The Tuckerbox: Your Guide to Caravan Pantry Essentials

Adventure demands preparation! When you explore those beautiful destinations off the beaten track you will need to pack some tuckerbox basics. Here are some cooking essentials from my tuckerbox that don't only sustain me but add some taste and variety.

Hit the Road, Jack!

While our modes of travel may differ, we all have similar underlying ambitions - travel and exploration. Whilst I’ve been lucky enough to spend much of my life travelling, I still believe I’ve only seen about a third of our massive Australian continent. Its immensity is quite mind-boggling. But one thing is for sure, the best campsites are mainly at the end of a challenging track!

I usually trail a camper, caravan or boat in my excursions, and often a combination of both. I also like the simplicity of a swag when there are big miles to cover, and of course a quick meal is preferable. Hence, I frequently find myself on overnighters long distances from civilisation and regular shopping hours. So, what’s to eat?

My trusty old Disco is full of gear. It’s a mobile office with photographic equipment, a mobile computer and other assorted electronic gadgets, including an iPad and inverter. There’s recovery gear, a kayak and swag on top, a fridge, various cooking implements, pots, pans, plates, cutlery, and my essential tuckerbox. I can’t tell you how often the little box of versatile ingredients and goodies has saved the day during a caravan adventure and fed the masses - or sometimes just me.

What's in the Box?

Everyone's tastes are different, and that may vary by culture, location, health issues and even the availability of fresh ingredients. So, the variety will change, but many of the base elements are the same.

My Essentials

Be sure to pack the following for your next trip. Salt and pepper, extra virgin olive oil, coffee, tea, sugar and cocoa for kids; small cartons of long-life milk, some hydralyte tablets just in case, sachets of tomato paste plus small containers of peanut butter, vegemite, honey and jam. No one should leave the house without some aluminium foil and garbage bags. I always carry some little extras in my pantry, including Worcestershire sauce and some sachets of fish coating mix (because I like it), and my world simply doesn’t turn without some chilli!

But wait - there's more!

Muesli, canned or bottled fruit, pasta, rice, canned tuna, baked beans, coconut milk, chickpeas, peas and corn, sardines, instant or canned soups, and I’ve often found a small jar of taco sauce, pesto, or tinned tomatoes can turn some basics into a real meal. Instant pancake mixes are a bulky treat that pleases the masses and doubles as an elixir for the late-night munchies, and for God sake don't forget the flour for so many purposes. I find self-raising covers all bases.

This whole kit of gourmet delights is packed into a plastic box, and most of the goods will be kept indefinitely, even in the extreme thermo changes in the back of a vehicle.

If you can carry some meat, bread, eggs, and perhaps some fresh vegetables in your fridge, you’re set for a long stay. I prefer using my skills to catch a fish for dinner, as it gives me real personal pleasure. But with the tucker box to back me up, I never go hungry even if the fish aren't biting. I’d still knock over a bunny for a feed, but I left the guns and traps at home years ago.

Easy Cooking

Vegemite isn’t only great on fresh bread and bickies, but it can also make a terrific meat seasoning and wholesome broth in a mug or as the base of a stew. Small sachets of hearty beef soup do a similar job, but they aren’t too good on toast!

Combine peanut butter with coconut milk and some chilli flakes to create a sate' sauce fit for a king's table. It is delicious on just about any meat or when combined with rice. In fact, forget the meat; just have the sauce on the rice.

Learning to make a simple white sauce with flour, milk, and oil/butter will extend your options to create some hearty feeds. Add some cheese, a can of tuna, perhaps some onion, corn, peas, and chili flakes, and serve on a bed of pasta or rice for a gourmet delight that will please the masses.

Tuna is such a versatile travelling option. It can be used as above in a mornay with rice, simply spread over some hot or cold pasta, a tasty sandwich filling, biscuit topper, or, my favourite, smoked tuna omelettes. There's no rule that says you just have to have bacon and eggs for breckfast when camping, but it does also make a great omelette combination especially for those with limited tolerance to bread. If you don’t have any cheese, think about carrying sachets of cheese and leek soup mix as a great substitute.

Muesli isn’t only a nutritious and filling breakfast food; it also makes a terrific substitute meal if you are on the go, or just need a tummy filler before crashing for the night. In fact, some muesli needs very little milk, and some of the tasty varieties, such as Carmen’s fruit, nut, and berry combinations, make a great snack straight out of the box. Perhaps add some fresh ingredients such as fruit for a really nourishing feed.

Take a tour of any continental or Middle Eastern deli, and you will find some terrific additions to your touring tuckerbox. Canned hommus and dolmaties can be exceptional. Falafel mix (just add water) is one of my family favourites, which reminds me that cans of chic peas can make a very healthy and tasty alternative to fresh meat, especially when crushed and combined with some simple additives such as rice or pasta sauce or thickened with some flour, egg, and seasonings or dried herbs to make chic pea patties. Soft tortillas and flatbread travel really well and make a great wrap for the falafel or chic pea patties.

Must-Haves

There are always the simple must-have items. Baked beans, canned spaghetti, sardines, and a huge array of canned casseroles and stews are always worth considering. If you haven’t got any fresh bread, then toast some, or better still, make your own damper on an open fire—it’s a satisfying meal unto itself!

Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes – the whole world loves pancakes (unless, of course, you’ve got flour intolerance, in which case there are alternative grains). The whole tribe just loves instant pancakes for breakfast and buying the just add water premix is so simple. Morning, noon or night pancakes will satisfy those hungry gremlins. Coat them with honey, maybe sugar and lemon or top them with canned fruit or berries for some real taste sensations.

My tuckerbox also includes important caravanning essentials such as some detergent and cleaning equipment. Baby wipes, tea towels, insect repellent, a small backup torch, and pepper and salt for the well-seasoned traveller. Of course, there are cooking utensils and essentials such as a jaffle iron that takes the world of fireside gourmet delights into a whole new dimension—but that’s another story.

Many years ago, an old mate enlightened me with the classic statement, “Nutrition huh? There’s a lamb chop in every stubby!” Well, that makes life even simpler. Bon appetite!

(PS - Don't forget a can or some dry food for your best mate!)

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