Food for the Road
A little planning ahead can go a long way towards making your road trip more enjoyable.
Eating a varied cuisine on the road can be a challenge – but the fact that you’re away from all the conveniences of your own kitchen, doesn’t mean you have to settle for eating freeze dried meals, canned entrees and “just add hot water “ foods like ramen and oatmeal.
The real trick to enjoying great meals on the road is to do as much prep work at home as possible before you leave so you can make sure mealtime isn’t boring or predictable. Doing your prep work in advance will also help you cut down on the handling of raw foods and help you minimize the hassle and mess of cooking when you’re on the road.
Before You Leave Home
- Stock up on zip top bags (preferably the freezer type – they’re tougher), heavy-duty aluminum foil and recyclable aluminum containers, since they’re lightweight to carry and limit the number of dishes you have to wash. Plus, foil allows the flavors of the food to blend, and you won’t have to worry about anything dripping into the grill.
- Clean meats at home to avoid having food scraps that might attract animals or rot.
- Precut fruits, cheeses, and vegetables for quick snacks. Apples, grapes, string cheese, granola bars, dried fruit and nuts also make great snacks and are no-fuss.
- Frozen veggies, dried or frozen pasta with jar sauce, meatballs and fried chicken are good “go to’s” for fast, easy meals when you’re pressed for time.
- Don’t forget the essential condiments: mayo, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, salad dressings, salt, pepper, garlic and other seasonings you like. Also be sure to pack coffee, tea, hot chocolate and other powdered drink mixes.
- Prepare your favorite dishes at home and freeze them for quick, easy meals on the road. Since you freeze them at home, they’ll also do double duty as “ice blocks” to help keep your food and drinks cold. These meals will defrost slowly, so they will keep fresh for days. Getting ready for a meal is hassle-free with no pots or pans to clean.
More Tips for the Road:
Packing Your Cooler
Even if you have the luxury of modern conveniences, you may need to occasionally supplement your storage if you have a long trip planned or a big group to feed. Get expert tips on selecting a cooler and how to pack it.
7 Favorite Road Trip Meals
Here are a few of our favorite road trips meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
10 Essential Tips for Grilling
Here are a few rules to make sure your grilling experience is a good one.
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August 31 is National Trail Mix Day, the perfect time to celebrate this versatile, portable and nutritious snack.
When a Swiss company invented aluminum foil over 100 years ago, little did it know what an impact it would have on campers everywhere. Foil packet cooking is now extremely popular, and it’s easy to see why.
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