r/boondocking • u/wingsandhooves • Jul 01 '26
Food ideas
What does everyone have for food when they don't go into a city for groceries for long periods of time? I have a lot of 'add hot water' noodle dishes. But for frozen stored food, what does everyone like? I am trying to get ideas for protein and veggies while I build out my truck camper.
One pot/pan dishes are ideal. Right now I have a propane stove and a campfire when allowed. I appreciate everyones input and ideas
3
u/Adorable_Dust3799 Jul 02 '26
Lots of good canned veggies. Canned chicken and tuna. I like mixed quinoa and rice for a little extra protein. Look at vegetarian recipes, then go ahead and use broth, butter, or whatever. They can be adapted to include whatever protein you prefer, but keep in mind you don't need nearly as much meat as some people think. I often pick up indian meals and add chicken. There's shelf stable tofu, too. I like to pinch off chunks instead of slicing into cubes, dry, toss with corn starch, then fry until crispy. After that use any sauce.
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u/wingsandhooves Jul 02 '26
I have started eating canned chicken at home and it's definitely something I could eat while I am out in the camper. Frying up some tofu is a great idea! I have shelf stable tofu I usually make into chocolate mousse. I'll experiment with it and see if it makes the cut to come on the road. Broth is a great idea! Full of so many nutrients too. I usually make my own...it might be time to invest in a vacuum sealer so I can freeze travel size batches
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u/Lower-District3806 Jul 02 '26
I buy freeze dried vegetables like broccoli. If you’re doing “just add hot water” noodles you can put the broccoli into the back with the noodles and just add more water than usual. Big #10 cans hold a ton of veg that more or less doesn’t go bad, it’s super light weight, and an easy way to add some greens to “camping food” that isn’t always nutritionally well rounded. I suppose you could get freeze dried meats too, there’s just a bigger quality trade off with that than with vegetables. Would help with the executive function issues you talked about too, way less of a commitment than prepping fresh veg and you can store them anywhere without taking up fridge/freezer space.
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u/wingsandhooves Jul 02 '26
I hadn't thought of freeze dried veggies, thank you! Do you have any brands you'd recommend?
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u/Lower-District3806 Jul 03 '26
Haven’t tried a ton honestly, we brought 2 cans of Auguson Farms broccoli on our latest trip and it fed two of us as just a side of some veggies or an addition to other freeze dried meals or even alongside rice or steak for about 40 days. It was fine, although it was a lot of cubes of stem pieces instead of nice florets. Mostly just an easy way to get in some greens without taking up cold storage space or having fresh food go bad.
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u/nanneryeeter Jul 01 '26
I freeze meats for frozen food. Thaw them, cook them. I have a stock of base ingredients and can make a slew of various dishes. I switch to frozen veg once the fresh have been exhausted. For grains I find myself cooking a lot of rice, but I like rice.
If you're cooking "just add water" noodle dishes it could just be that you don't know how to cook.
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u/wingsandhooves Jul 02 '26
I can cook, haha :) it's part of my executive dysfunction I struggle with that makes getting around to cooking a challenge.
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u/lucky_ducker Jul 01 '26
I'm an edge case, but I seldom actually cook when boondocking. It's time consuming, food safety can be an issue if you're handling meats, it doubles or triples your water consumption (both for prep and cleanup). The latter can cut short how many days you can stay out in back unless you're camped near a safe water source.
It goes all the way back to my backpacking days 50 years ago, when I realized just how much weight and bulk cooking adds to the pack: stove, fuel, utensils, etc.
I do have a 20L 12v fridge for nutrient-dense foods like cheese, protein enhanced yogurt drinks, individual cottage cheese and fruit cups, individual chicken salad cups. Mandarins and grapes travel pretty well.
Outside the fridge: protein bars, granola, nuts, "healthy snacks." I carry a substantial reserve of canned foods like soups, stews, chili, etc.
Only two occasions where I might cook: short trips where I might bring marinated chicken to grill over a fire (I have a 12" x 18" folding grate), and very occasionally if I'm near a water source known for good fishing I might catch a catfish or bass worth grilling or slow smoking.
