Making a Thanksgiving Meal in an RV
Yes, Thanksgiving in an RV is entirely possible. Whether you’re taking a dish to pass at a Thanksgiving potluck at the campground you're staying at or cooking for just your family for a quieter family dinner, either way you’re destined to have a tasty family-like feast.
One of the ways to have a successful meal is to invest in electric appliances. By doing this, you can cook more than one thing at a time, especially if you want to take it to the potluck or if you have your stovetop full of other dishes on the stove.
Here’s some of the best electric appliances that I’ve found:
Instant Pot – In this you can cook pieces of turkey, a small chicken, macaroni and cheese, soup, vegetables, rice or even bake something. There’re unlimited recipes available online for an instant pot. I even make my dog food in mine.
NuWave Oven – This oven is great for baking and my NuWave Oven has baked bread, cakes, cookies, pies and more and almost everything came out perfect. It is a good investment.
Induction Cooktop – If you’re like me, you never have enough cook space on your stove. Even though mine has four burners, they’re small and if I need to have a larger pot, it becomes a problem. That’s when I bring out the induction cooktop and plug it in and I have somewhere to place that larger pot.
One thing to remember when using these appliances is they do use quite a bit of electric power, so it isn’t the best idea to use more than one at a time, especially if you’re plugged into a 30-amp hookup. Use one along with your propane oven/stove and things will go a lot smoother for you.
Spread the cooking over a few days. There’s no reason to cook your Thanksgiving dinner all on the same day. Make the foods that taste better if they've set a day or two in the fridge. By spreading it out, you’ll have way less stress and everything will run a lot smoother.
Here’s some dishes that can be made ahead:
Pies
Baked goods
Casseroles
Potato & Macaroni salads
Veggie trays
Set Up Extra Prep Space
One of the biggest issues with cooking a large Thanksgiving meal in a RV is where you’re going to prep everything. Noted for having very little counter space, campers make preparing a meal a challenge. There are options available. You can set up a folding table, use your dining table or have a board that will set across your sink. By choosing the solution that fits your RV and needs, it gives you that added prep space to spread out for chopping, seasoning, and mixing.
Take it outside to your picnic table or folding table.
If your camper is really small, outside might be the best solution for prep or baking in an electric oven. With a folding table or two and electric appliances, you’ve expanded your workspace and might even get some help cooking as there’s a lot more room.
Many like to grill, smoke or even deep fry a turkey (if frying, make sure your campground allows deep fryers – OTC does not). By using any of those options, it frees up your oven for other foods and any of the three result is a scrumptious bird.
Share the Work with Family or Friends
By sharing the workload with your family or friends, you can coordinate any travel plans with camping buddies. Getting together with your RVing pals allows you the opportunity to celebrate with loved ones and everyone can bring a dish or two to share so no one person must do all the work.
Old Town Campground has a Thanksgiving Dinner Potluck every year at the pavilion at 2:30 pm. Come stay with us and be a part of our 55+ community.
