OTR Cooking

I'm currently a team driver, trying to save money by buying as little fast food as possible on the road.

Cooking in a moving truck isn't a great option. Therefore when we do a fuel stop for a change over I bring a large capacity thermos and fill it with hot water for free at any truck stop (the little spigots in between the coffee dispensers). With the hot water I make my own instant coffee, hot oatmeal, or instant soup.

Regarding cooking meals, I simply forget about cooking meals while the truck is moving. Sandwiches are fine. My wife steams up a batch of baked potatoes for me before I leave each week (we are generally out and back for a week at a time) and I chill them down before putting them in the storage locker in the area where it stays cool in the winter months. Slice up the baked potatoes with tuna, mayonnaise, relish, and you have a meal. Canned chicken in place of tuna is also great. Eating a hot meal isn't a requirement to keep me happy.

By the way... mayonnaise does not require refrigeration. The same can be said for cheddar cheese if you never touch the cheese directly with your hands.

Another eye opener was potato bread. It does not mold. Buy potato bread and you won't have to throw away moldy bread anymore.

My brother and I get our shopping for foodstuffs at Walmart while on the road, but generally we stock the truck pretty well before each trip. We buy bulk dried bananas, oatmeal, figs, raisins, and granola and also stock fresh bananas, apples, and oranges. I love wheat thins as a "while I'm driving" snack and avoid sugary foods to stay alert.

While driving I never have a meal before or during my wheel time, only small snacks, coffee, and chewing gum... the prime objective is to stay alert and stay awake. I have a main meal just after finishing my shift, it helps me sleep for a few hours in the moving truck. I will then have another smaller meal (cheese and fruit) whenever I wake up (usually about 5-6 hours of solid sleep at a time is about par for me in the sleeper berth) and try to sleep some more before getting ready to get back on shift.

My brother and I plan our foods around items that either don't need cooking or only require hot water from the thermos. We also plan our foods around items that don't require long term refrigeration: canned goods, dried goods, dried milk, nuts, fruit, bread, and crackers.

Big heavy steaks aren't helpful for staying awake. We will treat ourselves to a restaurant dinner maybe once a week on the road. When we get home my wife makes sure we remember what home cooking is all about....

 

Ok.. HERES MY DEAL...I KNOW HOW TO COOK AND WHAT TO USE..MY DEAL IS FRIDGE BROKE..I USE IT FOR A ICE COOLER NOW..I EAT LIKE A KING WK ONE,CAUSE I COOK ALL FOOD AT HM THEN JUST HEAT IT UP..ITS WK2,WK, 3,,THAT SUCKS AS.. WHAT CAN I BRING OUT HERE THAT DOES NOT NEED TO STAY FROZEN...IF I HAD A FREZZER I WOULD BE SET..I ATE OUT 3 TYMS..NOT FEELING GD NEATHER...I DONT LIKE TO EAT OUT ON ROAD

 

Have you ever considered vacuum sealing your home cooked food? Its only a suggestion, I considered doing it myself. But haven't done any research yet on how long cooked food can last vacuum sealed in a regular cooler.

 

How to keep food..with just a cooler..coalman finally died..its dead...lol..

 

The Mythbusters had a Thanksgiving dinner cooked completely by the car engine, exhaust and manifold. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/mythbusters-thanksgiving-special-alton-brown_n_2133489.html

 

That was my thought exactly. If you remove the air from the food then you significantly reduce bacterial growth - not eliminate so refrigeration is still required but you could get by with a cooler with ice.