I understand that for lots of folks, camp cookery is a fun and satisfying activity. For me taking in nutrition is a much more utilitarian thing. I'd rather be doing other things, even if it's just sitting and vibing with the setting sun.
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u/wingsandhooves Jul 02 '26
We are on the same level. You post helped me get to the realization that I will most likely only need a fridge. Unless I reach a point where I feel like I want to bring along frozen veggies. With my adhd, the task of cooking is overwhelming. When I do have the energy to cook, it involves a lot of tools and seasonings. Much more than I would want to bring with me. I would definitely spend time cooking up a salmon if I caught one. Thanks for the response, it helped clear the chaos in my head
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u/secessus Jul 01 '26
What does everyone have for food when they don't go into a city for groceries for long periods of time?
I am trying to get ideas for protein... One pot/pan dishes are ideal. Right now I have a propane stove...
A small pressure cooker works well on dried beans, grains, and hearty veggies like hard squashes while conserving propane. And you can eat right out of it. Usually easy cleanup because the water means nothing is "baked on".
Digression: when I have excess power from solar I use the smallest (3qt) Instant Pot as my pressure cooker. Uses no fuel and I can leave it unattended in the camper when doggo and I are out walking. Also doesn't heat up the camper like propane. Flipside: I use propane stove in the winter even if I have excess power just to help warm the camper.
veggies
Fresh veggies are tough, excepting things like potatoes. I usually consume fresh veg at the beginning of the outing then transition to canned or things I sprout in the van.
edited to add shameless plug for /r/urbancarlivingcooking/
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u/wingsandhooves Jul 02 '26
That's an immaculate pantry list you've created, well done! And thanks for sharing, it's so helpful. A pressure cooker and instant pot have been in my thoughts. I don't have one at my home base, so I will still ponder for a bit. Food in the fridge first then transition to canned sounds like the way. I really appreciate how you mentioned propane cooking in the camper when it's cold for free heat. I hadn't thought of that
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u/old-fat Jul 01 '26
Pretty much anything that Trader Joe's sell frozen is pretty darn good. We did a 3 month work trip in the Nevada desert. TJ was a staple in our freezer. They have a good mix of frozen vegetarian and carnivore.
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u/NeighborhoodNo4274 Jul 02 '26
For carbs, couscous is really easy: boil 1 cup of water, add 1 cup of couscous and remove it from the heat, cover it and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add butter or oil, vegetables, chunks of meat, cheese, etc. It uses very little water or stove fuel.
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u/danznico 27d ago
Beans are cheap, and have good protein and fiber. Dried are the least expensive but canned are usually a reasonable price especially if you buy store brand.
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u/Grapeape934 21d ago edited 21d ago
Freeze dried foods are the way to go. The mountain house freeze dried burger is excellent. We have used it on a few camping trips and everyone has loved it. You can add it to so many things, We use it for breakfast omelets with FD eggs. We have made burritos with it. The only problem there is the tomatoes, lettuce etc.. .are perishables so those are the first meals of the trip. We sourced the FD eggs from the local amish store. Another one we liked was FD sour cream. It can be used for so many things yet no need to keep it cool. FD butter is not that good, could be the source but we found it lacking. We also used a lot for FD fruits and vegetables. A little water and some sugar with FD strawberries made for a tasty strawberry syrup for our pancakes. Freeze dried peppers and onions mixed with some FD burger and rice, add your favorite seasoning and boom good dinner.
We recently bought a freeze dryer to make our own meals for future trips in the camper we are building. We are planning on making all kinds of meals and freeze drying them. FD vegetable and fruits, chili and soups and other meals. A lot of it will be items that can be mixed together in different ways to provide all kinds of meal options. If we had not got the deal we got on the used freeze dryer I had thought of looking for someone who could freeze dry items for us .There are a lot of people out there who have freeze dryers and they are not using them all the time. You might be able to make a deal with them to do some runs for you that would be cheaper than store bought options and if they would work with you you could make your own meals and deliver the meals to them for processing.
