No inverter in the truck and I don't want to eat at truck stops.

You can get a real DC fridge that plugs in to a cig lighter/power point for a couple hundred on Amazon now. I recently bought an Alpicool which is a really good little fridge.

This is NOT the same as a plug in Koolatron type cooler, it's a real refrigerator, ice chest style.

I second the lunchbox cooker. Those little things are awesome.

Get yourself a butane stove too and you're set. They take up very little space. Fuel canisters are $3/4 at Walmart.

 

If you can get a Dometic 65DZ you can have a freezer/fridge running on a 12v. They are pricey but well worth it.

gas stove for cooking.

 

I used a coleman cooler that plugs into cigarette lighter. To warm up food ya can always take it in and use the microwave in the truck stops. That's what i did before i had a microwave.

 

Can of soup on the exhaust manifold, you're good to go,,,SOUPS ON,,now get going,,you know, I think it's a great idea, bringing your own food, even though with the cost of groceries today, not sure which is cheaper, it's certainly healthier, if that even matters today. I think the more you can do to eliminate even getting out of the truck these days, is helpful. Years ago, we had such great mom and pop truck stops, with simply the best food, there was no need to carry anything except a big bag of jelly beans and a thermos of coffee.

 

Guy I worked with had one of those and said it was great -

 

My first few years OTR I never had an inverter. You can use one of the 40 quart electric coolers. They are 12 volts devices. You can buy them at almost every truck stop.They usually cost $125, sometimes less. It only cools the inside of the cooler to a maximum of 40 degrees below the temperature outside of the cooler. I used to carry coldcuts, canned drinks, and sometimes a couple of frozen tv dinners. Anything frozen will slowly thaw. I also used a wireless thermometer to track the temperature. I had the temp display mounted on the dash. If your food gets above 45 F you should probbably throw out the food so you don't get sick.

You can also get a 12 volt lunchbox cooker. They cooks pretty slow. They can take 30-45 minutes to heat some things. If you put a frozen tv dinner in one it could take 90 minutes to heat it. Every truck stop has a microwave. Most truck stops will not charge you to use it. Some stores will charge you to heat food you did not buy in the store.

 

Before I had a larger inverter I used a plug-in inverter. They are good for about 150W of power, so enough to power a modest computer.

For cold food and cooking I used a Coleman cooler and a couple lunchbox ovens, both running off the 12V plugs.

With the lunchbox I could make everything I needed, even a baked potato. But it can take some time.
Nearly 3 hours for the potato, at 300 degrees.
Everything is baked and/or steamed.
Chicken, salmon, veggies, rice, potatoes, sloppy joe's...
But you have to allow yourself the time for cooking it.


It can be a pain working for such a backwards company, but it can be done.
Just don't plan on tight schedules if you want to cook a decent meal each day.

 

When it comes to cooking an ya then stop and put what your gonna fix in the burton 12 volt stove so it'll get to heating stuff up. While it's heating up take off driving. When it's ready then one of ya can prepare ya each a meal. When my wife is with me she cooks our meals in an electric skillet when I'm driving. But we have an inverter. She then puts stuff in a bowl an gives it to me to eat. You guys will figure out time management for that kinda stuff. Personally i always try to eat 2 or 3 hours before bedtime. Not good to go to bed on a full stomach.

 

Didn't read all the replies. So it might have been suggested.

Talk to your shop. They might be ok with installing an inverter that you purchase. You just have to be sure it's taken out. Before you turn in the truck. If you switch trucks at some point.

My company let you modify the truck. As long as you turned it in the way you got it.