Forum Discussion

quasi's avatar
quasi
Explorer
Jan 31, 2016

Take it or leave it?

I cook. A lot. I have gadgets and geegaws, appliances and appurtenances. My question is what to take with us when we start Long-Timing next spring. Do most of you cooks out there take most of your kitchen with you or do you try to get by with a mess kit and a pocket knife? Trying to determine if I need things like a stand mixer, food processor and panini maker, all of which I use weekly at home.
Suggestions?

Jim
  • We were blessed to be able to purchase a larger RV and TV from friends for a substantially reduced cost. That said, my wife always said she would love to leave home and camp, as long as she could take a lot of it with her. We are now camping for the longest period yet, in our new lifestyle. We have not even filled all the storage we have, effectively. Perhaps we're missing something, but the DW has her Ninja, an electric pressure cooker/slow cooker, a hot plate (because their electricity is cheaper than our propane), a waffle maker/sandwich toaster. I even have a toaster for my morning pop-tart! Perhaps we will discover, later, this is too much in the way of gadgetry, but for now, we eat as well as home, and she can cook whatever she has a mind to. Works for us!
  • Thanks for the replies (I'll also post a "Thanks" in the Full-Timers forum)
    We have been lucky enough to be able to get a 36RL Redwood with a ton of storage and pantry space. That was one of my deal breakers when we went looking for a new fifth wheel. I've already begun whittling and scheming. I've started a list with "Must Haves", "Nice to Haves" and "Find an Alternative."
    Thanx,
    Jim
  • I have one appliance that goes with me from home. Its a Cuisinart toaster/oven that has settings for toast, bagel, bake, broil and warm. Not quite as good as individual appliances, but at 9" high by 16" wide by 12" deep, it takes up a lot less room.
    OTOH, I carry an old fashioned metal stove top coffee pot. I found one in a hardware store out in the country about 30 miles from home. No electric needed and no chance of breaking.
  • We went full time in a short bus so I had to give up a lot of my kitchen tools and appliances. But, I also modified my cooking because we can't carry the pantry we could have at home.
    I kept a small hand mixer - the kind you can get for about $15 at the drug store - but it works great for whipped cream, mashed potatoes, and cakes. I'm not making enough quantity to need a stand mixer.
    I kept a combo blender/food processor. It is smaller than standard but makes margaritas and milkshakes for two and can process enough food for a couple of meals.
    I also kept a crock pot, though I did downsize to a 6-quart. I'm still getting used to smaller batches but it is easier to store.
    And we kept the coffee grinder - good for grinding grain, spices, and coffee.
    I no longer have a grill, breadmaker, deep fryer, etc. But I rarely miss them.
    Most of the fancy appliances just take the place of something that used to be done by hand anyway.

    We also eat and shop differently now, both due to space and availability of items. Currently we are in Florida and so have a wealth of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish available. We only have a week or two of space in the pantry and so shop more often and are pickier about what we keep around. Rather than carry tarter sauce and cocktail sauce, I make my own and am considering making my own mayonnaise. You will also find that many food staples at home are hard if not impossible to find in other areas of the country. But you will gain access to new and interesting things to cook. The local grocery store here has almost no Asian food. I got into experimenting using Asian ingredients in the pacific northwest, where there was almost an entire aisle.
    Just think of your traveling time as a food learning adventure. It is a lot of fun and really improves your ability to cook on the fly.
    Best of luck to you!
  • Can you something else instead of the dedicated devices? For example, instead of the panini maker, could you simply toast or grill your sandwiches?

    You're better off keeping those things that can do multiple things rather than a bunch of dedicated items.

    Food processor and stand mixer - can you use one for both purposes? Is there a smaller option available? For example, can you skip the stand mixer and use a hand held mixer that will take up less room? What do you use the food processor for - if just to juice, can you use something smaller?

    If you really enjoy cooking, you probably won't be happy giving up all your toys, but pick and choose the most useful, find smaller options, etc.

    If you can store items somewhere for 6 months, you might do that. That way if you realize you absolutely must have that food processor, you won't have to buy it again. If you don't miss it over the 6 months, then you can sell it.
  • Duplicate post........duplicate answer :B


    Where do you plan on storing them?

    Where do you plan on setting them up to use?

    When we went FT...........basics
    Large skillet, medium skillet, couple of pots/pans

    Hand can opener, hand mixer, small blender (bullet), couple of whisks etc.
    Cooked everyday using stove top, oven, slow cooker and BBQ

    Space and Weight are concerns so set priorities for YOU