Tips for Making the Most of Your Food Storage Space in a Small RV

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Wade Thiel

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Wade divides his time among various outdoor activities in both urban and rural environments. An adventurer by nature, he is always up for a challenging hike, fun hunt, or day out on the water with friends and family. When he isn’t enjoying the outdoors, he’s writing, reading, or tinkering with motorcycles and cars.

The kitchen in your RV simply doesn’t have as much space as a kitchen in a house can and usually does. This is even more of an issue when you have a smaller RV. Small RVs are small on storage, and that means you won’t have much space to store your food. So, what do you do? You get creative.

Here are some ways to make the most of the food storage space you do have.

Organize The Storage Space

refrigerator organizer
Image from Camping World

The first and the best thing you can do is organize the space. Rv manufacturers will give you some kind of pantry, but more often than not that pantry space is just that, space. It’s up to you to make the most of it and organize it. The more organized your space is, the easier it’s going to be to fit everything you need.

There are shelves you can add to your storage space and containers that will help you organize on those shelves. Camping World carries quite a lot of organization items and refrigerator parts to help you make the most of these spaces. 

The same goes for your refrigerator. Most refrigerators come with drawers and shelves, but you can take that to the next level with some additional organizational items. Also, small RVs have small refrigerators, and some of these refrigerators are little more than a square space with a door. Take some time to organize your refrigerator and you’ll make the most of its space.

Think About What Can Go Into the Refrigerator and Into the Pantry

woman opening an RV refrigerator
Image from Getty

The next step for making the most of your food storage space is to really think about what’s going into the refrigerator and what goes into the pantry. In a home, there’s plenty of stuff that we toss into the refrigerator that doesn’t need to be there.

It also comes down to the types of food we should bring on the trip. Many things that you’d usually buy frozen or refrigerated, you can also buy canned or dried. In some cases, it’s better to do so. Think critically about what you want to take with you on your trip and the space that you have in your RV.

Canned Foods

Canned foods are a big thing for me on any camping trip. Canned food is easy. It sits in whatever storage or pantry space you have. It can even be carried with you easily. When it’s time to eat, you pull out a can, open it up and cook the food inside. Super simple. Also, cans stack easily and generally do a good job of making the most of the space you have.

I bring canned soups and chili on most trips, but you can also get canned veggies, fruit, pasta, rice, and more. This helps keep unnecessary things out of your refrigerator, meaning you can keep more of the essentials in there. Things like milk, cheese, juices, and meats.

Dry Goods

Dry goods are another thing that you should think about having in your RV. I typically try to find different containers than the ones they come in, but beans, rice, and pasta are all things that can be easily kept in your RV’s pantry space and be the basis for a fantastic meal. Also, beef jerky, nuts, crackers, and chips all fit into this category. Prioritize what dry goods you want to bring along, and consider creating a meal plan ahead of your trip if you can.

Keep Fruit and Vegetables Out

Unless it’s been cut open, the fruit and vegetables you buy can be left out. Will they stay good for a super long time? No, but then you shouldn’t be stocking your RV with fruit and veggies you don’t plan to eat for a while anyway.

Refrigerating fruit and veggies keeps them fresh longer, but that shouldn’t be a concern. Get yourself a fruit basket or a hanging fruit basket or hammock. This simple item will keep your fruit and veggies off the countertop while still providing you with easy access.

Try some of our tips on how to make the most of the food storage space you do have, but maybe a kitchen renovation could help you make even more of the space available? Interested in reimagining what your RV’s kitchen could look like? Camping World Design Centers exist to help RVers plan and complete interior design projects. Consult with a Design Specialist and make your camper feel even more like home.


Do you have any suggestions or ideas on how to better organize food storage in a small RV? Leave a comment below!

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Tips for making the most of your food storage space in a small RV

  • Comment (1)
  • Marilyn W. says:

    Use square containers in your (square) refer to maximize usable space.
    Repackage items that come in those bulky clamshell containers in favor of sealable bags.
    Limit the number of sodas/beer you refrigerate. Refrigerate what you need, and simply remove/replace each beverage as you use them up.
    Nest stackable items to best use vertical space.
    Cut off unneeded sections of cardboard or styrofoam egg cartons.
    Buy/pack a cheapie foam chest to store fruit and veggies out of the refer; rotate-in flat cold packs from your freezer to create a modestly cool storage site. (This cooler could also do double duty as a party cooler if you buy a bag of ice on the road!)
    Avoid bulky packaging to begin with!

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