What foods you carry that are easy to keep and convenient to use

[Ex-Calif]

Just combine all the dry ingredients. Leave the baking powder out to add with the liquids (oils, eggs, water, extracts). Baking powder goes flat fairly quickly. I like to test my baking powder by sprinkling a tiny bit over water (usually the bottom of the wet sink) BEFORE I use it in a recipe. If it fizzes, it's good. If it doesn't fizz, then I'm only out the baking soda and not a whole batch of mix. Freeze the mix for 24 hours to kill any bugs that may be in the pasta/rice/flour. Date & label. Don't forget the directions. I keep my directions in an Open Office file called "Mix Directions" on my laptop as well as a copy on a hard drive (that I put OpenOffice Portable on) that I can access with a tablet or phone.

There's a difference between baking powder and baking soda. My ex-wife made a pecan pie with baking soda and it blew up like a jiffy pop - LOL...

You do a lot of work that is beyond me but kudos to that.

The only thing I can add lately is that I am experimenting with flavoring rice. I make a simple chicken flavored rice that compliments chicken dishes and most fish dishes. I also make a beef flavored rice that goes well with Chinese dishes that have beef in them.

I am also making one pot rice usually by adding chopped chicken, vegetables of some type and boiling it all together with the rice. I am learning I have to reduce the water amount a bit as the veggies and chicken also add moisture.

So far it is simple using the chicken and beef stock in powder rather than cube form.

I am planning to experiment with other powder mixes. I am on the hunt for Adobo flavor which is a Filipino dish to see if pork and chicken rice would be good.

I've been making Spanish rice for years this way and it only occurred to me recently to try out other flavors, mixes and combinations.

I like cooking simply. Fewer pots the better. And the best part of these rice dishes is they only take about 15 minutes to throw together.

 

[LMHS]

You do a lot of work that is beyond me but kudos to that.

Not only do I live in a landscape desert, I live in a food desert. There are foods that I always took for granted that are not stocked out here. No where! I have to order online or make it myself. Add a few minor dietary issues, and it becomes easier to make it myself. It's certainly cheaper. I buy, or used to buy, sugar-free Bread & Butter pickles as well as sugar-free relish. That won't happen here. I ordered a case from Amazon and spent more to have it shipped than what the pickles cost. And it's not like the majority of NM residents are slim and svelte! I've even gone to ABQ (200+ miles) to find some foods. Usually unsuccessfully. Oh to have a PUBLIX!

And I miss my Mayfield ice cream. And even Cracker Barrel can't make a decent biscuit unless they get someone from back east in. We could always tell when they got someone from back east making the biscuits at the CB in ABQ.... but that's something completely different.

 

[MN Blue Skies]

Ditto on what we carry. Our RV is our home. My wife does the cooking and she has about 30 days of meals planned. We buy fresh once or twice a week and use the freezer to carry perishables just like we did when we had a stick and brick home.

Wow, your wife is an excellent planner. I'm happy if I have 7 days planned.

 

[Bob C]

My wife and I are both very good cooks and agree that life is too short to not make and enjoy great food. We take carry about two weeks worth of food including canned veggies, fruit cups, frozen steaks, chicken, chops etc. I can take a small steak out of the freezer in the morning and in 10 minutes have either soup or stir fry ready. It sure beats fast food. We are from Wisconsin and take along enough GOOD cheddar to last us a month. We buy some good bread and eat like the European with bread, cheese, sausage and veggies. Travel snacks include jerky, gorp, nuts and many other simple foods.

 

[jackiemac]

We shop in Costco and our fridge is too small to keep the big bags of veg plus with only two of us we'd not use it quickly enough.

So at the start of our trip, and maybe midway, we buy and roast onions, peppers, aubergine, tomatoes, zucchini, chilli and bag them up then freeze them. Really handy.

I make chilli and freeze that too (i put the roast veg in which makes it very tasty).

We separately roast garlic and freeze some and put another batch in a jar with some olive oil and keep it in the fridge.

Steve also does preserved Lemons and we use those in salads or with chicken etc.

We juice limes and make them into ice cubes for our cocktails.

You can freeze fresh ginger and easily grate it into dishes.

