How Do You Avoid Eating Out

[Bast]

I have been thinking about this. I am going to be on a very tight budget and food is important to me. I am concerned that I am going to end up eating out and blowing my budget. How much should I be budgeting for food and what do you carry in your vehicle for those times when you don't want to cook.

 

[SoulRaven]

I guess the first step is learning to cook well enough that you can enjoy what you're cooking...

Any camp stove along with a Dutch oven, a couple of pots and a frying pan should do, add a spatula, and a pair of tongs. I use dollar store dishpans for sinks, dollar store spray bottles for water delivery, and a simple ice chest for refrigeration. If you want or need an oven there are numerous stove top ovens available too.

One of my favorites if I don't feel like cooking is to basically make myself a sub sandwich, except on a tortilla, roll it up and chow down. The ingredients are up to you. I like tortillas because they're cheap and they last a lot longer than bread. I also like to keep smoked meats around. I can make a tasty meal out of a nice piece of smoked meat, some potato salad, and raw veggies. No cooking required.

I also like to eat out a couple of times a week, but it doesn't need to be expensive. I tend to go to the bar & grill type places. Often they have great food at really cheap prices. Two nights ago I had a 12oz New York Steak with a loaded baked potato, and garlic cheese toast for $6.95. If I go into somewhere new and I don't like their menu or their prices, I just leave and go find someplace I like better. If you're a senior, some places offer senior discounts as well, never hurts to ask. I also usually eat my dinner around lunch time, or during happy hour, the prices are cheaper.

Eating good doesn't have to be a budget breaker. Potatoes and onions are cheap and keep well, and there's almost unlimited ways to make potatoes. I also like to keep those green olives around, stuffed with pimentos. In spite of the warnings, I never refrigerate them, but they've never gone bad on me. Hot or cold, hard boiled eggs can make a nice treat too.

When shopping, if you really look, there's tons of great food you can get that doesn't require refrigeration. Heck, you can even buy pre-cooked bacon now! Canned hams are fully cooked too. Don't forget the deli departments in stores either. Many offer fully cooked food cheap, or you can use their microwaves to heat up something bought elsewhere in the store. I don't have a microwave in my van, and don't want one, but I have never even been questioned using one in any store, even convenience stores, and even if I bring my own food in to use their microwave. I've even taken my own leftovers into stores and reheated them with their microwaves. It's a great resource.

Whenever I hit a new town, I try to find a local meat market. Sometimes they're cheaper than the grocery stores, and the meat is usually a much higher quality. I especially like taking steaks straight from the meat market to my grill or frying pan. Yummmmm....

 

[highdesertranger]

for when I don't feel like cooking, I always carry sandwich fixings. cheese, crackers, and hard salami also works. highdesertranger

 

[ArtW]

I have 'cooking days' where I fire up the stove and cook a bunch of things I like that need cooking, then just eat off them for days (yes, I will eat cooked meat cold) works for me

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I love eating out but love cooking and eating on the road too. One of my favorite parts of traveling is cooking in camp. Not sure why, but i've always really enjoyed it.

My favorite hot meal if i want something quick and easy are pasta dishes. Boiling a pot of water for spaghetti or any noodle takes no time at all and heating up a can of sauce takes a minute in a pan. I'll usually slice up some onions and mushrooms and dice some garlic to throw into a jar of store bought sauce to liven it up. You can even slice up some sausage to throw in with it. I've stopped at many rest areas in my travels, set up my stove, make the meal, eat it and head back on down the road. Takes about 25 minutes all in. Plus a few cans of pasta sauce and a few boxes of pasta last forever and don't need any refrigeration until opened.

If I don't feel like cooking then deli meats are my favorite go to. Only takes a minute to make a sandwich and some chips and pickles on the side and its a good little meal. I always keep a few cans of tuna on hand as well for when I run out of deli meats. Pepperoni and salami are great to have on hands and most need refrigeration. Smoked salmon and beef jerky are another good treat when traveling.

