cooking in the truck

You can wrap up something like hamburger and veggies in aluminum foil, put it on top of the head in a somewhat secure fashion - don't want it bouncing off - and drive down the road. Cooked food when you stop for the evening.

 

You have to make sure that you don't allow grease, from what you're cooking on the engine, to drip on the exhaust manifold. A grease fire under the hood with food involved is very difficult to explain to your company.

I have a small butane burner and a frying pan for cooking things like burgers.

 

Its not like you're trying to fry a hamburger. There is enough moisture inside the foil wrapper it would leak out as mostly water - but point is taken. Maybe a little foil tray as well - need to keep the mechanics happy.

 

had a two burner off brand gas stove in here.it died.now i have a single burner coleman.love it.also have a small forman grill for burgers and such,love that too.clean up can be challenging.wally world sells a frige/freezer that fits in the given space under the cabinet.it is under $90. and it rocks.i did get a dud on the first one.this one is going on 1.5 yrs.by the way,the small forman needs 750watts,frige 800watts,20'' box fan 120watts{start up only.these things dont draw 1/2 of that after start up.4 cup coffee pot{24ozs} 750watts.i wont leave the frige plugged in for more than 5hrs with the trk off,but the fan stays on all the time.and as i have only a 1000/2000peak inverter i wont use more than one appliance i.e.750w plus,at a time.coleman also makes a awesome gas heater for the lil disposable bottles.leave windows cracked 2'' on each side and set between seats on floor.@20*f.it will keep the cab around 65*f. one bottle is $2.50,will last 8 hrs.

 

Answer to the Colman/Propane cook stove. Yes you can!! I would open the windows a little to let out the smells of cooking though. 12v Frig./Cooler. If it's your truck check on an apartment/Doom refrigerator that will freeze food. If not ask your supervisor about having one installed.
Cooking in your truck will save you money, but it's easier to just buy your food from the truck stops, and now with McDonalds, and other fast food places now located in truck stops it's not that expensive, and you don't have to cook.

 

Also, at McD's and Wendy's etc, they have good salads!

 

The best way to start is a 12v oven. Use a double layer of tin foil instead of tins

 

Could you folks that have a lunchbox cooker do me a huge favor? Take a measure of the inside (length x width x depth) and post that with what make and model of lunchbox you have. I would prefer to buy the tin liners in bulk from a cheaper source than a truck stop. With the dimensions, I can look on Amazon and so forth and be able to order a case to be delivered at home.

My thanks to anyone who wants to do this!

 

The whole point of this thread is to AVOID buying food from these fast food joints. Granted, it's easier to just buy fast food, but there are many of us (more and more each year) that are suffering from things like hypertension, type II diabetes, diverticulitis and a host of other things that are exacerbated by eating the junk served in the fast food joints and restaurants at the truck stops.

Thing is I can make a burger in the back of the rig with minimal effort. It's a better tasting burger (maybe just because I made it) and it's about a third of the calories that a Big Mac is. Plus you can make a thousand different dishes with some preparation and planning. How long does it take to get tired of all fast food? (not long for me).

I'm not sure if it's true, but I've heard that when the fast food joints prepare their lettuce they wash it in a sweet water solution. This does two things, first it prevents bitter lettuce (a good thing in my book) but secondly it adds a significant amount of sugar to the salad. This is based on blood sugar observations (my own) when eating a salad I made vs a salad made by McDonald's. Normal blood sugar should be at 104 mmg/dl. After eating a salad comprised of Lettuce, Mushroom, Onion, Boiled Egg (made with a coffee mug, water, and a coffee reheater), ham, shredded cheese and bacon bits (real) ... assembled by me, components purchased in a grocery store my sugar reading was 213. Not a big deal for a type II diabetic and easily corrected with a couple hours of working. After eating a McDonald's salad ... similarly comprised but with grilled chicken instead of ham and bacon bits ... my sugar reading was over 345 ... a much more complicated situation for a type II diabetic, still corrected with work, but would likely require a skipped meal later in the day (not a great idea for any diabetic). That issue is compounded by the fact that the McDonald's salad is significantly smaller than the one I made myself.

You guys be the judge, but these are some of the many arguments for cooking for yourself and NOT eating out of the overly expensive truck stops. If you're in good shape now, do yourself a favor and find a way to remain healthy in this inherently unhealthy industry. If you're out of shape, like me, then do yourself a solid and find a way to take your health (the bull as it were) by the horns and do everything you can to get better, I am. In this industry, your weight has little to do with how well you can do your job, but it has everything to do with preventing an early departure from the road either due to health or, like my good friend at Stevens Transport, an unexpected death in the sleeper of your truck. (DeWitt will be missed)

I hope I didn't come off too preachy ... y'all can do what you feel is right ... I'm just suggesting that there is a better way.

 

Great tip for boiling the egg. How long does it take? I have one of those 12v coffee cups, I wondef if that would work, it goes up to like 180 f.