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Old 05-31-2018, 10:20 AM   #1
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Road trip food planning

With the limited space inside my A122THESP I was wondering what most of you do for food planning on long road trips?

I'm taking my camper cross country for 2-1/2 weeks in September and not sure how to plan meals. I have plenty of space for external coolers and had planned to vacuum seal as much as possible but not having done a long trip like this I'm at a loss for what foods travel well

I was thinking of just using the fridge for keeping drinks and sandwich items and using cooler space for the rest but thought I'd ask the seasoned veterans what you do?

Suggestions would be appreciated.
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Old 05-31-2018, 10:53 AM   #2
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We tried food planning and it didn't work for us on a cross country trip. We got tired of prepackaged meals and sometimes what we had packed didn't fulfill our cravings.

Usually we stop at a WalMart or grocery store on route to our campsite and buy the meals and drinks we'll need for the days we are camped. Fresh fruit, vegetables and meat were much better than prepackaged food. We cooked as we do at home and bought fast food too.

Not carrying a lot of food decreases the weight of the rig. Also, it can get incredible hot inside those trailers and the food might not hold up well (my crackers baked inside our TT). Ice that we had in the coolers we had in the rig defrosted more quickly than normal.

Don't overplan for food. You're going to end up stopping at a store for things you've forgotten and you can pick up what you need during the stop.
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Old 05-31-2018, 11:04 AM   #3
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Second vote for picking things up as you go. Our TT obviously had a lot more room than your A-Frame, but as a family with a couple of small kids, pre-planned meals just don't work. We'd try to keep a few staples with us, like peanut butter, ketchup, etc.. but everything else we'd just hit the grocery store once there and say "what do you feel like eating this trip?"
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Old 05-31-2018, 11:23 AM   #4
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Good suggestions and thanks. I'm sure I'm over analyzing it as well.

There are a few groceries on our route but not as many as I'd like so we'll have to be mindful of that.
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Old 05-31-2018, 11:30 AM   #5
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I saw in your profile that you have a Trailblazer. Is there enough room to put a cooler in the back?
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Old 05-31-2018, 11:51 AM   #6
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I saw in your profile that you have a Trailblazer. Is there enough room to put a cooler in the back?
Well that depends on what my partner decide to bring

Yes there is and my rig has a huge front deck/platform that I can transport items as well.

I've debated on putting coolers on it since it will be out in the sun so I had planned on keeping them in the Trailblazer if possible.
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Old 05-31-2018, 11:57 AM   #7
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We always overpack the food and bring a lot home. We have a week long trip coming up and have decided to take no "cold items" and shop ever couple days as we will be "in town" every couple days anyway.

I guess we "eat out" as much as we "camp out"
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Old 05-31-2018, 12:02 PM   #8
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At the beginning of the season, we pack the camper with non perishables. Things like can vegetables, pasta, rice, soups, snacks, paper goods, toiletries etc. The the day before leaving on a trip, we will hit the store for things like milk, bread, eggs, butter, cheese etc. We usually have enough on hand for some quick meals on the road but we will stop on the road to pick up anything we may have a craving for or things we run out of.
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Old 05-31-2018, 12:26 PM   #9
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The pasta and rice were things I was considering as we tend to hike a lot burning many calories.

I am considering building an external camp kitchen pantry that I can load on the front platform but haven't found any out there to draw ideas from (I'm a woodworker). I'd love a box with a slide out storage bin but ball bearing rail slide that can support the weight are expensive.

One thing I was considering was to brown ground beef and onions in small batches then vacuum seal them for use in pasta, chili, or Mexican dishes but I'm concerned about how well it will keep. If I can keep a cooler in the TV that shouldn't be an issue as long as I have access to ice.
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Old 05-31-2018, 12:31 PM   #10
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We shop for food after we set up for the night. On a long trip we may eat fast food while enroute to our destination then hit up a walmart or local grocery store.
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Old 05-31-2018, 12:33 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by p40whk View Post
If I can keep a cooler in the TV that shouldn't be an issue as long as I have access to ice.
Plus if you put in frozen items, ground beef, steak, brats, etc... they will take longer to defrost and be ready by day 2, 3.

Safe and happy travels.
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Old 05-31-2018, 12:59 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by p40whk View Post
The pasta and rice were things I was considering as we tend to hike a lot burning many calories.

I am considering building an external camp kitchen pantry that I can load on the front platform but haven't found any out there to draw ideas from (I'm a woodworker). I'd love a box with a slide out storage bin but ball bearing rail slide that can support the weight are expensive.

