6 Tips To Buying & Eating Fresh On The Road
Looks like the start of my Tasty RV Eats series was a success with lots of folks interested & commenting, so I’m definitely going to be extending it and making it a mainstay of the blog. Yeah! As is so happens one of the questions in the comments section was about buying & eating fresh food in the RV….which ALSO just happens to be one of the 50+ posts I had rolling around in mind to write (you guys are mind readers). Go figure! So today I want to talk a bit about that.
Before RVing we had a HUGE kitchen with a 6-burner stovetop, double-oven and giant fridge so it was a bit of a downsize to switch to an RV. Thankfully we’d lived in small kitchens in Asia and knew how to make it work. I’ve written a little bit about our favorite kitchen gadgets and small-space cooking (e.g. with wok cooking) before, but for today’s post I want to focus on one thing only and that’s buying & eating fresh.
Now I should start by saying that we are not “canned food” people and apart from a few cans of tomatoes or tuna, you will not find anything canned in our cabinets. Fresh veggies & meat are critically important to our enjoyment, lifestyle and health and it’s something we simply don’t compromise on. We do have a few “back-up” veggies (mostly dried) in our pantry cabinets, but almost without exception we plan to eat fresh veggies everyday…and we do this 365 days a year.
So, how do you manage to eat fresh when you have a small RV fridge? And what if you’re boondocking? Well, here’s our top tips:
1/ Shop More Often Or Shop “On The Way”
One thing about fresh veggies is that…well…they’re fresh and they spoil. So, one of the simplest things you can do is shop more often. We typically shop once a week for fresh veggies although we can go two or more if we plan it out (see #3). A week’s worth of veggies will fill our fridge & give us enough variety to make it through to the next stop. And if we’re boondocking, two weeks (of well-planned veggies) will typically take us to the next boondocking spot. Since most BLM land has 14-day camping limit anyway this works out just about right.
In very remote spots we might plan a specific stop between boondocking areas to stock-up (with the rig) before we go to the next area. So a drive…shop…and drive kind of day. This makes our driving day a little longer, but saves a day of shopping too. When we do this we visually scope out supermarkets using Google Earth to make sure “the beast” can fit before we go. Shopping once a week may seem like alot, but honestly it’s pretty easy once you get into it and it’s worth it to have the fresh stuff on hand.
2/ Visit Farms & Farmer’s Markets
If you’ve never tasted fresh, organic, locally-picked veggies you are totally missing out!! The flavors will knock you out of your shoes (compared to store-bought stuff), PLUS they contain more vitamins & nutrients AND you get to support your local farmers. For all these reasons we will always (always) try to buy local when we can. That means I will track down farmer’s markets just about everywhere I go & visit farms to buy locally-raised pastured meat whenever I get the chance.
Although some folks might think this sounds like a royal pain in the butt I actually find this process a fun challenge. Once we plan our route somewhere finding local produce is one of the very next things I do, and sometimes we’ll even stay a few extra days in one spot just to hit a particular market. We’ve even driven our rig right onto a farm to pick-up produce! It’s all part of the flexibility of RVing.
Shopping local also means I get to meet the locals, talk about their farms, perhaps buy some specialties that I might not get anywhere else. I still drool over the amazing red chili powder that we bough in Hatch (New Mexico), the lavender honey that I got in Sequim (Washington) and the local marionberries we picked up in Oregon. Memories through food is what I call it.
What if there are no farmer’s markets???? You’d actually be surprised how many places DO have farmer’s markets (even in the middle of winter in the middle of the desert, seriously!), but in rare cases you do get caught without. That’s when the local supermarket & Walmart will back you up, and pretty much ALL of them offer organic options these days. The stuff may not taste quite as good as farmer’s market veggies, but they are a solid backup option.
Farms & Farmer’s Market Links:
- Local Harvest -> Great website for finding nearest farmers market. Click HERE.
- USDA Farmers Market Directory -> Another resource for finding local markets. Click HERE.
- Eat Wild -> Fabulous resource to find pastured meat, eggs & dairy. Click HERE.
