already have one, buy a sewer "collar" - nothing shows up a novice camper more than sticking that sewer pipe down into the receptacle with airspace all around, allowing fumes to escape for your neighbors to enjoy. A collar insures a air-tight fit around your hose.

Also, if you're going to be on the road alot, get a roll or two of that rubberized stuff that you put between your plates so they don't slide around. And when you travel, I learned from a fellow camper to use my smaller pillows or blankets, even towels to stuff into the dish/glasses cupboard to keep things in place. Always, always, open up those cupboards after being on the road very slowly and carefully! I didn't do that one time and a glass fell out into my sink and took a big chip out of the porcelain sink!

I don't know if this is the sort of information you're looking for - We've been living in an 8 x 32 foot travel trailer every year for the past 16 for 4 months every summer - so we've experienced every sort of RV/trailer/failure/emergency you can imagine, and we've cooked everything from fancy cakes in our ovens, to paellas over the grill. I happen to have a combo microware and convection oven which I love.

Let me know if you have other questions - you'll learn alot as you go along, and one thing you will find as you travel, or settle in one place - there is no friendlier, more helpful group of people than other campers. We were totally green with a new trailer 16 years ago, and our first year learned invaluable lessons from seasoned camnpers. When you have a problem, and other guys notice that you're out working on something, pretty soon, you'll have a group of four or five guys huddled around you with all their suggestions and handy ideas and tools that you don't have (yet!)

Enjoy your new venture!

Love, June