Simple foods for a frugal traveler

Living full-time in a van has its benefits, but it also has its draw-backs associated with those very benefits. Our freedom to roam comes at a cost, namely the space we have to store things in our life. From clothing to food, we are forced to re-think each and every item to make sure we have a place to store it in the van.

Obviously, we could always eat at restaurants and save a lot of space, but the cost would be extremely prohibitive ($5-8 per meal, 3 times a day, 30 days a month = $450-$720 per month) and that is still not including snacks. I’d rather put that money into the fuel-tank so I can explore and see new things each month. Instead, I buy groceries is small quantity (usually about $30 per week) and prepare small and easy meals that are not only healthy they cost a fraction of eating out. Some of my favorites:

Kashi Go-Lean Cereal (Original) – Go Lean cereal is a nearly perfect meal as long as you can store milk (ice-chest works great). High in fiber and protein, this is what you body needs to kick start your day. A box of cereal and a quart of milk will run you about $5 and supply 6 meals for less that $1 each. No preparation and easy clean-up (two dishes).

Oatmeal – Not the pre-packed single servings, but a barrel of oatmeal. Easily one of the best foods straight from nature. With whole grain oats, fiber, and protein and easy to prepare with only some hot water, this should be choice number-1 for the start of your day and cost well under $1 per meal. Add some fruit if you have any. Use care on the clean-up… dried up oatmeal is a pain, make sure to wipe your dishes clean when you are done.

Peanut Butter sandwiches – Most peanut butter does not require refrigeration and is easy to prepare and cleanup with only a single knife being used. Full of protein, complex carbohydrates, and good-fats, peanut-butter will give you the energy to make it through a long hike. At less than $1 per sandwich, you cant go wrong.

Deli-meat sandwiches – I prefer Chicken, but Turkey or Ham is just as good. Although the cost per meal is higher (about $1.50 each) than PB, it is a low-fat high-protein meal. Some of the cost can be offset as you will not use a full loaf of bread, so you have it available for other meals or snacks. No dishes, easy preparation and cleanup makes this ideal for a meal while traveling as long as you can keep the meat at a proper temperature (ice chest).

Tuna sandwiches – I separate this from the deli-meat sandwiches only because of the extra effort in both preparation and cleanup. A tuna sandwich will cost roughly the same as a deli-meat, but you will have some extra work on your hands before and after eating. Still, everyone needs those Omegas, good-fats, and protein that Tuna offers and a can of tuna is one of the easiest foods to store long term.

Bean burritos – Another easy to prepare canned food. Although, I wish I could get re-fried beans in a smaller can as it is two or three meals for me when alone. Plan ahead, you may need to eat it for dinner one night, and lunch the next day if you can store the open can of beans (ice chest). Instead of preparing all the beans in a pot or pan (hard to clean), instead use a butter knife and spread a coat of beans on a tortilla and place another tortilla on top. Place in a hot pan or skillet and flip a few times. Almost no cleanup and you still get a hot, all be it flat, bean burrito for less than $1 each.

Pasta (plain) – A bag of noodles cost almost nothing, and supplies a few meals with minimal preparation other than boiling some water. Add a small can of pasta sauce, or in my case just a little oil or oil-based salad dressing, and you are good to go for under a dollar per meal. Keep in mind the cleanup if you are using pasta sauce.

Chicken and Rice dinner – Canned chicken breast (fried in pan), instant brown rice (small pot), and a healthy serving of spices make for a wonderful “home cooked” meal. Although you are going to use a few dishes, and the preparation effort is higher than most, if you just need to feel like you are eating a proper meal after a long day, this is it. Add some canned veggies to round out the nutrition but be prepared to wash a few dishes after and soak up the higher cost of $2-3 per meal.

Manager’s special meat – I always shop the “manager’s specials” in the meat department. This is usually the day-old meat that they either must sell right away or throw away. If you willing to eat it yourself right away, then you can get a great chunk of meat for very little cost. Just recently I got a nice hunk of steak for $2.30, which I BBQ’d that same night. MMMmm-mmm!

Options – Don’t forget to addon simple items such as;
Instant mashed potatoes – Pour only a small portion into a bowl, add hot water, whip… eat
Stuffing mix – Same as above, prepare only a single serving at a time
Canned veggies – Find smaller cans or be prepared to store the left-overs
Salad mix – A small head of lettuce and a simple dressing goes a long way

Below is my complete shopping list