Are you looking for how to pack food for a road trip? Road trips are a great family vacation, as it strengthens family bonds. However, if you don’t plan ahead, these road trips can be very budget friendly and expensive, especially when it comes to food.
But when you are tempted to eat candy or fast food at every gas station or buy expensive food at restaurants it will become really expensive for you even it will waste your time.
So one of the ways to save both time and money on a road trip is to carry your own food. So how do you pack food for a road trip? Here’s how to save money and pack your meals.
How Do You Pack Food For A Road Trip – Full Guideline
Get a Gear: The fridge is very effective when you go on a longer road trip. It will help you become a self-sufficient dietitian on the street. The Gears are the perfect fridge for road trips and camping. The gears are full of ice which means the juices or burgers will stay good for several days.
So you don’t have to refill the ice again and the food will stay good. Keeping food cool plays a very important role in longer trips.
Choose The Best Cooler
Coolers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price points, and while we don’t yet have access to the coolest cooler, the ones we do have will suffice. At the very least, your cooler should have a bottom drain to allow water from melting ice to drain.
Any midsize cooler with top hinges requires a strong latch to keep the lid tightly sealed to the body. The best coolers also include a lid gasket to form an airtight seal that keeps cold air inside.
Create Your Own Ice Packs
Crushed ice cools food and beverages faster, but ice blocks last longer and are better for keeping coolers cold. Trying to make your own ice containers for the cooler is a great way to keep food cold without spending a lot of money on crushed ice.
Pack Carefully
How you pack food when you are going on a long trip plays a big role. You need to make sure that no matter how you pack the food, it will not to get smashed. Especially soft foods will be smashed when you put them on top or next to foods that can be easily moved.
Above all, pack the snacks in a way that will not be crushed. Things will start to move whenever you start driving. And you would never want to open a cracker and see that it is in pieces and crumbs.
Another thing to make sure is where you put your cooler and food container in the car. But if you put them in the back, you will not be able to reach them without stopping the car. So make sure they are close to your hand but away from direct sunlight.
Keep the Tools Simple
Water and food are the most important part if you go on a road trip, especially camping. But I would always recommend keeping the cooking utensils simple. The things that should be packed all the time are:
- Utensils: You can carry one pair of spoons, heater proof flat silicone spatula, tongs. And kettle wrapped by tea towel. You can use a plastic container with a large lid to hold the utensils. The box will not only organize your dishes but you can also use it as a washing tab.
- Fuel: You must have a match or lighter with you and a newspaper to start the fire. If you want to survive for a long time, you can use a combination of camping stove and campfire for cooking.
- Preparation equipment: Be sure to take the necessary tools to prepare the food. These include the chief knife, paring knife, vegetable peel, cutting board, aluminum fuels, a set bowl, dish and glass. However, the knives must be wrapped in a knife cover or towel.
- Cooking equipment: You must take the necessary equipment for cooking. A large multipurpose saute pan is very effective. Take two small lid saucepans to boil the water. A small skillet is very necessary for fried eggs and breakfast. If you don’t wake up without morning tea, teapot is the necessary tool.
Food Planning
While this may come as a surprise to you, it is very important. When you can plan how much food you will need and how to shop for it, you can avoid food waste. You can choose foods that can be easily cooked, especially seasonal vegetables. However, grilled chicken, burgers, hot dogs are the staples of camping.
Avoid Delicate Foods
Eat foods that are easily spoiled, such as fruits. However, you can take foods that are not easily spoiled as an alternative. Again you can carry foods that take up less space and do not crush easily.
Use Filtering Water Bottles
Use reusable bottles instead of bottles that can only be used once. It takes up absolutely no space and is good for the environment.
Always try to use filtering water bottles. These bottles will keep the water taste fresh and clean for a long time. Even if you can fill the bottles with water at the gas station, it will stay clean.
Try |To Avoid Too Much Sugar
Just as sugar is unhealthy, it also has bad effects. Excess sugar will make you feel tired and lazy. As a result you will not be able to enjoy your trip.
Foods that are low in sugar and especially high processed foods are healthy foods for road trips. If you feel that you are craving sugar then you can fill it with fruit. Because the fruit contains natural sugar which is healthy for us.
Always Try to Use Condiment Packets
Because large bottles of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise take up a lot of space and need to be refrigerated after cutting. Instead, you can stock individual packets and take up less space. You can also use as much as you want.
Pack Non-food Essential
Just as food is important when traveling on the road, other essentials need to be packed properly. Must be kept clean while traveling. So napkins and wet hand wipes will help keep you clean before and after meals.
Usually plastic or bamboo sheets should be used while traveling as these are easy to clean and do not break easily. You can safely eat in the bowls that are travelable, even while driving. When you carry a garbage bag, it will help keep your car clean from litter. When it is full you can easily throw it in the dustbin.
Another helpful thing on the trip is the plastic cutting board. It is very effective that you can use it as a makeshift counter to prepare your meal.
Always use airtight containers to keep your food fresh. In addition, these will act as stock. Zip bags are very suitable for storing food and they take up very little space in the cooler.
Packing Non-Perishable Foods
Here’s a list of how to carry and pack non-perishable foods:
- A dry goods box: You can store all kinds of food in this box which is not easily spoiled. The most important thing to me is coffee because it makes me happy in camping. Also pack your favorite foods like tea bags, sugar, cocoa, powdered milk and whatever you need. Also pack salt, pepper and whatever you need for cooking. You can also pack pancake mix, rolls, breads for leisure.
- A separate treat box: You can take sweet treats like chocolate, chips to give yourself occasional treats while camping. If you think this is for kids, you will all enjoy it.
- Pack drinks: Camping requires lots of drinks. So don’t forget to pack plenty of water and other drinks. You can also carry your favorite juices and lots of beers.
Frequently Asked Questions :
- Fruits. Starting with the obvious road trip snack to bring, fruits are packed with fibers, antioxidants, and minerals.
- Nuts and seeds. Nuts are a great source of healthy fats, fibers, and protein.
- Peanut butter.
- Protein bars.
- Eggs.
- Beef jerky. This road trip snack is packed full of protein, which is one of the best ways to satisfy your hunger.
- Popcorn.
- Hard-boiled eggs.
- Protein bars.
- Plan ahead and pack snacks.
- Pack dinner from home for the first night out.
- Picnic.
Conclusion
Although this list seems detailed and detailed to you, once you complete it, your task will become much easier. You will then be able to proceed to your destination. Then you have enough idea about how do you pack food for road trip.
Now once you get to the camping spot all you have to do is light a fire and start your favorite cooking outside. I hope now you know how do you pack food for a road trip.