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Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:48 am

i've looked for similar posts but didn't find much. feel free to send me a link if i missed any.

i've been living on cape cod for the summer mostly in my van (seasonal job) and now will be hitting the road again on a cross-country adventure.

i'm curious as to what you all eat when you're in your vans, traveling. i'm not one for fast food although i've been known to visit the drive-thru (tail between my legs). i don't have a full westy (no stove) and so most of my cooking is done on an msr reactor which basically boils water, fast. mostly this is for coffee and tea. i typically eat lots of raw foods - avocados, crackers, fruit, bread, cheese, etc. i'd love some more ideas though as i'm beginning to eat out a lot since my food is becoming quite boring, albeit healthy. any ideas on somewhat healthy just add water foods, or, what do you eat?

i'm also traveling from cape cod down to new orleans and across the southern usa to the southwest. any tips or ideas of what to do or see are welcomed! i used to live in flagstaff (one of my destinations) but would love any info between mass and arizona.. stopping in new orleans and austin, i know that much.

thanks and i hope all of you east coast / new englanders are faring well in the storms. the atlantic ocean on cape cod was incredibly beautiful this morning, all churned up and wild. irene blew a lot of tourists off the cape leaving a sparse landscape... *big sigh of relief*

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:19 am

The Deli section of many supermarkets offer some fresh healthier items that do not require cooking and at prices lower than fast food.

In particular we like the salad bars with an extensive assortment, the ones where you pay by the ounce. Lots of grocery chains have these but the ones in City Market (western version of Kroger) are perhaps the best.

As you travel pick up a 'member' card from the various supermarkets -- gets you the better price and makes a nice collection of memorabilia as you flip thru the Winn-Dixie, Piggly-Wiggly, etc.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:24 am

If you want a quick recharge between breakfast and supper....not very good for you...but keeps you going. Starbucks canned mocha espresso with a large snickers bar. Supplement once the edge starts wearing off with a banana or two.

Then again this was my motorcycle goto food when travelling. I guess if it was in the westy...I'd pick something up in the morning and have it midday.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:31 am

The Raven wrote: If you want a quick recharge between breakfast and supper....not very good for you...but keeps you going. Starbucks canned mocha espresso with a large snickers bar. Supplement once the edge starts wearing off with a banana or two.

Then again this was my motorcycle goto food when travelling. I guess if it was in the westy...I'd pick something up in the morning and have it midday.

i can hear your heart racing from here!!

i'll take the snickers...

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:33 am

Good idea about deli rather than fast food. Have a safe Happy Trails to you.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:36 am

Ahwahnee wrote: The Deli section of many supermarkets offer some fresh healthier items that do not require cooking and at prices lower than fast food.

In particular we like the salad bars with an extensive assortment, the ones where you pay by the ounce. Lots of grocery chains have these but the ones in City Market (western version of Kroger) are perhaps the best.

As you travel pick up a 'member' card from the various supermarkets -- gets you the better price and makes a nice collection of memorabilia as you flip thru the Winn-Dixie, Piggly-Wiggly, etc.

this is great... thanks. i often forget about the deli section of super markets. huge grocery chains kind of freak me out but are fascinating at the same time. love the salad bar idea.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:38 am

vermontgirl wrote: The Raven wrote: If you want a quick recharge between breakfast and supper....not very good for you...but keeps you going. Starbucks canned mocha espresso with a large snickers bar. Supplement once the edge starts wearing off with a banana or two.

Then again this was my motorcycle goto food when travelling. I guess if it was in the westy...I'd pick something up in the morning and have it midday.

i can hear your heart racing from here!!

i'll take the snickers...

On the XC trip on the bike I needed it, in the westy....well probably not so much. You might want to supplement with one of those gross looking green superfood smoothys. They look disgusting, smell a little better, and tasty oddly very good.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:50 am

On our cross Canada trip we ate pretty healthy. We hit the deli section as mentioned, buying a big pre made salad. We added some pita and hummus on the side. 4 forks and double dipping became known as "Westy Life" lunch. Made clean up a cinch and back on the road in a hurry.

We don't use the stove either. On the lunch time stop we would pick up the meal for supper as well. When it was time to camp for the night we usually cooked up something on the BBQ. This also offered up leftovers for the next day.

On the coffee note...after reading about Starbucks instant coffee and it's popularity on Everest and with backpackers, I decided to give it a try. I find it quite good. I have always used a press or a little filter thingy on top of the mug. This tastes as good and is so much easier for cleanup. The downside is the little plastic package.

Enjoy the trip!
Brian.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:57 am

When traveling we buy a lot of roasted chickens and fresh bread. Stop late morning at a large market and buy fresh along with anything else we need for a day or two. Eat about half the warm chicken for lunch, save the rest of the meat for a salad for a dinner. If we want a hot dinner instead we make an Asian noodle dish with veggies and the chicken meat.

vermontgirl wrote: i............will be hitting the road again on a cross-country adventure.

i'm curious as to what you all eat when you're in your vans, traveling. i'm not one for fast food although i've been known to visit the drive-thru (tail between my legs). i don't have a full westy (no stove) and so most of my cooking is done on an msr reactor which basically boils water, fast. mostly this is for coffee and tea. i typically eat lots of raw foods - avocados, crackers, fruit, bread, cheese, etc. i'd love some more ideas though as i'm beginning to eat out a lot since my food is becoming quite boring, albeit healthy. any ideas on somewhat healthy just add water foods, or, what do you eat?...............

