Spent $40 on a portable camping stove and it saved me $200 in food costs on one trip

I took a week long road trip out to Moab last month. Eating out every meal was going to kill my budget. Picked up a little butane stove from a camping store for $40. Made coffee and oatmeal in the mornings, sandwiches for lunch, and simple pasta dinners at the campsite. Only ate out twice the whole week. Restaurant meals would have been around $250 easy. Instead I spent maybe $50 on groceries. That stove paid for itself on day three. Anyone else use a camp stove to cut travel food costs?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.charlie1mo ago

You really changed my mind on this - I used to think camp stoves were just for backpackers but now I see how much money they save on road trips. What kind of meals do you usually cook on yours?

olivia_moore1mo ago

Yeah I saw a video from some van lifer talking about this exact thing. She made all her meals on a little single burner and said she saved hundreds over a month on the road. I do the same thing now when I go camping. Ramen with some dehydrated veggies and a splash of soy sauce is my go to. Or those little packet tuna things mixed into instant rice. Not gourmet but beats spending $15 on a mediocre burger somewhere.

ellis.faith1mo ago

It's wild how fast those restaurant meals add up on the road... totally feel you on that. My little stove has saved me more times than I can count on trips.