RV Rally

The Quartzsite Grand Design 2024 RV rally was my first, but it won’t be my last. It was great meeting new friends, learning and sharing with this awesome community!

What goes into good food prep for an easier camping experience?

• Use a Camping Menu Template (FREE printable camp meal planner & tips to use it) to plan meals in advance.
• Prepare make ahead camping meals that you just “dump and cook” or “dump and reheat” on your trips.
• Prep as much as possible and use a vacuum sealer to store food in bags that are uniform in size and stack well in the freezer, refrigerator and pantry. This is the best way to store frozen food in small refrigerators and freezers, especially while boondocking and on longer trips. Different uses for vacuum sealers:
  • Pre-season/marinate food for quick cooking.
  • Package food in appropriate serving amounts (including produce).
  • Prep veggies (clean and chop) and freeze for cooking later.
  • Cook vacuum sealed food in a warm water bath. Check out these yummy sous vide camping recipes.

What ideas do you have for group meal planning?

• Use a Camping Menu Template (FREE printable camp meal planner & tips to use it) to plan meals for the entire group. Consider how you want to divide the workload.
  • Each camper is responsible for their own food.
  • Each camper is assigned to be responsible for a meal for the entire group.
  • Meals are potluck-style and every person is assigned with a “category” for each meal.
  • One person is responsible for everything including planning, shopping, transporting, cooking and serving the food. The grocery costs are split equally between all of the group members.
  • Get more tips on how to plan a camping trip with friends.
• When planning the meals, be sure to take into consideration individual likes/dislikes and dietary restrictions.
  • Here are some easy camping meals for large groups.
  • Celiac disease is relatively common so preparing a GF meal plan is important in many group camping situations. Here are some ideas if you need to prepare gluten free camping food.

How can I make produce last longer?

• There are lots of ways to keep camping veggies fresh and fabulous.
  • Use the most delicate fruits and vegetables first, save the heartier produce for later in the trip.
  • Make sure your produce is dry including the packaging it comes in. Separate and layer leafy greens with paper towels to absorb moisture, prevent wilting and premature decay.
  • Buy produce that is slightly under-ripe.
  • Several campers highly recommended using green bags to extend the life of produce.
  • Lots of people have success storing their produce in glass mason jars. Here are a few ideas:
    • Wash berries and veggies really well, let them completely dry before storing them in glass jars in the fridge.
    • Prep vegetables (like carrots, celery, asparagus and radishes) in an air-tight glass jar, filled with water in your refrigerator.
  • Ethylene accelerates the ripening process of produce. Store ethylene-producing produce separately from ethylene-sensitive produce.

What small appliances can I use with a portable 300 watt inverter?

Your entire electrical demand will determine the inverter size you need to run all of your electric equipment, including kitchen appliances. Unfortunately, a 300 watt inverter will not be able to handle even the smallest electric kitchen cooking equipment.

• I have a post on how to install a power inverter in a camper. That post discusses:
  • Different types of inverters.
  • Choosing the right inverter size.
  • Determining your power requirements.
  • Examples of various equipment with startup/surge watts and running watts.

Does using a pizza stone in your oven really help cook food better?

I personally don’t use a pizza stone in my RV oven but several members in the group shared their personal experiences. Some said it didn’t make a difference while others said it made a big difference in how evenly the oven cooks food.

• The people who got good results said they put the pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven, not on the bottom of the oven.

Do you have recipes for different cooking methods?

There are so many ways to cook campsite meals. Whether you’re cooking with electric, propane, campfire coals or charcoal briquettes, there are lots of meal options. On my camping food page, you’ll find recipes for cooking with Dutch ovens, propane stoves, grills, Instant Pots, Sous Vide, Blackstones, crockpots, Air Fryers and more.

What are some simple recipes to make when boondocking?

When you’re camped off-the-grid, you don’t have access to power, water or dump facilities so cooking can be a challenge. Try these easy boondocking recipes if you want something that tastes great, has easy meal prep and minimal cleanup.

What do you use to cook outdoors during fire restrictions?

Because we live in Arizona, we are regularly camping without fire. My preferred method is to use a propane stove because I can easily use it to cook and bake. Here are some of my favorite camp stove recipes. When I’m baking I use a dome & heat diffuser plate. If you’ve never used one before, I have an entire Dutch oven dome post and VIDEO, step-by-step instructions and recipe ideas.

What are some ideas for “take along food” that doesn’t need refrigeration for day trips away from the RV?

I have travel food recipes that work on travel days or hike days.

• I have a list of my favorite 37 non-refrigerated camping food items as well as recipes that use shelf stable ingredients. Here’s where you can get my no refrigeration camping meals & recipes.
• Many of my grab-and-go camping snacks are non-refrigerated.
• My list of no-cook food items is helpful too. You can find that list in my no cook camping meals post, these are perfect when you’re feeling lazy and just can’t bring yourself to cook a meal.

