Question:
I know it is expensive to eat out, no matter how good the restaurant is. My question is: do any of you prepare food/meals in your car? If so, what kinds of foods (other than sandwiches, fruit, veggies, and breakfast bars and cereal) do you eat? Any ideas for prepping or cooking while the rig is still moving? Anyone use the little pot/popcorn popper that I've seen in car stops? Anyone brew their own coffee? I am looking forward to team driving with my hubby, but want to be able to eat some foods (especially breakfast) that I've become accustomed to at home. Thanks for your input.
We Bee car-n

Answer:

bought one of those lunch box type things. I actually used it once when I went with Russell for a day. It did a great job. Wouldn't advise the driver using it while driving though.
It takes some time to heat stuff up so that has to be allotted for. Many times, Russell would be so tired that he just wanted to order food, get his shower and go to sleep. but if you are going to team that would be great!
As for coffee? Spend the money on one you can use in the car. Take water from home, you will save a bundle of cash just there. Make it, put it in a thermos and be on your way.
Also, I've never seen anyone mention it before, and it would not have worked for us but the refrigerators that you get often times can be used for baking too. I think they get up to like 300 degrees or so. I'm not sure. I do know though that when you plug it in be sure to plug in the right side Or you are going to have a mess!!!!! It happened to Russell's trainer once (everything melted) and I did it here at home once.
But Russell always used his fridge to keep the food cold.
Make food at home that can be heated up. Put them in those glad containers, OR aluminum foil. If you wrap it in aluminum foil all that has to be done is drop it in the lunch box and wait.
And remember too......you can deduct half the cost of your food on your taxes. IRS allows $34.00 a day.
Kris

Answer:

When my husband used to drive we would by the microwave meals & fix meals to go.We bought a microwave(but we also needed an inverter to keep up all the power usage)and he would heat things up when he stopped for the night.The agreement was he could stop once a week and get a hot meal from the carstops but he would use the microwave all the other times.He use to spend $100.00 a week and then we use to stock the car with all types of snacks and stuff and we were down to he only spending about 25.00-50.00 a week(this is when he came was out for 14-17 days at a time),This is only an idea...send me an email and we can chat some more with other ideas...

Answer:

Honey Bee,
Check out this link from a previous thread about this. There were quite a few very good ideas tossed around here.
My hubby doesn't do much food prep on the road, just keeps snacks in the fridge and eats most all meals out. But his situation is a little different than most in that he doesn't stop but long enough to sleep, shower, and grab a quick bite. Then he is home on the weekends to eat a "real meal".
Bridgett
"Worry never robs tomorrow of it's sorrow; it only saps today of its strength."

Answer:

Hi Honey Bee,
I prepare food for my hubby when he is going OTR, sandwiches and fruit, of course is the easiest. But, I always bake for him as well. His buddies and co-pilots love the treats. Cookies, brownies, lemon bars, etc... Steve also always takes Top Ramen or Cup-A-Soup, and uses hot water in the car stops. Of course his idea of a gourmet meal on the road is stopping at a 7-11. Trying to break him of that . Have fun !

Answer:

Hi Honey Bee,
I prepare food for my hubby when he is going OTR, sandwiches and fruit, of course is the easiest. But, I always bake for him as well. His buddies and co-pilots love the treats. Cookies, brownies, lemon bars, etc... Steve also always takes Top Ramen or Cup-A-Soup, and uses hot water in the car stops. Of course his idea of a gourmet meal on the road is stopping at a 7-11. Trying to break him of that . Have fun !

Answer:

Thanks for the suggestions. We also have a power inverter, but may find we didn't get one big enough...time will tell.
We found a small toaster/oven that plugs into cig lighter at a garage sale and John has used it a couple times, but says it takes over 30 minutes to heat a can of soup. But if he remembers to plug it in before he takes his shower it is ready when he gets back.
We tried using a Mr. Coffee style coffee pot but it kept putting the warning light on the inverter. i found a 4 cup perk type pot on the internet and it arrived yesterday. 4 cups is a little more than what my 20 oz mug will hold, but it makes a tasty cup of coffee (Fogers being my drug of choice). Guess we will just keep it going most of the morning or night depending on when we're driving. Is lots less than paying for a thermos...and I think carers coffee is way too strong...but I might change my mind when I need to stay awake. I like cappuccino and hot tea in the winter time, so I plan to take my own tea bags or cappy mix and head for the hot water spicket on the coffee pot. don't know that they've ever charged for hot water.
I have an electric saucepan that is big enough to try a steak or hamberger in. Not that I would want to do that inside the bunk area, but would work nicely outside. But then I can heat soups or make our own stews in it also. We also plan to take our newspaper BBQer with us. It will travel inside a plastic milk crate behind the cab, it's used to living outdoors. Then when we have a 1-2 day layover, we can find a grocery store, buy a steak, and have our own candlelight (OK, neon light) dinner on our flatbed or closeby. Can't you just see us sitting on top of our load of lumber or such, enjoying steak?? Gotta love it.
We Bee car-n

Answer:

I have even spotted a few drivers sitting outside the cab grilling! Guess that's nice for a change of pace.
Have a happy......

