Weekly food budget...?

[tbrown]

I'm wondering if some of you will weigh in on this...

How much do you spend on food (including coffee, beverages, etc) in any given week on the road?

How do you try to eat healthy with such little choice in truckstops and what-not? :shock:

I'd appreciate any input...

[Crash935]

I'm able to keep my food budget around $40 for the week. I try not to eat in the truck stops and have a 12 volt cooler in the truck so i usually stock up on what i'll need for the week before i leave. I usually keep cans of soup, lunch meat, bread, pop, water, fruit and snack type things on the truck. I also have the wife make enough to have left overs while im home and take those along in microwave dishs and then use the microwaves at the truckstops to heat them up. You just have to learn to be creative!

[Uturn2001]

You might as well figure spending $10 per meal that you eat in a truckstop.

While some say that you can live off of food you keep in the truck IMHO it is a good idea to get out an eat at least once every other day if not once a day. Spending too much time in the truck can lead to rapid burnout. Plus if you park in the back of the lot you can get some excercise walking back and forth.

Breakfast is usually the cheapest meal of the day.

Now with that said, two of the best investments you can make is a 12v cooler and a 12v lunchbox stove. That way you can keep cold drinks, salads, lunch meats and then also heat canned good and "leftovers" bought/brought from home or the grocery store.

My weekly food bill, eating 1 meal a day in the truckstop, was around $120 per week including all drinks and snacks.

[Jumbo]

I usually make some muffins at home and take them with. One oatmeal and raisen muffin in the morning and I am good till lunch. The mix is about a dollar per bag at Walmart and makes 8 I think.

[Fredog]

I'm wondering if some of you will weigh in on this...

How much do you spend on food (including coffee, beverages, etc) in any given week on the road?

How do you try to eat healthy with such little choice in truckstops and what-not? :shock:

I'd appreciate any input...

go to www.roadcookin.com they have great recipes and if email them, they will design a meal plan for your situation

[Colin]

When I was driving OTR, I would spend about $60-80 per week, but this included a few breakfasts in restaurants. Like Uturn said, it's cheapest meal you can buy. The bulk of my lunches and dinners were in the truck. Soups, sandwiches, real oatmeal (anytime of the day for me), beef jerky, diet soda or Crystal Light.

One thing you may consider when making sandwiches is buying a soda at the truck stop and grabbing some mayo packets on the way out. This way you would not have to keep mayo in your cooler. Or just use mustard. Does not need refrigeration.

Fruit was always hard to keep due to the constant bouncing. Pre-cut fruit would be more expensive, but would last longer.

[Cluggy619]

An old crazy man once told me in a conversation:

• "I could save money by eating at the dollar menu, however, it is me that I'm treating. So if I spend $10.00 or $1.00 make little difference in the food. Only how I feel about myself when I'm done."

You can live as cheap or expensive as you want....just do how you feel that you need. I like to eat healthy when I was out, and that tends to be alittle more expensive that most.

So I guess you will have to figure what you like when you are out.

Take care. :wink:

[merrick4]

I still can't figure out what to eat for supper or lunch. Breakfast I have a bowl of cereal and maybe a bagel and creamchease. I also buy those yogurt smoothies. So I'm never at a loss for breakfast. I have a microwave in the truck but I can't get myself to eat these frozen dinners. I eat subway sandwiches a lot, they are not bad for you and are inexpensive (not to mention free yesterday with my Pilot points). I also like sardines and crackers and was snacking on protein bars and peanuts but I'm about to puke if I eat anymore of that.

Other than that, pbj sandwiches and cold cuts. I see they have the lunchbox cooker, but I don't want to make anything that is going to have to cause me to spend a half hour cleaning. I might buy a hot pot and boil some pasta and pour some sauce over it. Or even make hardboiled eggs for sandwiches (by the way they do sell mayo that doesn't need to be in the fridge)

Honesty I eat much less out here anyway. I start this whole driving endeavor without a belly and that's how I want to stay.

I love soda from the fountain so buy those sometimes. That's really my only splurge. I can't find hardly ever Dunkin Donuts or I'd be buying an iced coffee everyday. If I want a coffee, I make instant and I bought cups and lids from Walmart and just go in and get hot water and make my own.

Anyone use those lunch box cookers with some success? and if so what do you make?

[just_froggy]

Everybody here has good suggestions. I know so many drivers say, "I'm not going to spend my money eating in the TS", but you should do it a few times a week, because eating out of the truck gets old fast.

Since fresh fruit doesn't travel well, I buy canned in light syrup, mostly from walmart. They have these little 50 cent cans of chunk pineapple in natural juices, I buy those all the time. I also get things like those soup at hands and microwavable soup bowls, but I usually only get those when I can find them on sale or if I have a coupon. I started buying Spagetti O's and Ravioli's in the pop top can, and using a gladware bowl to nuke it in a TS microwave. Compare cans to those little tiny microwave ones they make. You get twice as much in a can and usually alot more cheaper (I am a cheapskate) You just need to watch your sodium when eating that stuff. PB, Jelly and a loaf of bread are a good staple to have in the truck, you never know when you are going to get stuck somewhere without a microwave.