Do you have pantry organizing tips?

We have installed sliding baskets for bulky items, as well as using stackable shelves to create space in cabinets that have wasted space. I like using clear, sealed bins to hold pantry items (I remove food from bulky packaging), group similar things together and put commonly used items in the front. I started using sealed containers after our first “mouse experience” which I don’t ever want to experience again … LOL. Here’s my post on camping storage ideas.

• My camping organization tips will also help you stay clean and organized throughout your entire trip.

What food items should be removed from our RV between trips?

Troy’s entire comment: We store our RV between trips with no climate control. What food items should we not leave in the RV between trips (olive oil for example). We are in south central Texas, so it can get pretty warm. Note: We are able to leave the refrigerator turned on.

• I remove all food and drink items from our RV after each trip for a few reasons:
  • I don’t want items to go bad.
  • I don’t want to attract mice.
  • I would not trust that the refrigerator won’t have a glitch and fail.
  • I wouldn’t want to have added wear-and-tear on the refrigerator just to hold a few items when we’re not using our rig.
  • I want a full inventory of fresh food items the next time we go out.

What are some of your kitchen essentials? What are some of your favorite kitchen staples to have on hand?

I probably have more RV kitchen accessories than most people because I’m passionate about cooking. Organizers, food storage containers and multi-functional equipment are at the top of my list.

• My favorite kitchen staples include:
  • pasta
  • rice
  • jarred salsa (this is a great substitute for anything requiring tomatoes, onions and garlic)
  • canned coconut milk
  • canned beans
  • peanut butter
  • dried spices (my 5 favorites are garlic, cumin, basil, cayenne pepper and curry. With these you can make lots of combinations including our favorite flavor profiles: Mexican, Italian and Thai)
  • fresh garlic
  • fresh cilantro
  • onions
  • frozen uncooked skinless boneless chicken breasts
  • frozen grilled and sliced chicken breasts
  • frozen raw ground beef
  • frozen cooked crumbled ground beef

What do you find you use the most, crock pot, Insta Pot or air fryer?

Actually, my go-to cooking equipment is my Dutch oven because I can use it on a propane stove (camp stove outside or RV stove inside), over a campfire or with charcoal briquettes. I can use it to cook or bake and it maintains a nice even heat.

• As far as electric appliances go, I prefer my Instant Pot because one piece of equipment does double duty, pressure cooking and slow cooking. If we’re boondocking, I love the fast-cooking time using the pressure cooking mode. If we’re at an RV park with full hookups, I’ll use the crockpot setting.

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Participate In The Activities

10 Tips For RV Rallies

Rallies are a great way to meet like-minded RVers, learn new things, make new friends and meet-up with old ones. Enjoy your next RV rally and maximize your experience with these practical pointers.

Make the most out of attending an RV rally with these 10 tips.

1. Plan Ahead: Research the rally beforehand to understand the schedule, activities, and any special requirements. Make sure you have all necessary reservations, tickets, permits and directions.
2. Plan Your Meals: Before you head to the rally, plan out your meals for each day. Consider the duration of the rally, and the “food events” you will be attending. You may not have to cook as much as you do on a normal trip if meals will be provided by sponsors and you will be sharing food at potluck events.
3. Arrive Early: You can avoid crowded lines, have first pick of campsite locations, familiarize yourself with the grounds/facilities and have the opportunity to meet fellow attendees without being rushed.
4. Pack Essentials: Bring all of your normal essentials plus any other special items you may need. Don’t forget to pack recreational items like bikes, ATVs, hiking gear, fishing equipment, cornhole boards/bags etc if the rally offers such activities.
5. Stay Connected: Keep in touch with the organizers and other attendees for any updates or changes in the schedule. Joining online forums or social media groups related to the rally can also help you connect with fellow attendees and stay informed.
6. Attend Orientation: If the rally offers an orientation session for first-time attendees, make sure to attend. This will help you familiarize yourself with the layout, rules and amenities offered during the event.
7. Be Open To Socializing: RV rallies are great opportunities to meet new people who share your interests. Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations with fellow attendees and participate in group activities.
8. Respect Quiet Hours: Be mindful of quiet hours and other rules established by the rally organizers. Respect your neighbors’ space and privacy to ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience.
9. Stay Flexible: While it’s good to have a plan, be prepared to adapt if things don’t go as expected. Weather, traffic and other unexpected circumstances can affect your plans, so stay flexible and make the most of the experience.
10. Have Fun: Above all, enjoy yourself! RV rallies are about having fun, creating memories, making new friends and connecting with old friends. Relax, explore and savor the experience of being part of a vibrant community of RVers.

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FREE Printable Camping Trip Planner