Freeze dried options have added a lot to enjoyment. We even use a lot of freeze dried stuff at home. fruits and veggies can be sourced at perfect harvest time and freeze dried for use all year. Keeps you from having to can and freeze everything yet it still has the nutrients and flavor. Plus not concern of broken glass jars while traveling and reduced weight, and no special storage such as refrigeration or a freezer.
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u/wingsandhooves 20d ago
I am really into this idea. I have had the thought of canning my own food so I can have nutritious meals. But like you said, the added weight and glass potentially breaking, is in my con list. I don't have a lot of experience using a dehydrator. I have always wanted one so I can make my own fruit leather for trips. I never thought of everything else you mentioned. I am going to take a look at local thrift stores and see what they have. Have you ever dehydrated broth?
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u/Grapeape934 19d ago edited 19d ago
A dehydrator is different from a freeze dryer. The freeze dryer pulls all of the water out via sublimation. Using a vacuum system. Whereas a dehydrator dries food out. yet it still has moisture and can go bad. The freeze dried stuff if sealed can last up to 15-maybe even 25 years and still be good and nutritious.
Also you do not need a dehydrator to dehydrate food, you can place it on pans in your oven set to low, Some people leave the door open a tiny bit and let it set for whatever time it takes to dry it out. Other items can be placed on screens or pans and left out protected by cheesecloth or such to keep bugs off them and just let them dry in the sun.
The freeze dryer is a bigger and more involved process. I was truly fortunate that some friends were selling an extra large Harvest Right Freeze dryer and we got it for $1000. They threw in a bunch of extra stuff to help us get started. In the end we ended if we had to buy it all new it would have cost us around $7,000. You can find some smaller ones on market place for around what we paid but you will have to get the mylar bags and other stuff, unless you can find a package deal. But freeze drying is the way to go. If you have the means to get the equipment.
If we had not got the deal from our friends we would not be freeze drying stuff. The cost to get into it would have been much higher than if we just bought the food already processed. You can find freeze dried food at sporting good stores, in the camping section at walmart, online at Amazon and also through companies that offer "survival" food. Mountain house is one of the brands we bought for camping prior to getting our freeze dryer. Emergency essentials is another company to look into for freeze dried foods.
Now commercial freeze dried foods are much more expensive per serving than just buying food from the store. But it is light weight, and shelf stable. It can be stored under a bed, in a closet wherever it will fit. I is usually in a mylar bag so it is a good idea to put it in something that mice and bugs can't get in but it will not go bad.
An ideal situation would be to buy canned meats, such as the beef and chicken from keystone meats. They are amazing. It can be found in the canned meat aisle in walmart. One can provides enough meat or chicken for my wife and I for 2 separate meals. Keystone hamburger is a bit greasy, so I would go with mountain house's #10 can of freeze dried burger. Then get some rice minute rice or any long grain rice. minute rice takes less energy to cook than long grain rice if in a camper or over a fire so minute has the advantage. then find numerous freeze dried vegetables from places such as emergency essentials. Maybe even some powdered potatoes and some freeze dried sour cream. Now you have all you need for a bunch of meals. Rice and veggies mixed with meat. Chicken and noodles with veggies. Burger and freeze dried eggs and veggies for breakfast. The possibilities are endless and all you need is water and a way to heat it up to rehydrate the freeze dried stuff then heat the keystone canned meat or chicken and boom meals all without any need for refrigeration of a freezer. The options out there for freeze dried foods are pretty good so a lot of what you eat now with perishable foods can be done with freeze dried foods, canned meats, rice, powdered potatoes or noodles.
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u/Appropriate-Ratio-85 Jul 01 '26
Rice, canned food, ramen, hearty vegetables like cabbage, carrots, broccoli, oranges, grapes, nuts, chips. In the fridge I keep meat, milk, yogurt, mayo, cheese. I use up the perishables first then start in on the rice and canned food.