Recently, I took a two week RV trip with my mom. We traveled through 5 different states, not including California. Because of COVID our intention for the trip was to bring enough food and supplies so we wouldn’t have to stop often and make a lot of contact with others.
As this was my first RV trip, and hopefully not my last, we didn’t end up using all of the groceries that we had brought. Some items were a hit and some were barely touched. I wanted to share what items worked, which items I wouldn’t bring again, what I wish I had brought, and what we bought along the way. The RV also had all the works; fridge, stove, freezer, microwave.
The Initial RV Trip Grocery List
- Rice
- Quinoa – Yellow and Red
- Microwavable rice Packets- 2
- Banza Rice – 2
- Amy’s Canned Soup – 5
- Canned Baked Beans – 1
- Canned Green Beans – 3
- Annies Vegan Microwavable Macaroni and Cheese – 4
- Frozen Vegetables – 2 Bags
- Ramen Noodles
- Better than Boullion Broth
- Spices and Sauces
- Seaweed Snacks
- Date Bars – 3 Boxes
- Applesauce Packets
- Oats – Quick Packets and Bulk Oats
- Bananas
- Dave’s Killer Bread
- Peanut Butter
- Strawberry Jelly
- Dates
- Coffee
- Tea
- Hot Chocolate
What a normal day would look like:
Breakfast – Oatmeal, pancakes, or toast
Lunch – Canned soup
Dinner – Veggies and rice/quinoa
What was Worth Bringing
I guess it depends where you plan on going and what activities you have planned. For us, we knew we’d be in cooler weather and had planned on enjoying some light hikes and nights looking at the stars.
The most successful buy on our trip was definitely the canned soups. Easy to heat up, healthy, and filling. Perfect for colder weather. I don’t know how it would’ve fared in the summer, though.
The items I wish I had brought more of, were snacks rather than meals. I only had grabbed 2 packs of seaweed snacks. They ended up being a perfect snack to mindlessly munch on while we were driving. I really didn’t think about the fact that the majority of the time we would be driving.
Snacks that we ate while driving were applesauce packets, date bars, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I found myself going back to the fridge often while on the road to make quick sandwiches.
Other items we used quite often were the frozen veggies and quinoa/rice. Just make sure you don’t forget the spices, otherwise, your veggies will get boring pretty fast.
What to Buy on the Road
This might be obvious but perishables are probably better left to buying on your trip, depending how long your trip is.
We ended up buying vegetables like potatoes, mushrooms, and peppers. The fruit we brought were bananas, but those can also be bought anywhere easily. We bought berries along the way.
What We Didn’t Use
I would like to add that everyone is different. So what I might’ve found unnecessary others might not.
We didn’t use the dates at all. This was partly because I put them in a drawer in the fridge and forgot about them for the rest of the trip. I think had I put them in view we probably would’ve snacked on them.
We would’ve been better only bringing one can of green beans and switching out the other two for something different. They were an easy food to heat up but I think having more of a variety of food would’ve been nice.
The ramen noodles we also only used once.
Finally, I wouldn’t have brought so many oats. The small quick packets were enough for us for two weeks. The bulk oats just took up extra space.
What I Wish We had Brought
There were a couple of nights that we did have a campfire – 3 to be exact. I think I was unprepared for this because being from California it didn’t even cross my mind that we would be able to light a campfire.
I found myself wishing I had brought marshmallows for s’ mores. Of course, vegan marshmallows can sometimes be hard to come by. If you have a sweet tooth or occasional cravings it might be a good idea to buy those items ahead of time.
Other items I wish I had brought, which I might’ve mentioned earlier in this post, were more snacks. I think that trail mix and popcorn would’ve been a good idea. Some fun vegan junk food items from the store would’ve been a good idea too. We did end up buying snacks along the way so it wasn’t a big problem.
In Conclusion
The food we brought was more than enough for 2 weeks. Even if we hadn’t bought the extra veggies and fruit along the way I think it still would’ve been enough for two people for two weeks.
In my opinion, the most important items to bring before hand are bases like the rice, quinoa, and canned foods, plenty of snacks for the road, and spices and condiments. Theoretically, everything else you can buy along the way.
But, it also doesn’t hurt to be over prepared if you have the space =)