Do you eat "heaps" of tinned food at home? Why eat it when you are camping or travelling - ok a couple of cans of soup - a steak and mushroom one mixed with a packet of shelf type Hokein Noodles (we use the thick ones- they do not need refrigeration (until opened), come two sachets in a pack) makes a sort of stroganoff.

We use the noodles for all sorts of things - a chicken fillet, marinated in ABC sweet soy sauce (or a sauce of your choice) with onion makes a great stirfry. Use instead of spaghetti when making spag bol. Stir fry some veges and add the noodles.

Our way is to replace what we use, so use a can of soup, buy another, or noodles, use, then replace etc. The things we make sure we have are coffee (I only like one brand, and buy it over time before trip), we like wraps and don't use bread, so buy them in bulk, they have a shelf life of a few months before opening ( the ones I just bought are good till June 2014)! Long life milk, some dry biscuits, we don't worry too much about sugar.

We always stock up at the larger towns.

I know some things are essential, but some things you just don't need - i.e. - do you really need a microwave?

Just my thoughts - it is of course, each to his own.

Wants and Needs,, it's really easy,,lol.

1 Do you just want it??????

2 Do you need it?????

3 Do  you really need it, based on when you will use it, and how many times will you use.

You need to be analytical.

WRITE ITEM DOWN AND WRITE WHY YOU NEED IT AND WHEN YOU WILL NEED IT.

If used,, you will self solve many issues.

Cheers Baz

This is what I do now when I see very cheap markdowns. It works. Okay when I was working but found when I left I had so many pairs of every length jeans and so many tops that I gave them all away to charity.
I never understand carrying a breadmaker though. I sold the one I owned when I had a house as it was a 'must have'. I can do without bread. My husband though is a big bread eater which is not good for his health. What happened to making up scones or a damper when stuck for bread?
We stock up no matter where on the items we use all of the time such a cereal, long life milk, coffee and tea when it is on a good special. We always have tinned stuff especially tomatoes, beetroot and other things I use to cook.
I use my microwave more than I do the stove as I do the frypan.
While house sitting I have bought a very cheap blender. Will I use that on the road? Doubt it. My daughter offered me her does everything one yesterday but I told her I wouldn't use it.
People tend to take what is free without having a use.
We carried large bottles of plastic water all around Australia with my husband telling me it was for emergency only. I was buying cartons of bottle water as a lot of water in places is really bad to drink. Well the emergency water was really good after a year as they all leaked and went through everything under the bench where it was stored including my kids precious books on lend and CD's.
I use my slow cooker and frypan often as I cook up a heap of meals for freezing when in one spot. Would not do without them.
A part time Nomad informed me the other day that over 50yrs and we should not do that as frozen foods can kill you. Not dead yet. Anyone had a problem eating their frozen meals?

pubertyblues wrote:

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Anyone had a problem eating their frozen meals?

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They break my teeth.

 

We need to cook, that's a given, so the pantry has basics like flour, noodles, few cans like beetroot, soup, capsicum, tomato paste, herbs and spices, longlife milk and fruit juice. .... basics.
The kitchen the same.... 2 saucepans (large and small), frying pan, whistling kettle, and an electric skillet for when we are on power.

That's it.................we use camp kitchens or BBQs when we can.

Of course we get away and I say "I wish I had the xxxx with me" but we manage without.

We carry 2 bath towels each, 2 sets of sheets, doonas and a blanket each, and half a dozen tea towels, couple of beach towels and dog towels.

Don't even carry the TV anymore, as we use the ipads for everything these days.

We do carry water containers, but only fill them when we need to. Also carry a small butane stove (but rarely use it), camp shower and a shower tent and a variety of rechargable lanterns "just in case".

We have 2 chairs only and 1 folding table, and these days even my fishing rods fold up.

No slow cooker, breadmaker or coffee machine! No vacuum cleaner or washing machine!

Over the years, we've developed an on road lifestyle which works, is not expensive and we have all we need. The only things we carry frozen are home grown or caught seafood and our homemade non dairy fruit gelati. We buy all our food on the road, over the years we know where to buy fresh locally grown fruit, veggies and grains. Most op shops have a fruit and veggie section, local food is always cheaper, plus helps the small communities survive, unlike buying from the expensive multinationals.

For cooking we have a 2 burner gas stove/oven and 2 portable induction hot plates which live in slots hanging on a cupboard wall, they are brilliant, light, use very little power, heat exceptionally fast and can't burn you. We use stainless steel and cast iron cookware and don't eat meats, dairies or processed foods. So at our age are very healthy and fit, plus it's so much cheaper than buying poisonous junk packaged stuff. Also have a small bag less 12v vacum cleaner which is great but noisy and a small ceramic heater. That's it really, except for the virtual workshop, fuel processor in the back of the bus, our little wood heater we carry during winter and music gear, add lifepo4 batteries and we live very cheaply and comfortably on the road. We actually save money when we travel and live on a pension, when we work or gig, we earn money, which make life even easier and with no medical or drug bills, life's an enjoyable adventure.

-- Edited by native pepper on Tuesday 4th of March 2014 09:38:01 AM

More good points - but, and I caution that I do not mean this in a smart-ass way, the lists of what people carry mentioned in some of the above posts are just as bad as my list!
I feel much better now - I think that I'm actually about average as regards to 'junk' carrying.
I'm still going to reconsider every item.
Regards

Maybe I am not a good caravaner, I like my creature comforts, and if I like I take. When you are on the road full time you can't take something home

On our last trip I took a heap of tools and emergency fixings like wire,lots of rope,chains etc and heaps of tools.
I was mocked about carrying all that stuff we didn't need but guess what????yes they rescued the situation more than once.

I always have basics, pasta, rice, a couple of sauces, and baked beans, other than that I buy as I need. I have done WA and NT and they are really quite civilised over there you know! They do have shops and supermarkets at quite regular intervals really! Enjoy the trip Annie

We have a lot less in our van now than we packed for our first trip. But one item is new, and its worked really well... a small George Foreman grill. It replaced the electric frypan which took up heaps of space and always made a splatter when we used it outside. I ended up cleaning the grease off the side of the caravan regularly. The George, as we call it, cooks without oil or fat and no splatter.
Of course if camping without 240 power its back to the public BBQ, or the gas cooker outside.

Another pair of items we use every day are folding backrests so we can sit up in bed reading/watching tv/whatever. When folded they travel on the bed.

Gerty Dancer wrote:

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SNIP

Another pair of items we use every day are folding backrests so we can sit up in bed reading/watching tv/whatever. When folded they travel on the bed.

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 Gerty - can you illuminate please....sounds interesting

Regards

Sheba posted a photo on here the same as ours.

http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t54288080/bed-backrest-arm-cushions/

You will have to chuck something out for every new thing you add Hako!

hako wrote:

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oldbobsbus wrote:

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SNIP

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 TELL HIM NOTHING Gerty, He already has too much jung onboard.

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Whoops Bob, slipped up there

 

This blinkin' keyboard can't spell for nuts