What Food is Safe to Keep in RV While in Storage?

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GaryB

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Evansville, IN
Hi: After 2 years of research and MANY questions to you good folks on this forum (and others), I will finally be picking up my first RV this Wednesday (Heartland Big Horn 3055RL 5th wheel).

We'll be part-time RVers and will keep the trailer in a covered storage lot when not in use.  What types of food/condiments are safe to keep in the trailer while in storage?  Of course, since we won't be running the refrigerator, we cannot keep perishable foods or foods that will melt (such as candy).  But what about things like canned food (soup, veggies), cereal, pasta/Hamburger Helper mix, salt/pepper, sealed juices, etc.?  Will they survive the warm tempertures in storage?  Of course, we'll keep any opened, non-perishable products in a RubberMaid box to deter rodents.

Thank you!
Gary
 
I would not store anything beyond salt and pepper and things like baking soda and detergents.   Your RV will build up heat in storage, especially if it has the windows of  a motorhome.      Any boxed goods, even in RubberMaid boxes is simply rat bait.   Rats can gnaw most anything non-metallic.  Canned goods could be theoretically OK, but you might find yourself with food getting out of date on you.   I suppose canned beverages would be OK.

Buy your camping food on a special trip to the grocery store and load it in the RV each time.   Odds are that you will have the RV parked at your home for loading.    Do not overbuy.  There are few places in the USA that are not within 30 minutes of a grocery store of some sort.   You will buy stuff as you travel.
 
We have kept a few things in the pantry for extended periods.  Some canned items (soup, tuna, beans, etc.).  And even some boxed items like some cereal and snacks.  But in general we don't try to leave much in there.  We have not had any problem with critters (as I knock on wood).  As Gary said, I wouldn't make it a general rule to leave your pantry fully stocked, but things left from one trip to the next should be alright, as long as it's not an extreme time lag.  I would say though to check on it every now and then to make sure the critters aren't getting in there and helping themselves.
 
Most of our stuff is removed prior to storage. Any foodstuff that's left in our coach is sealed in acrylic 'mason' jars. They help keep things fresh, dry and critter-free.
 
I agree with the remove food before storage too

One comment on Carl's "Rats can gnaw through most anything non metallic"

I'd add, and a few metallic's as well


The second rule: (If rats and vermin are not an issue) is anything that can take high temp storage.  Count on temps inside a locked up trailer exceeding 150 degrees on occasion.

My case is kind of different as the rig is never, actually, in true storage.. When in "Storage" mode it still gets used about an hour (or more) every day average.. Usually from 5:45 or there abouts to 7:15 or there abouts PM.  Still, we remove most of the food.
 
We keep salt, pepper and other spices and shelf-stable condiments in the motorhome. Also canned food and boxed mixes. But the MH is parked in our backyard and I rotate the items that are out there into the house so that nothing gets too old. I have left canned items there over the winter and some of the food in the cans, while ok to eat healthwise, had an odd texture (canned potatoes for example, get mushy if the cans freeze). In the summer, it doesn't get too hot in the MH because we open windows and doors to keep the temperature down and run the A/C if it's too hot.

Wendy
home in cool, cloudy Cortez
 
Thanks for the replies thus far.  To clarify, I'm not referring to long-term storage (such as over the winter).  I'm referring to those (roughly) 2-week storage periods between each use.

Gary
 
If you're only talking about 2-week storage periods, you shouldn't have any problems, just don't leave any open food that mice and bugs would get into.

Wendy
 
If you search on the word Food you'll find other threads relating to this subject.

ArdraF
 
Wendy,
(canned potatoes for example, get mushy if the cans freeze)
Click to expand...
IMNSHO, canned potato(e)s start out life already mushy, but they sure beat the smell of a fresh one that's gotten rotten!

For things like coffee, rice, flour, sugar, dry beans, vegetable oils, vinegar, I store them in 1-gallon collapsible plastic cubes. They come with a valve/spout for liquids, and a screw cap for other things. They're great for other things like laundry soap, windshield washer fluid, bleach, motor oil, anti-freeze, etc. and other things that come in round or other irregular shaped containers because they stack easily and can be squished down as you use the contents, saving space.

Storing bags of potatoes and onions next to the fresh water tank keeps them relatively cool and helps keep them edible much longer.
 
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