We buy fish, chicken and steaks too and bag and freeze those.

Cheese and butter can be frozen too.

Our little freezer does quite well.

This allows us to eat fairly healthy and fresh foods whilst on the road.

 

[Jayflight]

We like quick lunches, or quick foods like hot dogs if we are truly boondocking. We do make up our chilli ahead of time freezing it in muffin pans without the paper liners. Then we ziplock the frozen pods themselves for later use. We pull out one and pop it in the microwave in a small glass bowl and this works for the two of us for the hot dogs or even revised sloppy joes , filling a hole for a six minute meal.

If you have a Lidl around, maybe Aldis too, you they have small single steaks, sometimes 4.49 a piece thats vacumn packed and are really good. They take up little space in the freezer and already air tight for lengthy travel.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Well, I'll chime in! Diet Coke, Diet Coke, and more Diet Coke. Does anyone need anything else to survive????

 

[LMHS]

I also keep a couple packs of shelf stable gnocchi. I prefer to pan fry it until lightly browned on two sides as opposed to boiling it like the package suggests. Add some sliced pepperoni (also shelf stable). Pour a jar of red sauce over it. Heat until bubbly. One dirty pan, one tasty meal.

 

[Vanbrat]

I forgot I like to pack a few gravy packets. The country gravy works for SOS stuff the chicken or pork or brown for pot pies in a mug stuff. It's not just for mashed tatos.

 

[Old_Crow]

I forgot I like to pack a few gravy packets. The country gravy works for SOS stuff the chicken or pork or brown for pot pies in a mug stuff. It's not just for mashed tatos.

I use those country gravy packs with a couple of sausage patties broken up and thown in with left over KFC biscuits for biscuits and gravy. There's also some frozen biscuits that cook up in a few minutes.

 

[ButchW]

Fry it, toast it, heat it in the microwave, but don't forget lottsa butter..
Butch

 

[1stimerver]

Variety describes what we bring.
The following would cover about 10 to 12 days for us,

Starting with canned goods Fruit, veggies, sauerkraut,salsa, soups, sardines, tuna.
Next the dried foods like milk, coffee, soup mix, pasta, rice, taco mix, tacos tortillas bread along with a host of spices
Then the refrigerated, milk juice lettuce, bacon eggs fresh or boiled, kielbasi, ham, cheese mayo mustard and ketchup
Then frozen, burgers, sausage, fries, veggies, pre-prepared meals in seal a meal packs, like taco mix, stews, pierogies..

This allows us the flexibility of preparing whatever we want at the moment.

For example, boiled pasta with butter and parmesian add a little parsley, garlic salt and a few bacon bits and you have a meal!!
or
Microwave a canned soup along with a ham and cheese sandwich.

Depending on the length of the trip and the timing for travel, we plan ahead and can decide on the spur of the moment what we would like to eat.

We even keep a stocked liquor cabinet for evenings at the site!!

 

[CharlesinGA]

I like the dehydrated shredded potatoes to make hashbrowns.

Well, I'll chime in! Diet Coke, Diet Coke, and more Diet Coke. Does anyone need anything else to survive????

I had never heard of the dried potatoes until I watched a Slim Potatohead video (very enjoyable travel videos with good photography) where he was fixing a meal with them.

I drink too much diet coke at home and use traveling time to try and cut back and drink more fruit juices and such.

I tried the shelf stable milk, both the odd brand from Dollar Tree and the Parmalat I get at Ingle's and just cannot stand the taste. I have used that for three or four years now, but have switched to buying a quart of 1% for my individual packed cereals.

My travel buddy's wife fixes Kraft Mac and Cheese Deluxe (the one with paste cheese in a squeeze packet) then they fry up ground beef like you would for chili and put it in the mac and cheese and add mrs Dash to it. I have taken that a step further and use the Kraft four cheese variety of mac and cheese deluxe and add the ground chuck (so little grease you don't need to drain it) and a can of Rotel Original with the liquid drained out (which weakens the heat I discovered).

