Ouch.....Eating On The Road Is Expensive

Devan I'm a member of a Facebook group called Cooking on the Truck. Search for it and take a look at everything you can make in just a lunchbox cooker. You might also post this question there and get some good tips about what appliances you can use in your particular situation.

Me personally? I love my crockpot! The low setting pulls between 100 and 120v so you might be able to run it on the inverter you have.

Just a few examples of things you can make in a crockpot (I have made all of these on the truck):

Shredded chicken tacos

Spaghetti and meatballs

Chicken and stuffing

Pulled pork sandwiches

Country style ribs

Lasagna

Beans (I like the prepackaged 15 bean soup)

I get recipe ideas from all different places. Facebook, Pintrest and my personal stash are just a few. But there are sooooo many 3-5 ingredient recipes out there. If you make too much just stick it in a storage container, stash it in the fridge and heat it up in the lunch box cooker the next day!

We also like to keep sandwich stuff around for hot days. Right now we have roast beef with cheddar cheese on garlic French bread (the bread was a whole dollar for a two foot long load at Walmart). But I also have a chicken salad recipe that lasts for 3 days and tuna salad too.

I know you don't have an APU and fridge like I do but there is still plenty you can do with the 12v appliances!

If anybody wants recipes send me an email.

chickiemonster8709@gmail.com

DWI:

Driving While Intoxicated

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Oh and there are plenty of truck friendly Walmarts out there! Trucker path lists them if you tell it too.

There are quite a few that allow overnight parking too. We always call ahead even if trucker path says it is ok. Just ask where you should park and try to get out of the way of traffic.

You can also look at the satellite view on trucker path to plan out how you want to get into the parking lot and where a lot of times see other trucks to get an idea of where to park.

Just call and ask first. Make sure you talk to a manager and be polite and professional and keep the lot clean and put your cart away when you are done.

"I'll have to try that out when I get enough pilot points to buy my slow cooker. I must just have bad luck finding truck stops near a Wal-Mart."

Jake, Buy a 175 watt inverter that plugs into a power port.(about $20-25). Then buy a 2 qt. Crock Pot at Walmart, I paid $8.97. It will work with the inverter and has a removable ceramic pot for ez cleaning. I haven't read too many good reviews on the 12 volt variety. Just a suggestion.

Tractor Man, you can buy crock pot liners at Walmart. Look for them by the plastic wrap and aluminum foil. They are just plastic baggies that fit in the crock pot and make cleanup a snap. Just don't get the off brand as they will rip easily. I've never had to wash my crock pot when using these. A couple times I've wiped it out with an antibacterial wipe just to get the condensation out.

You don't need a truck stop to get to Wally world. Many WMs are easy in easy out for trucks.

If you use Satellite View in maps, you just might see how trucks park there.

Thanks Chickie! I did not even know they made"Crock Pot Liner Thingies!". I just can't stop using that word! I laugh every time I type it.

Sorry for kind of highjacking the thread here lol. Thanks t-man I'll check out the inverter and crock pot thing before I buy it. I'll have to get better at trip planning if I want to include Wal-Mart trips into my day. Its usually an hour easy for me to go shopping. And thanks for fb group chickie I joined it last night and already have some good ideas.

I'll have to try that out when I get enough pilot points to buy my slow cooker. I must just have bad luck finding truck stops near a Wal-Mart.

I have used rural Wal-Marts next to state and federal highways (not interstates) as truck stops on a few occasions. It's best to ask! They rarely care, especially if you show up after 8p and leave before 8a. If they do ask you to leave, and they are in a rural area, there's normally a Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, or some other type of big retail parking lot nearby.

City Wal-Marts, especially in big cities DO normally care, and will give you problems if you try to do a 10 there, though few of them will have a problem with you doing a 30 in their lot, which is plenty of time to run in, take care of business, buy supplies, and keep rolling.

Ribs with a slow cooker and a charcoal grill from dollar general for 18$ While on your 30 put the ribs in the slow cooker with water and alittle apple cider vinegar. Once you stop for the night fire up the grill and grab the beach chair you got from dollar general for 12$ throw the ribs on the grill with a bit of barbeque and about now you need the tire beater for when everyone walks by eyeballing your ribs.

O and as for eating really cheap. Nearly every truckstop has a microwave.