Make-Ahead Meals for RV Vacations

RVers love grilling or cooking over an open fire. But many also ask us for great make-ahead meals for their RV vacations. No matter how much you love cooking at the campground, it’s also a great idea to bring along some ready-made meals.

A bunch of our podcast listeners were giving some great meal suggestions over on our RVFTA Facebook group, and it inspired me to share three of my easy-peasy favorites.

Make-Ahead Meals for RV Vacations #1: Tortilla Pie

Ingredients

• One pound ground beef
• A can of black or pinto beans
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 green or red pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3-4 tablespoons of chili powder (you can also add some cumin if you like)
• One can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano (such as the Del Monte brand)
• 12 large flour tortillas (or one package)
• 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

1. Saute the ground beef, onion, pepper, and garlic until the meat is fully cooked. Add the chili powder. Add in the can of diced tomatoes and the can of beans. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Using non-stick cooking spray, coat the bottom of a casserole dish large enough to fit the tortillas. I use my round Pyrex dish.
3. Place a tortilla in the bottom of the casserole dish. Brush the tortilla with melted butter or an additional spray of oil. Cover the tortilla with some of the meat mixture. Top with a thin layer of cheddar cheese. Place another tortilla on top of the cheddar, and repeat the process until you have layered all the tortillas with meat and cheese.
4. Sprinkle cheese on the top of the tortilla pie and cover in foil. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. 
5. At the campground, cook the tortilla pie at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Serve with rice and a fruit salad.

Make-Ahead Meals for RV Vacations #2: Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound bowtie pasta
• 1 6-ounce jar of prepared pesto
• A medley of your favorite roasted vegetables (I roast asparagus, grape tomatoes, and yellow bell peppers on a sheet pan at 425° for 25 minutes)

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain.
2. Mix pasta with pesto sauce.
3. Add roasted vegetables. Store in the refrigerator tightly covered with plastic wrap.
4. This is the perfect dinner to serve on Friday night when arriving at the campground. A loaf of crusty bread makes a complete and hearty meal!

Make-Ahead Meals for RV Vacations #3: Barbecue Meatloaf Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• Onion, diced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

1. Mix all of the ingredients together except for the BBQ sauce.
2. Form into a loaf and place in a shallow pan.
3. Pour BBQ sauce evenly over the top of the meatloaf.
4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
5. Cool and store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.  Serve at the campground on slices of sourdough bread with prepared coleslaw and potato salad.

Here are a few other recipes recommended over on our RVFTA Facebook Group:

1. Cheryl loves the Korean Beef Rice Bowls from Skinnytaste.com and says she buys the “Frozen cooked brown rice from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods to make it easy.”
2. Sara recommends the 7-Can Soup recipe from the Pioneer Woman and says, “for our first night camping we always make” it.
3. Laura seems to be a big crock pot fan like me, and shared a Crock Pot Lasagna soup from freshfamilymeals.com.

Thanks for chiming in with some new options that I am going to put on my camp food list!

You can also check out our 3 easy RV Tailgating recipes, which I’ve used even when NOT tailgating (shhh!).

Keeping meal preparation simple will ensure that those RV getaways are relaxing and refreshing.  That way you can return to real life, rested and ready to plan your next great RV trip.

See you at the campground!