3/ Plan Out Your Fruit & Veggie Use
When you buy fresh one of the most important things you can do is plan your veggie use so that the most delicate veggies get used first. This is really no different than what folks did before refrigeration. They ate the fresh stuff first, froze or preserved the other stuff and then kept root cellars for the winter for the remaining stuff. Now, most of us don’t have canneries or root cellars in our RV’s, but we can practice good timing to get the same effect. Here’s some examples of how long typical fruit & veggies last:
Few Days-> Delicate berries & delicate leaf veggies go fast so use those babies first. Strawberries & raspberries are best right after you pick them & lettuce, especially fresh-picked organic lettuce, can spoil fast (some packaged lettuce will last up to a week).
3-5 Days -> Hardier greens easily last 3-5 days. This includes broccoli, bok choy, zucchini, green beans and many soft fruits (e.g. peaches, nectarines)
1 Week -> Hardier berries such as blueberries, hardier fruits (oranges, lemons, pears, kiwis) and longer-lasting greens such as kale, peppers and spinach will easily last a week.
2 Weeks or More -> Long-lasting veggies such as squash, pumpkin and cabbage & root veggies such as potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, parsnip will easily last 2 weeks or more if kept cool, dry & in the dark. On the fruit side apples are very hardy indeed. Some of these will even keep months and squashes (in particular) are so hardy they can easily be kept outside.
I don’t plan veggie use before shopping (‘coz I never know what I’m going to find at the market), but once I’m at the market I’ll mentally plan out the use as I’m buying. So, I’ll never buy 7 different types of salad, for example, Instead I’ll always buy a mix of short-term and long-term veggies to stretch out the 1-2 weeks that I need them.
Fruit & Veggie Links
- How Long Does It Last? -> neat little printable guide HERE
- Long-Lasting Fruits & Vegetables -> intro to 12 things that will last months HERE.
4/ Store Veggies Properly
Another way to make veggies last longer is to store them properly. Many veggies will keep very well in perforated plastic bags in your crisper and keeping them separated this way with bags (rather than stacked right ontop of one another) will generally extend their life. Delicate greens like salads can be made to last longer if wrapped in a paper towel before storing (a neat trick I learned from watching Alton Brown on the Food Network). Onions, garlic & potatoes do best in opaque bags (e.g. paper bags) in cool, dark spots and actually prefer to be outside the fridge. Super hardy veggies such as squashes & cabbages can easily be kept outside for weeks. Apples are best stored separately since they can give off gases that spoil other foods. For my “outdoor” veggies I mostly just leave them on the counter, although a hanging basket can work well too.
Storage Links
- How to Keep Fresh Vegetables Fresher Longer -> Good little set of tips HERE.
- How to Store Vegetables & Fruit Without Plastic -> Nice, comprehensive list HERE.
5/ Buy In Season & Be Creative
The freshest (and incidentally cheapest!) stuff you can get is most often the stuff that’s in season. Many of us have gotten so accustomed to buying fruits and veggies anytime of the year that we completely forget that most of these things have seasons. Summer is often the most prolific fruit & veggie season, but winter has it’s share of excellent offerings too. Buying whatever is in season at the local farmer’s market has the added advantage that it can save you some significant $$. Three pounds of cherries for $10? Zuchinni’s for mere dollars? When they’re in season these kinds of deals are everywhere!
What if you go to the market and see a bunch of weird veggies that you’ve never used before? Well, take it as a challenge to buy them & figure it out. With so many online recipe sites it’s a breeze to find options. When zucchini is in season I’ll make zucchini on the grill, zucchini soup, zucchini “pasta”, zucchini fritters…you name it. In winter we’ll switch primarily to winter season veggies (winter squashes, turnips etc.) and get creative using them too. And sometimes, if I run out of time or ideas to use my veggies I’ll whip them into some kind of soup, veggie shake or puree them into a sauce (ever had kale pesto? Mmmmmm!) and then use them up that way. The key is not to be afraid of veggies! Just buy them & have fun figuring out what to do with them!
Seasonal Chart Of Fruits & Veggies -> Link to charts HERE and HERE.