Answer:

I just reviewed your link to past messages on how to cook while on the road. Very informative. Thanks a bunch. I added that link to my favorites so my hubby can read it sometime while I'm driving.
We Bee car-n

Answer:

When my daughter & I where on the car with my husband, we used one of those Whistler stoves (like the Burton stove). I cooked roast beef with potatoes, made soft tacos, chicken & rice and even made brownies in it. There is always a Wal-Mart wherever you go so we did our shopping there. I'd put the food in while he was driving and just plugged it up to the cig lighter. Couple of hours later, you have a nice hot supper and it sure used to make the car smell good!
God bless,
Cindy

Answer:

something we have done for my hubby is prepared canned foods. He takes ravioli, spaghetti O's, pudding cups, fruit cocktail, pork and beans, whatever Sams Club has on sale when I shop. These can be eaten right from the can, even if it doesn't sound too appetizing. This has saved us alot on meals.
God Bless America!

Answer:

Grating cheese.
Put grater over shift lever. Hold cheese in right hand. Hold cheese against grater. Aim for potholes in road.


Answer:

MY husband is a carer (OTR--long hauls). Our dilemma is that he absolutely hates to eat in a restaurant. I have developed a system for him. I am a chef, I have a small restaurant. Each day of the week I make up a special for lunch and dinner. I have purchased small rectangular food storage containers (Like rubbermaid, sterilite, etc. Each day of the week I put one of the specials in a container and freeze it. I don't tell him what is in the box. He takes 7 ( that's the amount that will fit in his little frig} of these meals with him. Then at night he will go into a carstop and shower, fuel, whatever else he need to do. then come out and heat up a "TV DINNER" in the microwave. This way he at least gets a home cooked meal the first week he's out. Often, he will get a run through home and be able to restock the food. Yes, I know, I have spoiled him but i love to cook for him, and I love for him to be happy. Also, every meal is a surprise, because frozen you can't really distinguish what is in the container. He's always happy, and when he's happy i'm happy. He has been known to "share dinners" so If you see "Tanqueray" out there ask him "What's for dinner?"
Mlou

Answer:

We used a Burton Stove and I did the roast, potatoes and vegetable thing in it. Even made cookies, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, buns etc. Just bought them frozen and 30 to 45 minutes they were cooked. But we found that we couldn't eat everything and ended up putting leftovers into the cooler and forgetting them or they would spill. So we started buying frozen dinners that fit into the stove, put them on 2 hours ahead of when you are planning on stopping and voila a meal just the right size and hot!
Then it seemed that we just couldn't keep up to the fuse burning out and we were already on our third Burton Oven, so we pulled into WalMart and bought a microwave. Well our inverter wasn't big enough so had to buy a bigger one. Then we couldn't screw down the microwave, so that it wouldn't bounce all over the bunk. We ended up trading my parents for their microwave - as we could stablize it- and they got a brand new one!
Now we still buy the frozen dinners, don't go for the cheap ones as they really have no meat in them, and seldom eat in the car stops! We have lost weight and aren't eating grease at every meal! When we are home, I'll package up home cooked left overs and enjoy those on the road.
We haven't found a 12 volt coffee pot yet that works past 10 brews, so are looking for one that is 110 volt, that has the carafe that is metal. Then we don't have to transfer to a thermos and we can get rid of the thermos! hmmmm more room, wander what else I can bring on the road...
We buy enough frozen dinners for 4 days, as they start to thaw after that in the cooler. Besides there are lots of grocery stores close to the highways and interstates that have room to park an 18 wheeler, just check the Exit Guide.
We even cooked a meal for four, our daughter and son-in-law were meeting us for a visit at the car stop and we never left the car! They thought it was great and enjoyed the food, said it was like having a picnic.
When cooking in the car, never let fear or common sence stop you. You'll be surprised at what frozen foods are out there that will cook up in the 12 volt ovens or microwaves.
Happy cooking!
Sandi
***May the wind always be at your back, and a smile on your face***

Answer:

RMBOGIRL......
after about 20 years I'll be going back on the road after the 1st of November.....
lots of times then and even now at home when fixing something to eat for myself, I'll cook up some Ramen Noodles....but what I really like about them is you can add stuff to them for variety......cut up a small can of vienna sausage weiners, add crumbled up corn chips, cheese, jalapenos, other canned meats or off brand canned soups and you have a meal no one can top! Plus it's filling and depending on how hungry you are and how many folks are eating it's realitively cheap to prepare......you're only limited by your imagination as to what you can put in them.....plus can purchase immersible cup warmers that will boil the water in the cup/bowl that have ac/dc converters that run less than $10 at Kmart or Wal-Mart......
Uncle Ben's Rice also now has microwave rice meals that are also economical and filling, plus they don't taste too bad......
Hope this helps ya'll......
M
mfarmer