I started drinking that Nestle Pure Life bottled water. You can get a case of 32 half liter bottles for $5 and some change at Sam's club.

[got mud?]

I'm wondering if some of you will weigh in on this...

How much do you spend on food (including coffee, beverages, etc) in any given week on the road?

How do you try to eat healthy with such little choice in truckstops and what-not? :shock:

I'd appreciate any input...

i'm like everyone else I have a cooler in truck and eat a lot a cold cut sandwiches I also keep milk and eat cereal and stuff for breakfast or a snack at least twice a week I do have to eat at a ts just so i get out of the truck. you will also find little places that you can park and either walk to a resturant or find little mom and pop truck stops. I love the little hole in the wall truck stops the foods usually better and a better deal. I also cut what ever I order in half and only eat half of it and take the rest back to my truck for later. portions are usually to big and it helps keep me from getting to big out here. sometimes i'll freeze left overs at the house and take them with me by the time they thaw i'm ready for them again. on average i spent about 100 dollars a week with everything but cigs included. I spent that on gas at my management job because i had a 40 min drive on average so i'm breaking even

[choperbob]

I have a apt. sized refridge from sam's club,$120. A microwave $40, a George Foreman grill $60. I paid $120 for a 1500 watt inverter. I eat in a ts only 1 time a week. In order to beat solitary confinement syndrom I do have coffee and maybe pie everyday. I eat steaks, burgers, chops, grilled fish and grilled vegis. My food budget is less than $50 a week. But, I also eat very well. Last trip out I brought along a crockpot and had stew and fresh cooked navy bean soup. I didn't buy it all at once. the inverter ,I got from pilot using bonus miles points. next I bought a used refer and micro. I found that the refer only lasts a little over a year. pays for itself many times over. Walmart sells microwave plastic ware cheap, I use it 1 time then trash it. I buy microwavable locking paper plates and good quality plastic silverware??? plastic silverware??? oh well. point being, you can eat healthy and do it realitivly cheap. best of luck.

[merrick4]

Chopperbob, isn't it a pain to clean the George Foreman grill? I'd buy one in a minute but if I have to spend a half hour cleaning it is not worth it for me.

[evertruckerr]

BUDGET?

[Roadhog]

I never figured out a weekly budget. I use to eat out of the TS or some nice resturants along the way...but I got really tired of that. I enjoy just certain foods anymore, and I'm trying to keep the weight off. TS food started putting on pounds. I tend to eat ALOT if you stick me infront of a trough.



I shop at Meijer's or Sam's Club when I'm home...and stock food and drinks I like. I buy just one 24 oz. mug of coffee out of the TS now. I'm drinking lots of water...and V8...and I'm eatting better.

[Midnight Flyer]

Am I mistaken or did I read at one time that some truckers have heated their food by placing them in special containers on the engine of their truck? Seems to me that would be one way to get food real hot! 8)

[choperbob]

it is easy to clean. just wipe it off with paper towels after it has cooled. the grill plates are real easy to remove and are small enuf to drop into a plastic bag. teflon coated.

[ssoutlaw]

it is easy to clean. just wipe it off with paper towels after it has cooled. the grill plates are real easy to remove and are small enuf to drop into a plastic bag. teflon coated.

He C bob, try wiping it while its still warm. Use damp paper towels, always worked for me. You use more P towels, but if you use a lot of spice like me, it likes to burn and seems easier to me with the method I use, just a thought.

[Jackrabbit379]

I use to eat out of the TS or some nice resturants along the way...but I got really tired of that. I enjoy just certain foods anymore, and I'm trying to keep the weight off. TS food started putting on pounds. I tend to eat ALOT if you stick me infront of a trough.

Man,that aint no lie. The truckstops anymore are notorious for putting on the weight. Nothing like getting too full on the breakfast buffet. :? :P

[kcfalcon]

I have yet, to find that right mix of eating out of the truck and eating at a restraunt.
Just depends on the mood I'am in at the time, but,I find I spend around 100, to 140 on an avg, no matter how I do it.
But I drink coffee ALOT! that in itself adds up quick.
Before I started driving I spent 300 of fuel to get to work and back, so I guess I'am still ahead.

[mapleleaf_1]

I took out one of my lower compartments and put in a good apt. fridge. it has a freezerand 3 shelves in it. I make my own dishes at home and take them with me. I also have a microwave that I use to defrost and cook my meals. Cheaper than using the t/s. I'm not driving to pay for eating out. I bring my own water, juice, bread, veggies, coldcuts and casserole dishes. Only time I go into the t/s is if I want a change of scenery. LOL Drive safe everyone.