6/ Use Frozen & Dried As a Backup
Although we’ve never camped long enough in the boonies to be forced to go months without fresh stuff (and honestly, squashes & cabbage will last that long), I do keep some frozen & dried veggies as back-up in case we need a little variety or boost. Many frozen veggies are flash-frozen right after harvest which means they actually retain very good levels of vitamins & minerals, sometimes even more so than veggies that have driven long distances & sat around in your supermarket. We don’t have a ton of freezer space for veggies, but I’ll usually keep at least one pack of something in there.
Drying doesn’t work for all veggies, but certain veggies such as mushrooms are excellent in this form. They can be stored almost indefinitely and can be readily re-hydrated & used whenever needed. Other good dehydrated veggies are carrots, cabbage, broccoli (yes, believe it or not) and corn. We don’t have a dehydrator in the rig (although I know RVers who do), but we always keep a few bags of dehydrated veggies as a back-up in our cabinets.
That’s it folks!! Almost 2,000 words just about buying & eating fresh. Who could have imagined? Hopefully it gave you a few tips & if you’ve got any juicy tips of you own DO add them into the comments section below!
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Thanks for the info. Now I need to run to Micky Dee’s for my daily fresh produce. Seriously, thanks. In the summertime we joined Harvest Host and stayed at several nice farms and obtained wonderful fresh foods. Our all time favorite was Montavon berries, the best blue berries we have had, ever.
Steve
Never had Montavon berries…I’m going to go look those up. I like the idea of Harvest Hosts. We haven’t joined yet, but it’s on our potential list.
Nina
Great info! I have switched to more emphasis on fresh, local meats and veggies this year, also raw milk. As a full-timer, I can tell you it can be a challenge to find these things. As a slow traveler, I can usually find sources wherever I go for a month or two. I agree, it’s a challenge with a small fridge and I’m learning to shop small and preserve in small batches. Love this topic, looking forward to your next post.
Robyn (Mrs. D) http://www.mrsdshomestead.com
Raw milk is definitely tricky on the road. Some states allow raw milk in supermarkets (which makes it a tad easier), but most do not. If you haven’t already discovered the eatwild website, I highly recommend it. Great resource for grass-fed meat & raw dairy.
Nina
When we first started and Tom needed milk for his cereal, we bought and used powder milk when we couldn’tget fresh….
I’m not real keen on powdered milk, although we used it back in my backpacking days…far too many processing steps for my liking. You can usually get pretty decent fresh milk just about everywhere these days. Raw (unprocessed) milk is a different matter & harder to come by.
Nina
Great Post!
Thank you for taking the time to write this. This is useful and valuable information. Good on you.
Unless I missed it, what about cost when shopping local farmers markets? I get the “fresh” and more nutritious part of it, but do you necessarily expect to pay more than at the local big box stores? What has been you experience?
My experience is that if you buy in season you get equivalent or cheaper prices at the farmers markets. There is the rare occasion you pay more, especially if you buy specialty items (e.g. Artisan goats cheese), but the veggies are usually a very good deal.
Nina
Well don’t try the farmers markets in Alberta, then. We did this summer and found them over priced although usually the quality is good. We are just starting our 5th year full timing and I find like you that we only buy in small quantities and shop often. We love coming to the southern states in the winter as we find it so much more RV friendly and cheaper than home. This year we stayed most of the summer in a small park in a small town. No monthly rates, just a flat 27.00 a night and only power hook up. There was a dump station but then you have to move every 10 days or so, which is what we did. Love the posts you do and we have been following you for about a year now. On our way to Florida this year and then home across I-10 and up through Bend, Or on hwy 97. Keep up the good work
And that is a fair point. In some of the upper-class neighborhoods/cities I’ve found farmers markets to be more expensive. Generally you can still get a good deal for in-season veggies, but I’ve seen higher pricing too.
You’ve got a long drive ahead of you to FL, but should be a nice winter there.