And what i'd consider an absolute last resort for days you're really feeling lazy are freeze dried meals. I think they are pretty tasty for what they are, but I don't consider them the most healthy meals in the world and they can be a bit pricey. But I like keeping a half dozen or so on hand for when i'm hungry and tired and don't want to mess with a stove and dishes. Or if i'm running low on fresh food a day or so before heading in for groceries.

 

[IGBT]

I have a rice maker that only uses 200 watts and can make about 2 cups of rice.  I use that all of the time off of pure solar....tastes so much better knowing it is solar powered rice

 

[FALCON]

I just don't consider eating out an option.

Having a refrigerator and stove in the van are critical for me. I've found rotisserie chickens are a nice way for me to have meat that is pretty cheap and that I don't have to cook. For the times I want to eat something quickly and without cooking, it's either a PBJ sandwich, or a whey protein shake and fruit. That said, cooking up a stir-fry meal only takes me a few minutes. I cut up the veggies and pull all meat from the chicken right after buying them. I also keep some cooked rice in the fridge. So cooking is as easy as heating up leftovers.

 

[Almost There]

I just don't consider eating out an option.

^^This

An a suggestion for you to help you with forcing yourself to 'eat in' - include in your budget figure ALL of your food money in one lump sum. If it has to cover both grocery shopping AND eating out, you'll soon learn to eat in so as to make the money last til the end of the time period. If you find yourself eating out too often doing this, then you're allowing too much money in the budget for food or you're eating the same value menu from Wendys and McD's way too often....

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Man, I used to love grilled cheese sandwiches, haven't had one in years. That's what i'm making for lunch tomorrow!

 

[Magicwolf]

I don't know if you have a fridge or not. If you do, cheese sticks, greek yogurt take the edge off and 'stick' with you awhile due to the higher protein. A budget would depend on what you think you'll have to work with and the type of foods you like.

If you plan ahead a little, you could have a hot lunch/dinner if you used a Roadpro oven (throw in some burritos or whatever) or a small crockpot. I use crockpot liners I buy off Amazon for the crockpot (because they're less expensive) for easy clean-up. A lot of those foods prepared in that manner basically cook themselves while you drive or do whatever. I've found if I have a hot dinner in the works, I'm much less likely to find eating out appealing. I'm notorious for waiting to deal with dinner until I get too hungry - then eating out becomes really appealing.

Sort of like OffGrid's tortilla idea, I like the flatbreads/flat wrap type sandwiches - a little bit of a change from standard bread.

Perhaps you could allow yourself a once-a-week treat to eat off the McD's value menu or something so you don't feel deprived - have the best of both worlds.

I don't know if there's a good way to do this with a vehicle method - but here we have a little George Foreman. We'd buy flour tortillas (cheap), a can of refried beans, a little cheese, etc. or lunchmeats and cheese and you can have a really quick hot grilled 'wrap' type sandwich, almost rivals fast food fare. They're literally done in 2-3 minutes.

Hot dogs are always quick and as cheap or expensive as you want to get - I keep a hiking stove in my current vehicle. We fire it up and cook them right over the open flame. Throw it in a bun and you're done.

 

[DannyB1954]

This is cooking, but it is cheap, quick and easy. Spaghetti and tuna, (It is better than it sounds). I use butter and garlic powder, salt and black pepper for spices. Boil the spaghetti, ( I use angel hair, cooks quick). Drain and add the tuna in oil, (I drain some of the oil out of the can first). If you have butter put some in. Then add the spices. One serving of pasta is 50 cents or less. Can of tuna 85 cents on sale, spices, pretty cheap as well. Here is a case where I will buy a larger container, Spices in small containers are pricey for what you get.

I cook the pasta in a frying pan. Water seems to get hot quicker and there is enough room for a serving of pasta. Doesn't take a whole lot of water either.

 

[TrainChaser]

Simple and cheap oven for a rocket stove using a 14" Weber grill as the oven:

 

[Hippiechk]

Just a quickie on pasta...did you know you can soak it like beans & it doesn't get yucky? The starches don't activate until heated. I just put it in a zip baggie with water for about an hour ish... then use that water & a bit more & it cooks in a couple minutes like fresh pasta does.