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:11 am

bjrogers86auto wrote: On our cross Canada trip we ate pretty healthy. We hit the deli section as mentioned, buying a big pre made salad. We added some pita and hummus on the side. 4 forks and double dipping became known as "Westy Life" lunch. Made clean up a cinch and back on the road in a hurry.

We don't use the stove either. On the lunch time stop we would pick up the meal for supper as well. When it was time to camp for the night we usually cooked up something on the BBQ. This also offered up leftovers for the next day.

On the coffee note...after reading about Starbucks instant coffee and it's popularity on Everest and with backpackers, I decided to give it a try. I find it quite good. I have always used a press or a little filter thingy on top of the mug. This tastes as good and is so much easier for cleanup. The downside is the little plastic package.

Enjoy the trip!
Brian.

hmm.. instant coffee from starbucks. i'm a bit dubious. i must admit i'm a super coffee (and beer) snob - i think this naturally happens if you spend any time in the pacific northwest. but, i'll try anything once and will give it a go. right now i have beans shipped to me from my favorite roaster in portland, oregon and use a titanium coffee press. easy clean-up as long as i can find a place for the grinds.

love all of these ideas; keep them coming!

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:18 am

DAIZEE wrote: Good idea about deli rather than fast food. Have a safe Happy Trails to you.

thanks, daizee, i'm really looking forward to getting on the road again. hope esther behaves herself...

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:20 am

I like to hit the bakeries and see what they have in the 'day old' section. Some pastries are always good and convenient.

If you have an ice chest, get a bbq'd chicken from the deli section of a supermarket. When you carve it up you can cube some of the meat and it goes great in a cup of noodles if you can only boil water. Same with a piece of bbq'd beef.

Also, try the very large truck stops. They often have great smorgasboards.

Have a great trip! I'm off on Labor day to Yosemite for a 10-day jaunt.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:23 am

Ok, yeah, the starbucks instants are primo good. However......if you like coffee. you must get yourself an aeropress. I've used one for the past 4 years....AND LOVE IT. It's a reverse french press.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:26 am

When I was sailing or tent camping I used to BBQ an extra baked potato and an extra large steak. Then in the morning I'd cube up the left over steak, quick fry it with a cut up baked potatoes for hash browns and fry up an egg or two. I plan to continue that practise in Scooby.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:30 am

Im not saying I am MORE of a coffee/beer snob than yourself...but...I to am quite the snob. I was very skeptical as well. I was also surprised.

What convinced me to try was the article in Backpacker. According to what I read the climbers often would run out of fresh grinds when expeditions ran longer than expected. They also had issues with grinds disposal. These factors motivated the change to instant. To this point I have never tried an instant coffee...why would I? I have never mastered "the press" coffee but have friends who claim they have. I like it better than press coffee. Try it. If you don't like it...pm me and ill pay for the shipping to send it to me!!hehe. JK.

As for beer!!! Don't get me started!

Brian.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:38 am

Well that would be Cdn beer, made in Cda or I suppose some like the European flavoured. hmmm what brand will I buy in Pa next week? hmmmm

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:40 am

bjrogers86auto wrote: Im not saying I am MORE of a coffee/beer snob than yourself...but...I to am quite the snob. I was very skeptical as well. I was also surprised.

What convinced me to try was the article in Backpacker. According to what I read the climbers often would run out of fresh grinds when expeditions ran longer than expected. They also had issues with grinds disposal. These factors motivated the change to instant. To this point I have never tried an instant coffee...why would I? I have never mastered "the press" coffee but have friends who claim they have. I like it better than press coffee. Try it. If you don't like it...pm me and ill pay for the shipping to send it to me!!hehe. JK.

As for beer!!! Don't get me started!

Brian.

Beer? Really, Brian!

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:40 am

Sounds like camp food. Caribou sausage, (welcome to Alaska,) smoked cheese and crackers is a must. Wasa bread, (or maybe they're crackers?,) topped with peanut butter, or brie cheese, or braunschwieger, or (hopefully) salmon lox. Boil some little red potatoes in the morning, throw em in a ziplock with sausage, salt and pepper to taste. Hard boiled eggs keep in a cooler for days. Broccoli carrots celery and mushrooms with a bottle of ranch dressing. Must be about lunch time.

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:43 am

X2 on the deli section of the market.

Many of them are looking to capture the quick casual segment from the restaurants and offer some decent items. Roast chicken (as mentioned) comes to mind. Fresh loaves of crusty bread with some good taleggio or other soft pungent cheese is a favorite in the Thingamajigger with some Soppresata or other salumi.

I avoid the supermarket salad section. Scares me.

Depending on how adventurous you are, we eat a bunch of ceviche we make on the fly. Dont buy fish in a supermarket though, by the time most of them get their fish, its 2 weeks frozen. Your on the Cape, you have great access to good fish now, so practice.

Fish cooks quickly, at 145 its safe and cooked through. Fish tacos are great with your aforementioned avocadoes and other veggies.

If we see a farmstand, we tend to stop to see whats fresh and in season. Then talk for an hour to decide how best to use it.

I have mentioned it before, but I do not use the Westy stove either. I use a coleman I put on a table outside.

With a Korean wife we pickle things alot, and bring that too. Kimchi rocks!

Maybe I will create a Westy cookbook?

LP

Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:50 am

vermontgirl wrote: love the salad bar idea.

People in those supermarkets don't/won't eat anything from them, unless you like lots of germs.
Think about that little snot faced kid that walks by and sticks his fingers into something in the trays
........Bon Appetit!