What Is In Your Portable Pantry?

If you have an RV, a camper or a travel trailer, then you have the pleasure of stocking a portable pantry. I  stock my portable pantry every summer. Each fall, we clean it out completely and then right before Memorial Day I make a list and stock it with some basic items, such as peanut butter,  pasta, rice, graham crackers, salt, sugar, tea, and coffee.  When we traveled throughout Alaska and down the Alaska Canada Highway during the summer of 2006,  I learned that it was essential to have a well-stocked pantry because grocery stores were often hours away!

Over the last few years, I’ve  learned to include canned  items such as soups, wild Alaska salmon, and baked beans.  All  of these items store easily and can be transformed in a flash. The canned wild salmon makes a great  salad when I mix it with celery, lemon, and a little mayonnaise.  The salad can then be served on a sandwich or dolloped  onto crackers for an impressive little canape. The baked beans easily add a little substance to an otherwise makeshift dinner or a hot dog lunch.   And, a can of Campbell’s Tomato Soup can form the backbone for one of my children’s favorite skillet dinners–He Man Spanish Rice,  originally published by Campbell’s in 1972.

So, I know I still have a long way to go before Memorial Day arrives, but I’m wondering what  you consider essential in your portable pantry?

–Melissa A. Trainer