What should I stock up on?

[mockturtle]

Alaska-bound later this month and wonder what household/grocery items to stock up on before I cross the Canadian border from NE WA. I will be driving up the AlCan and down the Cassiar. In other words, what, if any, items might be difficult to find on my journey. Obviously, I am space-challenged in my small rig so there's a limit to stocking up.

[pigfarmer]

I doubt this will matter to most but if you are from the south, it can be dreadful if you run out of grits.

[mockturtle]

I doubt I will need any groceries until Prince George.

[paulj]

Last time we went through Kamloops it was lunch time on the return trip. We pulled into a strip mall on the edge of the big mall on the SW side of town. Right next to each other there was a bakery (chain) specializing in scones, a butcher, and a produce market. We had a harder time finding a park to eat our purchases.

[enblethen]

We are leaving ML on the 13th headed toward Kamloops, up to CAN 5 into Prince George.
There is several stores crossing on US 97. We plan on stocking near Penticton or Kamloops.

[paulj]

Towns like Cranbrook, Canmor, Prince George, Whitehorse will have better grocery shopping than Banff, Jasper and smaller. If the town is big enough to support a Canadian Tire, the groceries will have a decent selection and pricing.

Sometimes, though, the resort towns have groceries with specialty items, the kinds of things that well-off vacationers eat in their rented condos. I've shopped in Whistler, Lake Louise and Jasper. I prefer bakeries and delis.

On one trip, back in the 1980s, I would buy a whole frozen chicken from a small town grocery along the Alaska Hwy (and even in Eagle AK), let it thaw in the cooler for a day or two, and then cook some sort of cachiatori in the pressure cooker on the gas camp stove.

Later I bought a small 1.5 L pressure cooker that let me cook small cuts of chuck in a few minutes, just enough for 2 people and no left overs (this was car camping without a fridge).

[mockturtle]

Banff, Jasper and the Yellowhead to 97 to 1.

[enblethen]

Mockturtle:
What route are you taking on your way north?

[mockturtle]

sue.t wrote:
And as you travel north, toss out the stress you've been collecting. No need for it up here.

Actually, I haven't been collecting any, so nothing to toss out. I don't like to litter. 🙂

[sue_t]

Bring plenty of humor.
Some patience will come in handy.
Stock up on your smiles too.
And as you travel north, toss out the stress you've been collecting. No need for it up here.

[enblethen]

I would not be afraid of prices. Many people see the prices and do not figure the monetary exchange rate and they have not been to the Seattle area. Yes, some are a little higher then Seattle but many are about the same.
We plan on our regular buying on the road in the larger BC and Yukon locations. Exchanges are no big savings. Elemendorf was higher then Fred Meyers on Northern Lights Blvd the last time I was there.

[paulj]

The best flour tortillas are the Tortilla Land ones that you cook yourself. Fred M (in the Seattle area at least) carries these. The sealed package has sell by date a several mths in the future.

In the past I've bought ok ones in BC.

Canadian naan and pita can be as good as the US stuff. In fact my local Indian grocery seems to import a lot of theirs from Canada.

Most of us could cross the border with bare shelves and fridge, and eat quite well through out the trip.

[mockturtle]

Thank you! 🙂

[Sourdough_Biscu]

Tortillas - yes. You'll find everything you'll find at a Safeway/Walmart/Fred Meyer at home!

[mockturtle]

I am more concerned about not finding the things I usually buy than having to pay more for them, which I rather expected to do.

[Mootpoint]

There is no reason to stock up. You do what the locals do, go to the store. If there's a cost difference, so be it for the length of time you'll be there.
You'll be hard pressed to go more than 125 miles and not pass a grocery store, gas station, restaurant and some form of accommodation.