Foodie Fare

I live in Melbourne and anything that can sprout from seed, be caught from the ocean or reared on a farm can be found at my local market. Before we set off on our very first outback trip across the centre and over to Western Australia, I thought about how I was gong to manage and plan our daily meals.

One year on and with the outback experience under my belt I have some tips that will enable you to eat well and stay healthy on the road..

Tip #1-Keep it Simple!

Simple fare is often the best. You don’t need or want to spend precious time slaving over a stove cooking a meal. A ploughman’s platter, health sandwich or wrap is perfect for lunch.

Tip#2-Buy Locally!

Occasionally we stayed on working farms and were able to buy fresh produce (eggs and meat). In Geraldton, we visited the organic market gardens and purchased fresh vegetables and fruit at a fraction of the cost. We also purchased meat from local butchers who were more than happy to cryovac it for us. I bought the sweetest spring lamb cutlets I’ve ever had from Sampey Meats in Derby.

Tip#3-Plan your Meals & Plan Ahead

Plan your meals and buy accordingly. If you plan to make a napoli or bolognese sauce make enough for a few meals. Store the remainder within sealed sandwich bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.

When shopping, include veggies that have a longer shelf life.  Root veggies, spuds, sweet potato turnips, beetroot etc will keep for weeks if stored in a cloth bag in a dark space.

Jars of pickled food ( onions, capsicums, artichokes etc) store well and go nicely with a ploughman’s lunch or simply added to a health wrap.

In some remote areas, transport costs hike up the price of fresh food. Know where you’re heading and  plan accordingly. For example the supermarket at Yulara (ULURU) comes to mind, their remoteness causes the prices to be ridiculously high. $10.00 a kilo for apples when we were there.

Tip#4-List it!

I got tired of making new lists every time we needed to do a shop. I created a spreadsheet that includes all the grocery and household items we store in our cupboards. I printed off several copies and keep one in the van. As I run out of something I need I highlight it.

Download my Grocery Checklist . Go ahead and change it to suit your needs.

Tip#5- Hunter Gatherers

I wouldn’t call myself an expert but I certainly had a lot of success dangling a line in WA and SA.  Maybe just luck! We managed to catch several different species of fish along the coast and on one occasion caught eight squid. We ate fresh fish on the day we caught it and froze the remainder for another meal.

Tip#6-Interstate Quarantine

Be aware of what you can and can’t take across  state borders and also within restriction zones.  The Interstate Quarantine website provides all the information you need and I have also added a link to a document that you can download.

Days prior to crossing a border or entering a restriction zone, we began consuming our fresh produce. Occasionally I cooked any remaining veggies or fruit prior to crossing the border. Canned veggies or fruit is allowable as it is packaged and therefore a good alternative as a back up.