The second most popular question we get is, after “Where do you sleep?” is “What do you eat?” Just like you need to consider what to sleep in your car, what you eat also depends on the type of car camper you are and the temperature outside. Beginners who don’t have a cooler or stove-top will be much more limited compared to experts! We started off as beginners, and the options were pretty limited, especially during the summer. We ate lots of peanut butter and honey sandwiches, chips, crackers, apples, nuts, and bananas. During the winter, things were a little easier because things didn’t spoil as quickly, but we were still limited. A year in, we took our first trip with a cooler, and it was a game-changer! We were able to bring sandwich meats, perishable fruits, and more!! We personally think that the intermediate level is the sweet spot for us, but many go all out and choose to get a stove-top too!!
Our Favorite road trip foods!
- Applesauce pouches, if these are too pricey, then get applesauce cups.
- Granola.
- Self-stable mini-milks (Horizon organic milk boxes are our favorite).
- Nuts.
- Hummus packs (make sure to get the shelf-stable ones).
- Dehydrated/dried fruit.
- Fruit Chips.
- Avocados- AS LONG AS THE WEATHER DOESN’T GET ABOVE 70 degrees.
- Vegetable chips- Sweet potato chips are particularly good.
- Fruits- apples, oranges, pears, etc.
- Seeds.
- Peppers- For something really fun, add crunchy peanut butter.
- Baked chickpeas.
- Fruit leather.
- Bananas – only if there is a good place to store them! We have tried to bring them on flights, and they get too bruised.
- Beef jerky.
- Protein bars.
- Sprouted wheat bread.
- Honey.
- Rice cakes.
- Peanut butter.
- Mac and Cheese.
- Microwavable pasta.
- Popcorn.
There are so many other great car camping food options that don’t require a cooler or stove top!! Let us know what your favorite car camping food is!!
All the extras
when car camping you need to think about more than just the food!! There are a few additional things that you likely have in your house that will making your car camping experience even better!
- Chip clips
- A lunch tray
- Reusable plastic utensils
- Napkins
- Some kind of organizational bin
- 2 liters of water per person
- Trash bags
Gas Stations
Throughout the years, we have found gas stations to be our best friends; they have microwaves you can use, and sometimes they even have toasters! Once we started using microwaves, a whole new world opened up for us. We could make sweet potatoes, salmon, eggs, oatmeal, mac and cheese, and more! Having warm meals really made us feel like we were living in luxury!