One thing I was considering was to brown ground beef and onions in small batches then vacuum seal them for use in pasta, chili, or Mexican dishes but I'm concerned about how well it will keep. If I can keep a cooler in the TV that shouldn't be an issue as long as I have access to ice.
I have used the small Teflon strips on the bottom rails of the drawer supports attached to the side of the box, they worked really well, got the idea from the Teflon on the runners of my boat trailer.
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Old 05-31-2018, 02:11 PM   #13
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Our food plans

Unlike others above, we rarely do grocery shopping on the road. Along the highway we sometimes hit McDonald's for lunch, and a local restaurant for dinner once or twice at our destinations. Otherwise, we do our own meals. Our goal is to keep it simple and avoid having to wash dishes if at all possible. We usually have cold cereal or bagels for breakfast. For dinner we go for quick, easy to cook things like hot dogs, spaghetti, etc.

We always have the staples like peanut butter, pimiento cheese and sandwich meat with us for lunches. We do more elaborate cooking sometimes if we are settled in a campground for several days and aren't pressed for time. We do use our refrigerator on the road.

Incidentally, on our most recent trip I weighed our propane tanks before and after the trip. Using gas exclusively for the refrigerator, I found that we got about ten hours on a pound of propane while driving.
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Old 05-31-2018, 02:26 PM   #14
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I am considering building an external camp kitchen pantry that I can load on the front platform but haven't found any out there to draw ideas from (I'm a woodworker). I'd love a box with a slide out storage bin but ball bearing rail slide that can support the weight are expensive.

Try a quick search on Pinterest.com using 'camp kitchen box' as the search phrase. You'll get a ton of pins for inspiration. As for rail slides, I've seen skate wheels used for pickup truck bed storage drawers. They'd have to be less expensive than ball bearing slide rails, albeit requiring more space.
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Old 05-31-2018, 05:40 PM   #15
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Although we have more than enough storage room now it wasn't always that way. We mostly still operate the way we did years ago when space was at a premium. I pack the staples in spring when we open up the motorhome and add the last minute perishables just before we leave. I plan on 5-7 days then I shop. Although we try to avoid fast food I'm on vacation too and love to pick up some of the pre-made salads and meals in the grocery stores. We especially love the store made rotisserie chicken. Enjoy your trip!
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Old 05-31-2018, 06:29 PM   #16
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If it is a "run n gun" (really trying to make tracks) then you will want a lot of sandwiches in the cooler(s) inside the tow vehicle. A more leisurely pace allows for more improvisation: exploring local restaurants, hitting roadside stands, going with the mood of the moment. We used to have a Pleasure Way (Class B) which didn't have enough storage for anything, so we either picked up stuff as we went or our fallback of chicken tenders (parts we call them) and popcorn
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Old 05-31-2018, 06:57 PM   #17
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Dont Over Plan........

You would be surprized at how well you can eat with little planning. We bring fruits, nuts, lunchmeat, cheese and sandwich bread. If you have a cravig for meat , stop at Walmart, get what you need for the next day or so....and youre all set. We do alot of salads as well. Dont forget the coffee!
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Old 05-31-2018, 07:38 PM   #18
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We usually travel South for the Winter, staying 2 weeks each at various Natl. parks, and have discovered that meats are quite expensive in Florida. We raise most of our food on the farm and freeze it. The back of my tow vehicle (2017 Tundra) easily accommodates a 5 cubic foot freezer which we fill with farm products for the trip. We replenish it with seafood products for the return trip as those prices are more attractive in Florida.
While traveling, we power it with a 1,000 watt inverter mounted inside the truck. When settled in a campground, it is plugged into the utility power. Haven't yet needed to use the generator to power it, but it's always available if boondocking.
I wish planning for someone to care for the farm animals while we're gone was as easy.
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Old 06-01-2018, 08:38 AM   #19
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For the many years that we camped, DW prepared meals that we enjoyed, then froze them. Some dishes that contained noodles/spaghetti were partially made to save space in the cooler/freezer. We carried the noodles/spaghetti dry and cooked them when needed. You can also keep the sauce in a jar until needed. Canned salmon is also healthy and can be carried without refrigeration. We make enough to last a couple of meals. Powdered potatoes is also something you can carry dry and easy to prepare. We make enough to last for a few days.

Being avid fishermen, we often are in a spot where we can catch fresh fish. If, not, we fish at the local fish markets. Most super markets also have rotisserie chicken and a variety of salads that will spread a couple of days.

We have a 120 quart ice chest that we carry. We pack it tight with frozen food and ice blocks. We cover the frozen food with a sheet of foam insulation and wrap the cooler with old comforters. We buy dry ice if we are past 4 days. To demonstrate how well this works, we have transported frozen fish 1,700 miles over a 4-day period. The fish was still frozen solid when we arrived.
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