Crock Pots, Toaster Ovens, Etc.

[Olive600]

If I've had a good nights sleep and a good meal, I can face just about anything. The sleep thing is solved for the time being. Now on to FOOD! Food is my favorite topic in the whole world. I love to cook and eat and hope to indulge myself while out seeing the US of A. I've also realized I want to boondock. I know I said I never ever in a million years would do that, but I changed my mind. How do all y'all plan, store, prepare meals. I have only a microwave/convection oven. I can bring lots of small appliances like crockpots and blenders and toaster ovens. Gadgets I got. What I don't got is lots of storage or a knack for planning ahead in this way. All advice welcome. I like the idea of cooking ahead, sealing everything up with the food saver and freezing it. I think I can figure out a way to bring a scaled down version of my pantry. OK the brain is working. Yeehaw!

Nikki

[Irmi]

The freezers in our campers aren't as large as what we're used to at home, so you can only freeze so much. For the two of us, we can buy a good weeks worth of meals between the freezer & pantry. I have the microwave, a toaster oven, the 3 burner stove, oven, a crockpot and toaster. Between these, I can fix just about anything I can fix in the s&b at home. I love using the crockpot and can make lots of meals that way, but there are some things that just turn out better in the oven or on the stove. I keep my favorite recipes on my computer in case I need to refer to them.

[Bethers]

I cook and freeze into freezer bags and can fit lots in my freezer that way. I got rid of my toaster and my toaster oven because I can do everything they did between my stove and convection oven. And I can go months using just the stove top if necessary, when boondocking. I do have and use the crock pot, and have an invertor I have even used to cook in it while driving down the road. I also just recently added a small smoker, see the recipes room for more on that! I had gotten rid of my blender and food processor and have since replaced then with a mini chopper and mini blender.

[Olive600]

I cook and freeze into freezer bags and can fit lots in my freezer that way. I got rid of my toaster and my toaster oven because I can do everything they did between my stove and convection oven. And I can go months using just the stove top if necessary, when boondocking. I do have and use the crock pot, and have an invertor I have even used to cook in it while driving down the road. I also just recently added a small smoker, see the recipes room for more on that! I had gotten rid of my blender and food processor and have since replaced then with a mini chopper and mini blender.

Beth,
Do I understand correctly that you don't use your microwave/convection oven while boondocking?
I have a pretty good sized freezer, more than enough room to eat out of for a month. Not exclusively, but for meat, fish, frozen veg, fruit, cheese. I have a stick blender with chopper and processor attachments. I need a sink cover so I have some counter space to work on next to the stove top.

Nikki

[Acadianmom]

To run anything electric while you are boondocking you would have to run your generator. Just depends on how bad you want to microwave something. Most things can be reheated on the stove top. There are ways to make coffee on the stove top if you are a coffee drinker. I don't do much cooking on the road unless I'm at a GTG where we are having potlucks. I would just as soon have a sandwich as cook something. If I was doing more camping I would probably do more cooking but I do more traveling than camping.

Martha

[JudyJB]

I would skip the blender and get one of those mini things you use to make smoothies. They wll blend just about anything.

And yes, you need an electric hookup to use microwave, toaster, and such. What you CAN do is make larger portions of things in your convection overn, freeze them, and then turn on your generator for long enough to heat stuff up in the microwave.

There is also a lot you can make on a propane stove. (You do have gas burners, right?) Toasted cheese sandwiches, steaks, hamburgers, reheat stuff, etc. when you boondock. For example, I will even buy a rotisserie chicken and a package of stuffing mix, cook the stuffing mix on the stove, and them make 4-5 meals to freeze with some chicken and stuffing. Ditto for my favorite chicken and rice dish. That way, I can enjoy a quick meal when i don't want to bother cooking. Just add some fruit and call it a meal. Takes only 3-5 minutes to reheat in the microwave with the generator running. A lot of the time, I also just have a sandwich.

I don't have a toaster, either, because I don't eat toast very often. On the other hand, I ambitiously brought a rolling pin which I have not used yet in the past 10 months!

[BirdbyBird]

Olive, I have a regular rectangle shaped chopping board that I picked up somewhere (not anywhere special) BUT.... it happens to fit perfectly the opening of one of the two sinks. I just have to remember to slip it back on one side of the pantry closet before I head off down the road.....