I also just don't consider eating out to be a viable option much either. If I am booking through to somewhere I might grab a sub & have it cut in 3 which is good for a long travel day & I will warm up some soup for the supper portion when I stop.

Monthly pizza is my crutch...just once usually!

 

[TrainChaser]

I do what ArtW does: "I have 'cooking days' where I fire up the stove and cook a bunch of things I like that need cooking, then just eat off them for days (yes, I will eat cooked meat cold) works for me."

One thing that makes a difference is if you're parked or if you're traveling. Fast food is fast, and if you need to find your boondocking spot before sundown (which you probably will), it's the way to save time. Unless you've already prepared something and can eat it cold, or if it will only take few minutes to heat up.

But you don't have to cook up a bunch of things. Just make one or two things that you can divide into several meals: spaghetti, a chunk of meat (pot roast meat, skinless/boneless chicken breasts can provide a base for all kinds of meals, from sandwiches to casseroles to things like tacos), a casserole, stew, and things like biscuits or corn muffins or cookies/brownies, etc.

Cooking does take time -- it isn't like being in the kitchen at home. When you're new to doing it on the road or in camp, it takes time to get it down to fewer moves and less time. Once you're used to cooking, you can do several things if you want. With my attention span (less than 1/5 of a second), I find it's easier and less irritating to do one thing at a time. But then, I have a serious case of A.D.D., which is a serious PITA.

You'll need ice for some stuff, and it will last longer if you don't put the cooked stuff in the cooler while it's hot -- there's no harm in letting it cool first, as long as you don't leave it out for hours. And COVER it to avoid extra "seasoning" like leaves, dust and wasps. All of your cooking containers should have lids for that reason, plus it heats up faster and holds the heat longer when it's covered.


If you're not on the road yet, find some recipes that look good, and try them out at home. Change or add some seasonings, experiment with them until they suit you. If one-dish meals appeal to you for simplicity, check your library for recipe books. If you find one that's really good, buy a copy, and make notes of any improvements you make.

 

[Queen]

We just don't cook a lot, or eat out for that matter. Since I'm the only cook in the house, and I'm tired of it, over the years we've started eating much more Med/Euro style: cheese, bread, fruit, sliced veggies, "bowls" where we rinse some beans, add chunked up avocado, diced peppers and tomatoes, and lots of hot sauce, sometimes hard boiled eggs. We also eat a LOT of beans and eggs when we do cook: cheesy burritos with diced pickled jalapenos, black bean soup, bean burritos... all simple and quick to prepare.

When we do go out to dinner once in a blue moon, it's a nice change of pace and I'll order something I never get to eat (or don't want to cook anymore).

 

[abnorm]

My first post on the forums but a long time camper ..............Van Clubs of the 1970's.........I haven't seen this mentioned yet......PIE IRONS !

Greatest invention especially for the kids (or the KIDS at heart)

Butter two slices of bread (or spray irons w/Pam).......fill with one slice of cheese and slice of meat or leftovers....Close....and grill in the fire or over the stove

The fillings are endless Peanut Butter and Jelly........sloppy joes.......Pizza !.........try flattened bisquit dough instead of the bread

Want dessert............Try fresh Fruit........or canned Apple pie filling......................ummmmmm!

Remember they're HOT...............cool before diving in........................doug

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

I like to cook for others. I seldom have to buy food because other campers want me to cook for them and they supply the food. You can do this on a little Coleman grill if you want to. I don't do the clean up either when I cook.

If I'm alone, I don't take care of myself well so I eat crap like crackers or cookies.

 

[jaxtonsgram]

My first post on the forums but a long time camper ..............Van Clubs of the 1970's.........I haven't seen this mentioned yet......PIE  irons

Yes to pie irons. I have one I'll be bringing with me
Nora

 

[Queen]

Pie irons! I'd forgotten all about them; we used to make little dessert pies with them, and sometimes faux empanadas, they were all delicious... and fun.

 

[highdesertranger]

great tip on the pie irons. I do love some grilled sandwiches. highdesertranger