Food on a road trip

[sunflower]

Hi,

we are planning to go on a road trip to Niagara Falls in couple of weeks. I like to pack some food with me. We are staying in a hotel, i am carrying my electric stove. Any suggestions for food that can stay fresh, and easy to prepare while on the road.

Thanks

[R]

What kind of food-south or north? Then, how long Niagara from yr place?

Bye.

[napolims445]

sunflower,

we have done a lot of long trips. Normally i take food for first 2 days and from then on RAM JAANE...manage in the restaurants.

South indian vegetarian food-
i cook these items at home before we leave and carry them in cooler..
For the first day some rice item(not containing onion/garlic ) like capsicum rice/brinjal rice...almost any vegetable in the rice ..we call it chitranna in Kannada. and some curd rice.
and for the second day some aloo curry or tomato pachadi or similar item to eat with bread. and some pickles and pudis for anytime with bread..i carry some uncooked rice in ziploc bag and a microwave rice cooker..u can also carry some dal which u can cook in microwave....carry some fruits like banana, apples, grapes
we had been on a road trrip to niagara, new york and dc areas from texas recently for the memorial day weekend and i should tell that we did not have any time to find a good place to eat in niagara ...just ate at whichever restaurant we first saw.
after doing so many road trips..i have realised that just dont worry too much about food and enjoy the places we see...I prefer subway anytime during trips because they are easy to find and quick and healthy- ALL IN ONE.

Enjoy ur trip!!!!

[Pooh]

Usually it is tamarindrice and curd rice. Also I try to stock up from indian stores - parathas, canned dishes (dal, rajma) etc. I have also had vathakozhambu and taken in a container. Idlis smeared with podi are good.
Cooked the rice in the hotel room and mix it iwth puliogare powder/pulikachal. Bought oil and chips from the local grocers. Then curd rice with curds from local grocers. Whole wheat tortillas from grocery store with pickles, curd or canned item.
The prepared food in bags (mtr, etc) are also good. Kind of liked sambhar sadham.
Have also made dosai from mix (but one has to carry something like frypan - doubles for making curry/mixing/etc)

We were just two people. So it was okay with doing the dishes etc.

Breakfast was cereal, milk, microwave pancakes etc.

[MysoreHudugi]

You can make the upma mix and take it with you. Add everything except vegetables. That is, heat oil and add all the ingredients that you put in before you put rawa. Add dry roasted rawa, mix well. Add salt. When cool, put it in a ziploc cover. When you want to make upma, boil 2 cups of water in your rice cooker for 1 cup of this mix and add it up. What we do is buy some tomatoes (not very ripe ones) and take them with us. Chop them and put it directly to the rice cooker.


You can try taking chapatis with dishes like gojju. Gojju usually stays ok even outside the refrigerator for atleast 4 days. (If it is tomato gojju or bittergourd gojju - even onion gojju can stay fresh for two days)


You can make lemon rice mix and take it in a bottle or jar. Make rice and mix it with the rice.


Finally, don't pay too much attention to food when away from home unless you are on very strict diet of some kind. Enjoy the places. You will have to cook anyway once you come home.


Hope this helps.
CI.

[Kz]

U can take vathal kolambu 777 brand which is good. u can cook rice in electric rice cooker and mix with this vathal kolambu.

u can take chapathis and tomato thokku or pickle which will be good for 2 days.
bread and jam would be good for snacks. ready to eat curry packets are also good to eat with rice or chapathi, but u need to heat it in microwave.
Kz

[grl95014]

Here are some tried and tested items in my roadtrip food list:
Chappatis wrapped around cauliflower potatao curry so that it looks like a burrito - easy and handy to eat - keeps for one day.
Idlis with podi or coconut chutney - keeps for 1 day
Lemon rice, potatao curry- keeps for day 1 lunch or dinner - spoils after one day, so use caution.
Tamarind rice, Yoghurt rice (made with 50% milk and 50% yoghurt ratio to keep it from getting sour) - keeps for 2 days
Plain rice with dal podi or yoghurt - it helps if you are staying anywhere that has a kitchenette so that you can cook rice. You can buy plain yoghurt from grocery stores. You can also buy cucumbers, tomatoes and onions and make a quick raita. Pickles in bottles are a good accompaniment to rices.
An important part of the diet is veggies and fruit. You can cook vegetables in a way that they won't spoil during a roadtrip. You can make deep fried raw banana, bitter gourd or okra fritters and take them with you (I will post the recipe if you need it). It will last for upto 5 days.
Breakfast can be croissants, muffins or bread from any store on your way.
Take some prepackaged snacks along (like cookies, puddings etc). And some nuts like pistachio or cashews to balance out the diet. Also buy as much fresh fruit as possible to eat on the roadtrip - apples, oranges, bananas, peaches and even peeled and packaged baby carrots. And do not forget hydration - keep a lot of juices (in cartons) and bottled water handy during a roadtrip.
Stock up on Paper plates, paper cups, disposable cutlery and tissues.
I also carry my multivitamins, some Tylenol, bandaids etc.
Have fun.

[rajsand]

Hello sunflower
Very interesting thread!!
Try these probably they will go for same day meal or maximum next day

1
Carry vegetables like baby carrots, cucumber, tomato, beetroot, Broccoli (just boil it for 5 mins in rice cooker and add salt and pepper)
2
Make Puris or Methi Parotas. Soak Chole the previous day morning. Next day morning wash the chole and leave 2-3 tsp water. When travelling carry the chole in a vessel (closed with a lid). This will sprout automatically by the time you reach . Carry a tomato chutney or paste made of tomatoes, garam masala, ginger, garlic and store in airtight bottle (make lots). Same night , in rice cooker cook the sprouted chole and chutney .. Sprouts cook very fast so dont worry.
This tomato chutney you can have with bread too.
Next day probably, have the sprouted chole as salad with onions and tomato.
Similarly sprout moong and carry it when just removed after soaking. So it takes 2 days to sprout and you can leave it outside without refrigerating.
3
If you have kids or even for others (make pongal)
Carry Moong dal (uncooked). When in use, soak moong dal overnight. Next day make tadka for pongal in ricecooker and cook dal along with rice. Though its not very authentic but nutirtious
(use the dal water in cooking rice) {moong dal is easy to cook once soaked)
[Make tadka at home and carry if convenient]
4
Like CI mentioned its easy to carry and make upma. Can even carry rice upma the same way.
OR carry poha - make tadka at home and when in use, put tadka, onion, tomatoes poha..
5
Easiet thing to make is sandwich. To make it more interesting carry ur grill .. Stuff vegetables and Green chutney (homemade or store bought) and grill.. very tasty and easy too.

Good Luck and have a great trip.

[sunflower]

WOW, I got some great tips from all of you. I am taking my rice cooker. I am still planning for some of the items mentioned here. I will post once i am back.

Thanks,

[hehehewalrus]

just in case you forget, get Lays chips to eat along with the rice items - u can easily buy them from any gas station.