Basic food items

[Wombat87]

Helloooo!!

So we've just arrived in Aus from the UK and will be leaving in 2.5 weeks for a 6month road trip. We're in a land cruiser with a roof tent so it is a literal road trip. I've done basic camping for weekends and longer ones as a kid with parents, but writing a shopping list for 'pantry essentials' is difficult.

I've got olive oil, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, just to keep in the van for cooking, we have an electric fridge to keep things fresh and cold, so butter for sandwiches and a jar of Lazy Garlic because I luffs the stuff in cooking... Am I missing anything that would come in really handy? We've bought a Dutch oven, we've got a 2 burner camp stove and a grill to go over open fire so our meals are looking flexible and yummy. Many thanks!

I would get a tin of chopped tomatoes, some tinned tuna, a bag of pasta, a box of eggs and some cheese - you can make a few different meals out of those
Also what about tea/coffee and a pack of biscuits?

I forgot coffee!!!! Excellent suggestions too! Added to the list!

Coffee mate or equivalent to go in coffee in case you run out of milk. Fill empty tictac boxes with dried herbs and spices. Pancake mix is handy for a nice breakfast.

A bag of easy cook rice and a couple of cans of mixed beans/ 5 bean salad - they are ever so useful to make con carne, or even non carne. Chilli pepper, box or tub of vegetable stock or instant gravy. Box muesli for when you cba to cook. Jar of mayo.
Food you can buy anywhere, but more important is the equipment - washing up bowl, colander, peeler, good knives, chopping board, plastic storage posts, clingfilm, tinfoil, cleaning equipment, etc - that's the stuff that makes all the difference.

Brandy! we use it for hot chocs at night if it's cold.

hot chocolate to have brandy in
Brallia brand tortellini most of the supermarkets stock it and it's dried but pretty tasty so a great back up.

Tortila/wraps as these can be stored in packets
Stock cubes?
Jam/peanut butter.

And are you going north?

OOOH more good tips thank you! We're currently in NSW, heading north on Sunday to Byron Bay. It is, to be honest, a 6 month road trip in a landcruiser with a roof tent. We're heading anti clockwise around the island, should hit Melbourne by New Year and back up to Sydney for mid Jan to get jobs.

We've got all the gear (and plenty of ideas to be fair), but cooking will take time to adjust in terms of getting the basics right for the first week or so before we really get into the swing of it. I've got a Dutch oven, camp stove and a BBQ grill / griddle thing for campfire cooking too. Very excited to be doing as much free camping as we can - and seeing how adventurous we can be with our meals!!

OOOH more good tips thank you! We're currently in NSW, heading north on Sunday to Byron Bay. It is, to be honest, a 6 month road trip in a landcruiser with a roof tent. We're heading anti clockwise around the island, should hit Melbourne by New Year and back up to Sydney for mid Jan to get jobs.

We've got all the gear (and plenty of ideas to be fair), but cooking will take time to adjust in terms of getting the basics right for the first week or so before we really get into the swing of it. I've got a Dutch oven, camp stove and a BBQ grill / griddle thing for campfire cooking too. Very excited to be doing as much free camping as we can - and seeing how adventurous we can be with our meals!!

And yep- got aaaall my utensils ready to go. Once we've set the truck up I shall show you a picture before we head off on Sunday!

What an amazing trip. Last complete adventure.

Will you let me know if you find a good spot bear Byron bay.

We are keen to get a bit further afield this camping season

Will do IC. We're in the Suffolk Beach front camp park for that one. Mainly because it's our first stop so we're being nice to ourselves. I've got a 4wd book that may have some free spots if you free camp? I can see if it has anything in it for Byron?

We haven't got to the free camping stage yet and don't have a 4WD.

Suffolk beach looks fantastic. I might give OH a nudge

icjump Broken head camping is great near Byron bay - small number of pitches but has a shower block etc, also right on the beach!

We brought loads of tinned sweet things with us, boil in a pan sticky toffee pudding and custard etc, not exactly essential but felt quite luxurious. Also squeeze into lactic bottle of oil for cooking (with a decent seal)

Squeezy plastic, not squeeze into lactic that would be something quite different

IC all our camps are 2wd accessible but we have

Oops sorry! A few 4wd routes planned too. It does look nice there- hoping our first few days camping isn't rain based :( Byron is our first stop and the weather looks terrible!!!!