Eating on the Road While Living in a Semi, Van, or RV: Trucker Tips

Posts from :
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/threads/how-much-a-week-do-you-spend-on-food.310869/

Responses to eating on the road:

"-------Those truck stops are always trying to squeeze the truck driver, but I recently discovered how to eat at the T/A Petro buffet for $1.25 a meal. That's Right ! The Buffet is $12.95 to $14.95 if you sit there and eat all you want.

BUT, you can ask for the buffet to go. They give you a to go container and charge $5 a pound.

A pound is a lot. Most ppl can survive on a 1/2 pound = $2.50. Some can survive on a 1/4 pound = $1.25.
--------------Invest in a lunch box cooker - $20. They're great for slow cooking meats while going down the road and they plug right into a 12 volt outlet. I would use those for my dinners with a bag of frozen veggies or rice thrown in, about $6 a day. Breakfast a box of cheerios or oatmeal $5 for both, PBJ,a loaf of wheat bread, lunch meat or canned tuna for lunch - $7. A case of water or seltzer $4, bag of apples and a bag of almonds $10...all in for a week about $60.00!

---I go to walmart twice a week. I buy a 5 dollar fully cooked chicken and Ramen noodles. I break the chicken up and put it into bags and make soup throughout the week. Sometimes I'll buy a premade salad or some crackers. Once a week I might stop for some fast food, usually at wendy's and usually a triple stack.

I grew up with very little money throughout my 20's and have realized that the next day will come no matter how much you spend on food. Everyone used to tell me, "when you start making more money you will change your habits out there". Rubbish I say! I'm just as hardcore as ever!

On a side note, I still do buy sugar drinks. I'd say they cost me double a week what I spend in food, hahah. Pick your poison I suppose.

-I typically BBQ a large family pack of chicken breasts, I take fajitas, lettuce, tomato, apples and pears. Couple of frozen dinners (for a change) and yogurt and granola. Typically less than $50 a week.

------Uncle Ben's microwave rice pouches $1.84 @ Walmart
Whole chicken $5.99 @ Walmart
Bag salads on sale 2 for $3.99.
Barilla 60 second microwave Italian entrées $2.50...guess

-----------Corn dog or mac and cheese @ Pilot, figure $80,000 heart procedure

-----Peanut butter and bread and crackers.
Inverter + kettle to boil water for oat meal or instant soup.
Disposable bowls and spoons for cereal in the morning (buy the milk daily)
Cases of pop or water.

Saves a lot. Even with all this I still eat in the truck stop too often. I still enjoy a hot meal at the counter of knowledge. Or subway. Or good fried chicken. I am not a peasant. I spend probably $120 a week while I am on the road by a combination of the above meals and the restaurant meals."