So this is not going to be a glamorous post but since I wrote up a post about our latest hiking road trip and talked a little about how I eat on the road, I thought I would share some photos of my “Kitchen Go Tote” in action.
You have probably heard about having a “Go Bag”, a backpack or such that you can just “grab and go” in case of spur of the moment adventures or emergencies. You may also call it a disaster kit. The idea is to have one container filled with everything you might need so you don’t have to pack in a hurry and forget something.
Well, I have one for my on-the-go kitchen that is contained in a 10 gallon tote and it has everything I need for basic culinary action while traveling. I keep it in my car all the time and pull it out when traveling with others in their vehicles.
The tote is divided up by repurposed cardboard boxes with one mostly for utensils and another mostly for spices, snacks and condiments. My backpacking stove sits on the outside of the boxes with fuel and thin objects like my cutting board and foldable bowl fit snugly along another side. As you can see it looks a whole lot like a junk drawer but I like to think of it more like my Martha Stewart-MacGyver drawer.
My Kitchen Go Tote has taken on different configurations over the years as I resupply and adjust what I need.
The truth is that I am normally more of a snacker or girl dinner kind of eater while on the road. You might call it lazy or you might just call it reserving energy for more important activities. Here I am wrapping prosciutto around hard boiled eggs…
…and here I am enjoying apple slices with nut butter at Wenatchee Confluence State Park. The fanciest thing you might see me eat on an average road trip is a pastrami/coleslaw roll-up or pre-made pumpkin porridge. If I decided I really wanted to cook something I can always do that in my backpacking stove but I have yet to do more than boil water in the pot and hope to keep it that way.
This is me making coffee in the early morning hours. I am including this picture because the car looks pretty organized and that is not always the case!
The tote also makes the perfect table next to the bed. Here I am camping down along the Cowlitz River near Ethel, Washington with the back hatch open because it was raining and I was reluctant to leave the warm sleeping bag. Yes, that is coffee in progress…
This picture was from my trip to the Hoh Rainforest last year when I still had my Saturn View. My Kitchen Go Tote would rest on another 18 gallon tote that held my car emergency supplies like blankets, jumper cables, etc. That is the great thing about packing in totes, they are stackable and transferrable. I know some folks like to build cabinets in their car camping setups but I like the flexibility of totes.
This picture is from our latest summer as I was stopped for lunch along the Bow Valley Parkway in Banff National Park and charging my Goal Zero Yeti 200 battery on my Boulder 50 solar panel. These accessories are new to me so I am learning just how to make it all work. Currently I keep the solar panel in the car while driving and set it on the roof racks when stationary but some day I may figure out how I want to mount the panel on the roof while driving.
If I plan to do more advanced cooking that requires pots and pans, I have a second kitchen tote with those items along with larger utensils, plates, etc. A single or double burner stove would be tossed into the car, too. In this picture I am in Lava Beds National Monument and it was below freezing so I was using everything to insulate the one burner stove and increase its efficiency. That stove has now been relegated to warm weather adventures only.
Here is a peak inside, it does look a little more organized than my regular Kitchen Go Tote doesn’t it? You can see a red handled axe nestled along the side, that is currently in my Kitchen Go Tote as I am finding myself in the habit of colder weather camping and more campfires. This tote will also carry actual supplies for dishwashing, something I must admit I don’t do on shorter road trips. I typically do the same thing I do while backpacking (wipe down and rinse with water) and then more thoroughly wash when I get home. Just keeping it real…
My new-to-me Honda Element also came with a 30 quart electric refrigerator that I am also learning how to get the most use out of now that I have had it for all 4 seasons. I say learning because hot weather uses a lot more energy to keep things cool than the rest of the year so keeping the battery charged to run it when not driving is a thing.
It is just the right size for one or two people. I keep a container of frozen water in it (on the side without the electronics) to help reduce the energy load and a thermometer. I have noticed there is a difference from one side of the fridge to the other and it helps me know if the reading is correct. Here is a picture with a Nalgene for scale. I always keep 2 or 3 of the frozen containers in my chest freezer.
When I get back from adventures, I bring the tote in the house to clean all the utensils and towels and restock snacks and other non-perishable food items I might have used. I make sure it has everything I need before putting it back out in the car so that I don’t have worry about whether or not I have kitchen supplies for my next adventure. All I have to do is add perishables to the fridge and a bag filled with any non-perishables specific for the trip like crackers or canned tuna. The bag goes under the bed or on top of the fridge while traveling.
I think that is all I have to say about my Kitchen Go Tote, one of my favorite pieces of gear. We have been through many an adventure and will be for years to come. Let me know if you have any questions about my set up or any suggestions for hacks you have for cooking and eating while on the road!
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