The RV life is a busy life filled with travel days and epic adventures, and for some, this means far too many trips through fast food drive-thrus and not nearly enough home-cooked meals. Obviously, this is a problem for multiple reasons.
For starters (and most obviously), fast food is far from healthy. Too many trips to chain burger joints are sure to leave you feeling less than awesome.
Probably the second most obvious reason to opt for home-cooked meals is for budgeting reasons. An unlimited budget is not a luxury many of us have, and eating out can really take a huge slice out of your available funds.
The issue is that not many people want to eat sandwiches day in and day out. For this reason, getting creative with the meals you pack is crucial.
Next time you need food for a travel day or a nice meal to eat during an adventure, try these options instead of the typical sandwich. You’ll appreciate the change of pace, and your body and wallet will both love that you skipped that fast food stop.
1. Graze box
This might be the easiest non-sandwich lunch idea out there. It can be built using anything you have on hand and adjusted to suit whoever is in your group.
The idea is to put together a box of foods that are easy to graze on throughout the day, yet still filling enough to tide you over until dinner.
Grazing boxes can include pretty much anything you like, but we recommend items such as:
- Boiled eggs
- Crackers
- Cheeses
- Cubed ham
- Pretzels
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Cashews
- Pistachios
- Carrot sticks
- Celery
- Apple slices
- Grapes
Many people like to use a bento box to create their grazing boxes, but it’s also possible to build one using sandwich baggies for each item and toss them all into a lunch box.
Another tip is to put together your individual baggies in advance. Simply spend one day a week boiling eggs, slicing veggies, and cubing ham, then toss in what you need before hitting the road.
2. Soup to sip
If you have a thermos or even a well-insulated travel mug, you can make a drinkable soup and have a piping hot lunch waiting for you. Just open a can of soup, warm it up in the microwave, over the stove or campfire, and fill your mug.
No matter which soup you choose, be sure to add some crackers and cheese to the mix and toss in an apple or orange to round things out.
3. Cold leftovers
Another super easy option is to pack leftovers. While not all foods will be great as cold leftovers, many are just fine. Just make extra the night before and you’ll be all set to head out on your adventure the next day.
Some of the best cold leftovers out there include:
- Pizza
- Fried chicken
- Grilled meats (cube and put on skewers for extra fun)
- Pasta salad (add grilled chicken or shrimp)
- Quiche or frittata
Add some fruit and veggie sides to any one of these common leftovers and you’ll be all set with delicious food for the day with very minimal effort.
4. Delicious dips
It might seem silly to pack dips as an entree, but it can actually work out quite well. Some dips are very filling, and by adding a couple of side items you can create an entire meal based on a dip.
Some of the best dip-based lunch combos include:
- Tortillas with guacamole, grated cheese, apple, and corn
- Tortilla chips with chili con queso (kept warm in an insulated container), salsa, sliced pineapple, and raw broccoli
- Hummus with carrot sticks, celery, crackers, and pita bread
- These easy dip recipes
5. Roll-ups
Sometimes the most typical foods can be presented differently to give new and interesting results. Roll-ups are the perfect example of this.
To make roll-ups of your own, simply roll lunch meat around a cheese stick or add a layer of cream cheese to a piece of ham before rolling it up.
These can also be made with tortillas and peanut butter (add banana slices and honey if you wish) or tortillas with hummus, avocado, onion, and pepper. Get creative and come up with some roll-up meals of your own.
Hopefully, these simple ideas inspire you to think outside the box when it comes to lunches on the go. After all, your body and wallet deserve better than fast food and having sandwiches day after day can get boring.
So what are you waiting for? Get into your little kitchen and started putting together some delicious meals for your next big adventure!