Nina
Thank you for this informative post! We make a point of visiting the farmers markets whenever we go. Like you, the only canned things in our cupboards are tuna and tomatoes – well maybe artichoke Hearst! We feel that the fresh veggies and fruits are vital to our wellbeing and delight in the varieties we see at different markets. Typically, we spend the winter months moving around on FL’s gulf coast and we’ve become savvy about the best markets. We spend time in New England, especially Seacoast Maine in the summer and there are an abundance of FMs there, too. We aren’t above buying a yummy huge helping of barbecued brisket or chicken or seafood specialities, depending on our whereabouts.
Sounds like we have VERY similar shopping habits! I love discovering the local specialties everywhere we go. Bet you get some AMAZING seafood up in Maine in the summer.
Nina
This is an awesome post, Nina. Thanks for devoting the time to do it. Although I’m not yet s fulltimer, buying fresh is something I’ve loved doing for a good number of years. Here in Pugetropolis, there are plenty of options available if one is willing to take the time and effort to seek them out. Which you and Paul obviously Did last summer.
I’m going to read thru all your links and begin utilizing what I can as I’m likely to learn some more, and maybe find a few more local sources. Thanks again.
The PNW does offer some GREAT food options. I was very impressed with the selection this past summer, even on the Islands! Hope the links give you some more leads…
Nina
Nina, I appreciate the time you take to share your knowledge and experience with us. Yours is the top blog on my list. Thank you for answering my question and so quickly too. Great write up.
Glad it was helpful. Kind of funny that I had already written most of the post when you asked the question.
Nina
Nina,
Hatch struck a cord. Last time through there, my wife forbid me to by any more chili powder. Love the stuff, and so many varieties. Eating local is great for both buying local and fating at local establishments. We have had truly outstanding BBQ in the Texas Hill Country, Outstanding Pizza in Whitehorse YT. As always, your posts are informative and entertaining.
Yeah that Hatch chili powder is amazing! We bought pounds of the stuff when we were there. Probably overdid it a tad, but we’ve used it all. And yes, BBQ in Texas (we ate ourselves silly on it)…Pizza in Whitehorse we have not tried. One to put on the list!
Nina
Love your blog! Do you think you could post some of your favorite recipes using fresh veggies, fruits, etc? maybe your Kale peso? Thank you!
I’ll be posting lots of them in my “Tasty RV Eats” series. So, they’re coming!
Nina
Ooops! I meant Kale PESTO! Ha Ha
What a great post…we go to farmers markets every chance we can….thanks for all the links you provided…and thanks for the research…now I understand why my veggies haven’t been lasting like they should…
Storage can make a big difference to how long the veggies last, especially if you happen to store apples in the same area (apples are especially bad at causing other veggies to go bad).
Nina
Awesome post, Nina! Thank you for all the time & effort you put into it! I had to take notes! Food–one of my favorite subejcts! We’re very spoiled–our weekly shopping is done at Skagit Co-op in Mount Vernon, WA. We have so much local produce & the co-op always sources local meat, eggs & dairy too.
We’re very fortunate here in the NW that we have such good food so readily available. The Skagit Valley is particularly rich in young farmers & growers who respect the land & who are innovative, thought-full and wise! There are even folks who are doing humane on-site animal ‘processing’ (I think that’s what you call it).
For those who say that farmer’s markets are expensive, maybe they are but ‘local lasts longer”. The number of days from farm to you is much shorter than produce in the conventional grocery store & it tastes SO good. Speaking of local, my daughter-in-law found a farm east of Bellingham on the road to Mt. Baker that has u-pick Marionberries & raspberries. We canned Marionberry jam & it’s like a corner of culinary heaven! I made fruit-filled bran muffins yesterday (a dynamite Smitten Kitchen recipe) & some of them were filled with Bandon cranberries & local pears.
I pinned your lists–such great info. I had no idea ginger & garlic shouldn’t be stored out on the counter. We have growers here on the island who grow basil in little…dang, I don’t know what you’d call them…but we store them in a glass of water on the counter. Sooo yummy! And kale pesto–yummo!