Charles

 

[Old_Crow]

My travel buddy's wife fixes Kraft Mac and Cheese Deluxe (the one with paste cheese in a squeeze packet) then they fry up ground beef like you would for chili and put it in the mac and cheese and add mrs Dash to it. I have taken that a step further and use the Kraft four cheese variety of mac and cheese deluxe and add the ground chuck (so little grease you don't need to drain it) and a can of Rotel Original with the liquid drained out (which weakens the heat I discovered).

Charles

My kids ate a lot of hamburger mac and cheese when they were young. When we had all 5 boys at home we'd use the generic mac and cheese because we had to save pennies. After the kids started to leave and my wife started back to work we were in a better situation, so started buying Kraft instead of the generic brands. The kids complained because the Kraft was "too cheesy", so we went back to the cheap stuff. Nowadays, since I'm by myself, I buy the single serving Bob Evans microwave mac and cheese. I'll just fry up a hamburger pattie to go with it.

 

[UTTransplant]

One of my kids‘ favorite meals was the blue box Kraft macaroni and cheese with BBQ ground beef (brown the ground beef, add a spicy BBQ sauce). Not terribly nutritious, but easy and fast.

 

[Vanbrat]

When I was a very new housewife/mommy I would use a box of mac and cheese and add a can of tune and a can of cream of celery soup and frozen peas and carrots... Hubby asks for it now and then but YUK YUK YUK ! Now for tuna casserole it's scratch made sauce and NO peas and carrots. I grew up.
I think I might just have to try some of these hamburger ideas

 

[Wasillaguy]

One of our favorite breakfasts is frittata. Great way to use leftovers. Only one skillet to clean, and very easy. Just need an oven safe skillet that will fit in the oven. If you don't have cream, you can substitute with milk, half & half, sour cream, or even buttermilk/buttermilk powder.
RV ovens aren't exactly well insulated, so using it is a good way to warm up things on chilly mornings. It's just 2 of us, so we usually make a 3 egg frittata, or a 6 egg and reheat half the next morning in the micro-nuker. The little skillet won't do much more than the 6 egg.
How To Make an Easy Frittata

 

[WorldTurning]

I’ll add . Minute Rice add frozen mixed veggies, microwaved. Done, add salt, pepper & lots of butter yum. Add a meat if you want
Cereal and milk. Yum, peanut butter and preserves sandwich yum. Microwave a yam . Or baked potato 4 minutes. Done. Butter salt & pepper. Delish! Those are my go tos. Quesadillas are e-z ! I love toast with my coffee. Lentils cook up super fast & Easy

 

[Ex-Calif]

I whisk up 2 eggs in a microwave safe bowl, stir in cubed ham and chopped peppers and onions. About 2 minutes in the microwave and they are quick, tasty and only the bowl to wash. They key is to use a smaller diameter, deeper bowl so the egg mix is at least an inch thick. Too thick and they'll be runny. Too thin and you get a rubber pancake.

I also have been experimenting with regular oats, oatmeal. I avoid sugar as much as possible. 2/3-1 cup oats depending on appetite, 2 splenda packs and about 1/2 the milk recommended (I like my oatmeal thicker) - I also toss in a handful of frozen banana and cinnamon or pumpkin spice - Yum. 2-3 minutes in the micro and again easy cleanup.

Much cheaper than the "instant" oats and no sugar or sodium.

 

[LMHS]

I tried the shelf stable milk, both the odd brand from Dollar Tree and the Parmalat I get at Ingle's and just cannot stand the taste. I have used that for three or four years now, but have switched to buying a quart of 1% for my individual packed cereals.

I find that it's more convenient to cook with reconstituted powdered milk. I don't drink milk. I can't stand the taste. Never have. Not even in cereals.

For a protein boost to cereal, try using a shelf stable protein shake in place of milk. Works with cold cereal as well as overnight (I use in place of water/milk) and cooked oatmeal. Use flavoured or plain vanilla. I would suggest tasting before you add sweetener. Some brands of those shakes are too sweet. I am currently having this in the evenings because it's too hot to cook anything. I put a warm shake in the refrigerator when I take out a cold one. That way, my next shake is cold. To me, a chocolate or caramel protein shake with the Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds cereal tastes more like a dessert than a meal. I use Premier Protein brand as it doesn't contain soy (allergy). I would imagine that this would also work with any of those "meal replacement" type drinks.