[Bethers]

You can use the microwave, convection boondocking with your generator, as said. I no longer have a generator and can only use mine briefly from my battery/solar combination. You also can't use your toaster, coffee maker, etc, unless you turn on your generator. If you want to boondock, I suggest you try to find ways around the need for them. Especially as you'll sometimes find yourself in state or federal cg's where the hours you can use the generator will be limited, and not necessarily when you will want the toast or coffee, etc, for example. And you'll find yourself in those instances rearranging your schedule to make sure you cook, etc during the allowed hours so that your generator can also keep you're batteries topped off.

[snowball]

I think I'm lucky...in that I have a oven not just a microwave/convection thing but an actual oven...and it gets used especially when boondocking
I do use my toaster but as has been said the genny has to be ran....but if the urge for toast is not when it's on and I'm too lazy to go turn it on
I will do it on the stove just got to be careful that it doesn't burn...I've added a crock pot this season but been plugged in if the genny has to be ran to run it think it will gather dust while boonducking... I have a friend that makes smoothies for lunch she uses a little Ninja and turns the genny on for the few moments of blending the smoothie ...I have used my electric beaters with out the genny on but make sure that I'm fully charged and it's usually for just a few moments
have fun in deciding what you need to take with you
sheila

[PeggyinCT]

Hi Olive
I too am a cook and just returned from five months on the road in my small Roadtrek. Space is a premium, so I am selective in what I take. I put several teaspoons of a spice into a section of a seven day pill box. I use one box for savory spices and a second one for baking spices. I also premix the dry ingredients for baked goods and put them in ziplock bags . Bring copies of your favorite recipes on your computer, or search on line for new ones. I use my propane gas stove for most of my cooking and a toaster oven for baking. I would love to have a regular oven. I use the microwave for reheating. Bring your favorite pans and knives with you. Be mindful of the things you always reach for when cooking at home and take those with you. I use a hand held mixer and a folding cutting board. Hope to share a meal with you somewhere down the road. Peggy

[Pooker]

Now you know why there are so many options! Everyone has their own "must have" needs. When I shopped for a rig it HAD to have a regular oven. I haven't used it once! I have always frozen individual portions of boneless meat: chicken breasts, boneless pork chops, steak, hamburgs, fish, in small zip lock freezer bags. They lay flat and I can stock quite a few meals. By having them individual I can take out however many I need - cooking for 1, 2, or ? I picked up two of those cheap little plastic bins to contain loose things in the freezer. Because they don't have solid sides, the air circulates ok.

My personal appliance choices are the micro, crockpot, small George Forman grill, toaster/oven/broiler, coffee pots (stovetop perc and electric drip). I don't have mixers, choppers, beaters, etc. I do those things by hand. I lugged a portable mixer all over the country for years and can't recall ever using it! I have a tiny inverter that is more trouble than it's worth to hook up, so when boondocking I use the generator. I can usually watch t.v. and run one appliance. Don't use the crockpot when there's no electricity because it takes too long. But with hookups it's sure nice to come home at the end of a busy day and smell the stew all ready to eat!

We each have to decide what works for us - trial and error.

Pooker

[mitch5252]

..

COLEMAN FOLDING CAMP OVEN
Amazon customer reviews: 88 reviews - 5.5 stars.
I bought one and have yet to use it.
Will use it next week when meeting up with The Pest.



..

[longdog2]

Everyone has given you some great ideas. Before you start packing everything in to your RV, you might want to try some short trips boondocking to see if it is really your cup of tea. Generators will run everything but before you run it to make some toast or run a blender for a few minutes, you will want to stop and think about the fuel you are using. Once you have traveled a little, you will know what you really enjoy. Some like to be off on their own boondocking in nature, others prefer a hookup and some neighbors in an RV park. RVing in a state or similar park can be the middle ground. Try it before you buy a bunch of stuff.

[VickieP]

..
COLEMAN FOLDING CAMP OVEN
Amazon customer reviews: 88 reviews - 5.5 stars.
I bought one and have yet to use it.
Will use it next week when meeting up with The Pest.
..

That reminds me...I need to check where the nearest hospital is...

[mitch5252]

..
COLEMAN FOLDING CAMP OVEN
Amazon customer reviews: 88 reviews - 5.5 stars.
I bought one and have yet to use it.
Will use it next week when meeting up with The Pest.
..

That reminds me...I need to check where the nearest hospital is...

Oh, please don't come if you're not feeling well.

..