Fuel for Thought

Fresh

Trucking is just not what it used to be. Years ago, drivers would frequent truck stop restaurants and all night diners for their meal needs. Today, many truck drivers have refrigerators, microwaves, electric skillets and air fryers on board the truck to prepare their own meals. As this is generally a healthier option to fast food and greasy spoon diners, it also means that about once a week, drivers must resupply their cupboards.

This new need for carrying food, whether it is just heating prepared foods or making fresh food, can lead to some challenges. If you are anything like me, you like to stock fresh fruits and vegetables or prepare meals for the week ahead. The trouble is that so many fresh foods tend to spoil in just a few days, leaving you with unusable fruits and veggies by the end of the week. Here is a great way that I have found to keep fresh foods fresh for longer periods of time.

Something that I recently started using that has worked very well is a Mason Jar vacuum sealer. It works very well for preserving the freshness of many fruits and veggies, as well as crackers and nuts. You can find these Mason Jar vacuum sealers online. These sealers are rechargeable using the same USB cords you probably already have now. They work for both regular and wide mouth jars and they seal a jar in 20-60 seconds, only slightly longer than it takes to close a ziplock bag that always leaks air. The lids are just standard jar lids and are reusable. Personally I have found the wide mouth jars easier to use and clean on the road. 

I have found that using this sealer with wide mouth jars works great for fresh baby spinach and shredded lettuce. Just make sure the spinach is dry and place a paper towel in the top of the jar before vacuum sealing. The same applies for the shredded lettuce. This has allowed me to buy large packages and have fresh shredded lettuce and baby spinach for around 7-10 days (if I don’t eat it sooner). Just reseal the lid after each use and refrigerate. You can also use portion size jars and place shredded lettuce, baby spinach and cherry or grape tomatoes in one jar for a quick salad later. Many fresh veggies will last longer when vacuum sealed.

Vacuum sealing works great for keeping foods from getting stale as well. Rice, pasta, cereal, cookies and nuts can last much longer than in original open packaging. 

This method can also be used for short term storage (relatively speaking) for soups, stews, chili and other cooked foods you want to bring from home. I say short term because vacuum sealing does not take the place of proper canning. This will not replace pressure canning or water bath canning which will preserve food for much longer, but for fresh foods or dry goods, this is a great alternative to eat healthier on the road with less food spoilage.  

I found my Mason Jar vacuum sealer on Amazon for around $20 and it has been a great tool to keep fresh food on the truck from spoiling before I could use it. That $20 investment has more than paid for itself by not having to waste food.

You can tell alot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans. 

-  Ronald Reagan

See you down the road,

Greg