We canned a lot this year–Jim’s smoked salmon (heavenly!!), beets, green beans, Hatch chiles (sent to us by Jim’s brother in ABQ), salsa verde, 2 kinds of red salsa. The list goes on. It’s very gratifying to look at all that gorgeous food that you worked hard to preserve. I think canning could be done on a small scale if you were a fulltimer. It’s something you could do with a group too. We had our First Annual Salsa & Salmon Weekend with family members & it was so fun! Jim smoked 12 fish & we made 23 batches of salsa.
I’m considering the Lodge cast iron wok. It’s heavy (~12 pounds) but hey, I could build my upper body strength. Every pan we use is cast iron–we love it. I have the pressure cooker you do & love it.
Thanks again for this post AND for including food & recipes on your blog! Bon appetit!
We sound like very similar foodies! Your comment has made me hungry 🙂
We loved our summer in WA this year…the OP definitely delivered on the fresh food front. We don’t really do any canning, but like to pickle, jam and make pestos. Plus I make sourdough and kefir too. It’s all possible in the RV.
Nina
Veggies that are two weeks old are no longer fresh.
For salad I would agree. For squash & potatoes not so much. We stay as fresh as we can within the limits of travel.
Nina
One of the (many) things we are looking forward to is eating locally – enjoying the wide variety of fresh and seasonal foods. This is a great post to get us started – the timing and storing is particularly helpful 🙂
Glad its helpful! I do feel timing and storage are key to making this work in an RV. Once you figure out those details eating fresh gets so much easier.
Nina
Wow how timely for me.
I was just complaining to someone about how hard traveling has been on my meager SSDI buget limited kitchen facilities ive been solo in a van for two years and in unfamiliar tho USA territory. Farmers Markets can be horribly expensive but hey I’ve just been in the hospital again! IBS and Crones runs in my family. I love to prepare and share food but….thanks for the tips I’m going to check your suggestions.
I need the raw fermented milk products and I know how to process them myself. ..finding them in the USA is harder than it was in Central America.
Thanks again.
Raw milk is definitely harder to find here in the US. We buy it whenever we can, but it’s not as often as we’d like. I make kefir in the RV on a regular basis so I get some good bacteria, but only rarely do I find raw milk to make it with. I highly recommend the eatwild website I mentioned above for raw dairy and pastured meats.
Nina
WOW talk about reading minds. Wanting to concentrate on knocking off a few pounds and giving the Vita Mix a consistent work out, (Green Smoothies), I have been thinking; ‘how can we locate farmers markets/fresh veggies out here’. (Anza Borrego Desert) I will be checking out those links. GREAT post.
Anza Borrego has a GREAT weekly farmers market every Fri AM at “Christmas Circle” (the green bit in the center of town). Fabulous variety considering it’s way out there in the desert.
Nina
Refrigerate avocados as soon as they’ve ripened to perfection. Will stay perfect for weeks and the peel comes of clean and easy when cold.
Kale instead of romaine in your next caesar salad – since kale keeps better.
Sundried tomatoes are another easy dried food.
All good tips!!
Nina
Zucchini is in season at the same time as the yellow crookneck squash in your first photo! 😉
See…I’ve always called those yellow zuchinni and used them just like the green ones. You learn something new everyday!
Nina
This is such an important posting to educate and the possibilities of eating healthy on the road as a full-timer.
Thanks for posting, keep up the great work, and enjoy the road!
Sprouts! Infinite variety.
Mushroom grow also. I’ve only grown one mushroom log full-timing, a variety from the Arcata Co-op. It produced a number of mushrooms. Need to get some more mushrooms growing.
As far as gardening, I continue to try parsley for fresh greens, and continue to find it difficult to grow…
I had a stevia plant, bought in Arizona, that was a wonderful greens addition. It had soft tasty leaves that were not too strong. The squirrels discovered it. Then I bought a stevia plant in California. It was a different variety and too strong with tough leaves.
A mushroom log, huh….now that is something I have NEVER tried and it’s totally up my alley (the kind of thing I like to do). We’ve grown a Kombucha mushroom in the RV (for fermented beverages), but never firm mushrooms. I’m going to look into it!
