cooking in the truck

In a little truck stop north of Denver, a couple invited me to their truck for dinner. I kinda laughed it off, but accepted. They were in a flat top sleeper truck, and she had to juggle things a bit, but we had a really nice dinner. I don't remember too many details, but It proved to me that it can be done. Heck, out in the desert where I grew up, you could pull the truck over and just set up camp.

As for me, when I wasn't cooking cans of soup on the windshield defrost vents, I used a Sterno stove to do it. I never did anything fancy, just did what I needed to get some chow down the ol' neck hole.

 

Get the lunch box oven. It'll do almost anything you need.

And yes, Judi Kay is correct they do have 12 volt crockpots.

I don't have time to cook in the truck much anymore so what I do a lot of times is grab a chicken from the deli. I also use a lot of fresh veggies and fruits.

 

one of the sponsors of the forum globaltrucker.com has lots of different cooking devices that hook up to the cigarette lighter

 

I have 3 things I would not live in a truck without.

1) Microwave- Sharp Warm N Toasty. This microwave also bakes and broils. Its awesome. Although, you dont want to go trying to cook a roast, it would take 27 hours.
2) Rice Cooker/Slow Cooker/Egg Cooker/Tofu Maker/Vegetable Steamer. This little thing is awesome, and you would not believe the meals that I can make with this.
http://housewares.about.com/od/smallappliances/p/sanyoricecooker.htm
3) George Foreman Grill- Omelets, French Toast, Fajitas, Burgers, Paninis, Steaks, Chicken... this list goes on.

A couple other great things are the microwavable steamer bags. YOu can steam veggies in these and also cook meat. I use them for Salmon and it makes it perfect, just add salt and pepper. If you get a slow cooker, make sure you get slow cooker bags, it helps with the cleanup.

My husband is spoiled! His favorite meal of mine is Salmon with a cucumber dill sauce, mashed potatoes, caesar salad a grilled sourdough bread... Yes, I made this all in the truck!

 

Here are some essential elements I have in my rig. Please allow me to say right off the bat that I wouldn't be without my 1500 watt inverter. The company hardwired it to the battery for me and I haven't had the first bit of trouble with it yet! It powers everything I use in the truck when I need it. Seriously consider getting an inverter!!!

I have a crock pot, square electric skillet, and a microwave oven. Presently, my wife and I are field testing the "Presto Kitchen Kettle" that we bought earlier this week. So far, it has surpassed all our expectations!

Others like to talk about the 12 volt plugin devices you can buy at truckstops. Please save yourself the agony of overspending for these devices that have a limited 90-day warranty when you can get an appliance that can be taken out of your truck and used elsewhere. If these cheaply made/expensively sold appliances were as good as they say, then why don't they have a better warranty?

Want information from me directly? Please send me an email to truckdriversmoneysavingtips@gmail.com .

Thanks,
Mike

 

I found that website global trucker its called a burton cooker plugs in the cig lighter i am going that way till i can afford a invertor thanks all they even have a cookbook on there lol

 

A lunch box cooker will go a long ways for a new guy. I have a inverter, but still use my LBC all the time. Buy your bread pans at wallyworld tho and not a truck stop. They are a lot cheaper there.

 

something we have done for years is when at home or a hotel cook up what you enjoy eating at a table.spagetti,hambuger helper,chickin and rice,eggs mixd with potatoes and sausage.whatever. now find loaf pans at wal mart and pack it about half full making sure to pack it tight.cover with tin foil.do the next one and stack them into each other then freeze.these tins sometimes called lasagna pans fit perfectly into the burton heated lunch box found it at any truck stop. it usually takes about 20mins stir,wait 10 more and eat.the pans when frozen really amp up the cooling ability of that cooler your using.may even freeze pop when you first put your tins in the cooler.my wife likes to reuse the tin to make ramen noodles in,i will use the old tins to dump chunky soup,or ravioli in. we use the tin till it gets a hole in it or stinks.tough to really clean them in the truck.food tends to keep for around two weeks in that cooler if frozen solid first.hope this helps.

 

http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/12-slow-cooker-recipes?gt1=47021

 

lol had to make sure you weren't hubby writing this...we used to do that till I started going not enough room in the tiny fridge for the trays but I carry extra trays can still use the lunch box I also have a small crockpot with heat settings and can cook a lot in that also have a toaster oven and a micro.....no room for the dishwasher....oh wait thats me ( I even have a BBQ grill if I ever get where its warmer than where I am now)