Pantry Essentials

Bulk items

The saviour on the road has got to be bulk items. Food that's cheap, lasts a while and in some cases isn't too heavy to store. Perfect for rural trips where you're not sure where the next grocery stop will be or maybe it's just damn expensive out where you're going. Also pair them with some good herbs and spices, and you're in for some good meals!

Tinned tomatoes - crushed, whole, diced. It's all good. For pasta sauces or anything of the sort they're perfect. The perfect thing to keep up your sleeve for a warm comfort food meal.
Rice - light enough when it's being stored and at the same time has good shelf life too. Plenty of rice varieties out there too to change the bulk part of a meal.
Oats - rolled, steal cut or quick cook. No person will decide another's oat choice. Rolled or steal cut are usually our choice oats. Supposedly slightly better for you and time constraints aren't much of a thing for us.
Noodles - whatever type you choose, but heads up we're not talking about your two minute packaged mi goreng. Just your regular quick cook noodle packets that you can flavour yourself! We love doing noodle dishes and sometimes find ourselves having noodles far too often, but no one is out here judging us. They are super quick to cook and are excellent one pot meals.

Dried Spices

Spices in spice grinders and shacker bottles

Bland bulk food isn't comfort food and we know that. Which is why we call upon our spice racks every meal. With options to get different sorts of spices at discount stores this also doesn't have to kill the budget.

Salt - yup starting with the obvious but don't want to leave without it.
Pepper - again maybe obvious but side note - don't necessarily opt for your cheap pepper here. Especially if you like a spicy kick in your food hunt around for a mixed pepper or something a bit more fiery.
Italian herbs - our go to for most dishes we make. Tomato, Italian herbs, olive oil and lemon juice - might just be the basis of 75% of what we eat.
Paprika - don't know what it is about paprika but it seems to go with just about everything.. and yes we've pushed the boundaries. But for real, it's a great add in marinades, stews like dishes, or even as a garnish. It adds a nice colour and comes in a variety of spice levels in case a cayenne pepper level is too much for you (Liz).

Other tasty things

When the dried spices can't do it, these hits of flavour will be there for you.

Lemon Juice - gives that burst of fresh flavour despite maybe having no fresh ingredients when you're in the middle of nowhere.
Honey/maple syrup/some other form of sweetness you love - sweeten some porridge or basically anything you want. We're not here to judge.
Soy sauce - get some of that Umami flavour. Great salt alternative and a necessary item for our fried rice and noodle dishes.
Basil - maybe you have a different favourite herb or spice, but we've taken one on the road with us (as pictured). We can't be trusted with a proper pet yet, so we opted for the next best thing.

Organic basil plant in front of DIY truck camper

Pantry Essentials

Bulk items

Tinned tomatoes - crushed, whole, diced. It's all good. For pasta sauces or anything of the sort they're perfect. The perfect thing to keep up your sleeve for a warm comfort food meal.

Rice - light enough when it's being stored and at the same time has good shelf life too. Plenty of rice varieties out there too to change the bulk part of a meal.

Oats - rolled, steal cut or quick cook. No person will decide another's oat choice. Rolled or steal cut are usually our choice oats. Supposedly slightly better for you and time constraints aren't much of a thing for us.

Dried Spices

Salt - yup starting with the obvious but don't want to leave without it.

Pepper - again maybe obvious but side note - don't necessarily opt for your cheap pepper here. Especially if you like a spicy kick in your food hunt around for a mixed pepper or something a bit more fiery.

Italian herbs - our go to for most dishes we make. Tomato, Italian herbs, olive oil and lemon juice - might just be the basis of 75% of what we eat.

Other tasty things

Lemon Juice - gives that burst of fresh flavour despite maybe having no fresh ingredients when you're in the middle of nowhere.

Honey/maple syrup/some other form of sweetness you love - sweeten some porridge or basically anything you want. We're not here to judge.

Soy sauce - get some of that Umami flavour. Great salt alternative and a necessary item for our fried rice and noodle dishes.

Basil - maybe you have a different favourite herb or spice, but we've taken one on the road with us (as pictured). We can't be trusted with a proper pet yet, so we opted for the next best thing.