Speaking About Eating...Anybody Use Long Shelf-life Meals?

I have had decent success heating canned salt (I mean canned meals) using the bunk heater! Support the can right at the heater outlet with a box or another can. Turn the heat up to some ridiculous number, and let 'er rip. About ten minutes. Shake the can occasionally if there's liquid inside. It will get almost too hot to touch. Reset the heater if you are done with your 10 minute sauna, et bon appétit!

This is what your post makes me think of...

Oh gawd. I feel like I'll puke.

Not a trucker yet, but I've already been thinking about what I'll stock in my truck:

Natural Peanut butter & organic jelly Fresh sliced deli meat (mostly turkey) and cheeses Small cans of sardines, salmon, and tuna Sliced bread, english muffins, and bagels Crackers Mustard and horseradish Avocados Bags of lettuce Fresh cut/washed celery & carrots Fruits, both dried and fresh Applesauce & Pudding cups (just a few) Yogurt Granola & Protein Bars Nuts/Seeds A few microwavable meals, but only healthy ones Tea & Coffee one-serving bags Juices Water

I don't plan to cook anything in the truck because I don't want to make or clean up any mess. No stews in a crockpot or any of that mess. I'll get a toaster and possibly a toaster oven. I won't microwave too many frozen meals or make anything from a can (like soup) because I think most of that pre-made stuff is crap with gobs of additives. I'll heat up water for tea and coffee.

I'm really gonna miss making homemade stir-fry, where I deep fry chunks of tofu breaded with brown rice flour. Hopefully I can find a nice Chinese place here and there. I wouldn't dare make something like that in a truck. Good grief, the mess to have to clean up!

If I'm at a truckstop where there is a nice restaurant, I'll most certainly have a nice meal there, otherwise I'll stick with my store-bought "snack-able" somewhat healthy food.

Oh gawd. I feel like I'll puke.

That's about how I felt the first time I heard about canned whole chicken and saw that picture.

This is a must have

Since trucks rarely have anything like a sink, and storage is a problem, this may come in handy:

(As I've said before, I don't need to make things up.)

As Errol suggested, the bunk heater works surprisingly well for heating things up! I set a jug of water in front of it to use for sponge baths/washing my hair, and sometimes have to let it cool off a bit before I can use it!

I get a few heads of romaine lettuce, wash & cut it up at home, and put it into small containers. (The plastic ones from lunch meat work well for me). For a meal, I dump lettuce in a bowl and add tuna, sunflower seeds, cheese, whatever. Easy. I have been surprised at how well the lettuce keeps; I had expected it to get all brown and nasty quickly, but it stays pretty good. My experience has been that soft fruits do not travel well - tomato, avocado, peaches, etc. - I've found that it's best to eat those things in the first few days. The bouncing gets them all bruised and squishy.

In cooler weather, I use the space under my bunk along the outside wall like a root cellar. Great for things like apples and carrots. Also keeps soda cool enough for my taste.