Nina
mushrooms, http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Blue-Oyster-Mushroom-Growing/dp/B00N190V6K/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1414278281&sr=8-11&keywords=mushroom+log+kit
Stevia, http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_article/Growing_Your_Own_Stevia/8077
Cool…cheers for the links!
Nina
Well you do so many great and helpful blog posts it is almost hard for me to say this one is just totally superior. Really really helpful links and great ideas. We are pretty much vegan and do nearly all of the same things as you do with regard to food fresh and flavorful. But I am always surprised to find that it is difficult to locate a farmer’s market or fresh produce outside of the grocery store in many locations. I ask around and no one seems to know. So I am just WAY SO grateful for the links that might help.
You know it’s interesting. I find most folks don’t shop at farmer’s markets so even the “locals” don’t always know about them. I’ve been in towns with regular (and quite lovely) farmers markets, but the camphosts or even a few of the locals I asked didn’t know about them. Hope the links help!
Nina
Awesome post Nina! My only problem right now is finding a good wok. I have come across many of what I would consider cheap versions but would like something more substantial.
Finding a good quality, “old style” wok can be tough. We got our in China Town in San Francisco many years ago.
Nina
As a vegan who dreams of one day full-timing, this post was very interesting and informative. One of the things I look forward to most when I can go full-time is experiencing local cuisine and locally grown foods.
I do almost all of the cooking in our home/RV, and while it can be a challenge to cook in the RV as I do at home, I refuse to let the lack of prep space defeat me! 😀
Thanks for the info and links. I do have to tell you, the most light bulb moment for me was using Goggle maps to see if we can get into a place! I don’t know why I had never thought of that but Thanks you may have lessen my stress forever!
As usual I’m late to the party, and please forgive me if you have already posted this and I missed it. I am finally planning to be more proactive, and less reactive, to my irritable guts. I know you make your own kefir and sauerkraut; in other words fermentation processes and probiotics. Was wondering if you feel it’s better to make your own or buy along the road. And, if making your own, is it very labor intensive, or requires special equipment. I am just starting to do research and launch my own personal campaign to make some big changes. Thanks Nina! Lynda
It is definitely cheaper and easier to make your own.
-> Kefir only takes 24 hours to ferment. You buy the grains and feed them milk. 24 hours later you have Kefir. Drain off the grains and off you go again. Nothing could be easier and the grains can be used indefinitely. Just make sure you use plastic or glass equipment (no metal/steel) and the grains keep going.
-> Sauerkraut is also super easy. All you need is cabbage, salt and water. It takes about a week, but requires really no effort at all. Just make sure the cabbage is covered by liquid and let the magic happen. You can make it in a bowl, or jar, or whatever.
Nina
Thanks for the lovely advice. I am going down to Georgia in June and I am so excited! I am going to make my parents stop at almost every Farmer’s Market on the way to Savannah. What would be in season in early June?? And how much will it cost, roughly?
A lot of fruit will be in season around then (berries, cherries) and a bunch of veggies too (broccoli, greens, spinach etc.). Take a look at the links to the two seasonal charts which I listed in the post and you’ll see all the details. As for cost….too many to list. Just hit your local farmers market and you’ll see the deals.
Nina
Great post. We are escaping Alaska for the winter to hit the road for 6 months and really looking forward to shopping at farmers markets.
Great tips; thanks!
I’m also a sailor and have struggled for quite some time with finding greens that can stand up to the rougher handling encountered in the refrigerator of a boat or RV. The best one I’ve found so far is Napa or Chinese cabbage. It’s generally inexpensive and available most places. Good taste and nutrition. Even more durable than Romaine. I substitute it wherever a recipe calls for greens.
Cabbage is a great “hardy” green. Right up there with Brussel sprouts (which are really just miniature cabbages). Great to know it works so well for you on the boat.
Nina
I love your blog! I’m so excited I found it! I have been able to find more resources than I ever thought I could, in one place. Your blog is very organized and I love it!! Thank you so much. This is my favorite post I’ve read of yours. We’re a family of 6 planning on traveling and food(mainly nutrition) is a hot topic for me with food allergies in our family. Thank to this post, I’m less stressed about how we will keep eating fresh foods on the road.