Ideas for no-cook meals besides sandwiches?

September 1, 2015 9:54 PM

I'm on a lazy/convenient no-cooking kick and have been eating just sandwiches with deli meats and sliced veggies, and fruit. Assume you could not use the stove/oven nor have any other kitchen equipment (no blenders, microwave, etc, but just a knife, can opener). What are some meal ideas besides sandwiches? I'm not looking for snack ideas like nuts, crackers, etc. but actual meals. I am a meat-eater if that makes a difference and prefer to avoid a whole lot of canned foods because of BPA. (also a tofu eater)
posted by atinna to Food & Drink (25 answers total)

Best answer: A go-to for me: deconstructed California roll. Avocado (sliced), cucumber (sliced), imitation crab. With soy sauce for dipping; combine in little stacks or just eat in pieces. I don't eat it with rice and don't think you need to.
posted by c'mon sea legs at 10:09 PM on September 1, 2015 [7 favorites]

sliced veggies, flat bread and hummus.
posted by frumiousb at 10:15 PM on September 1, 2015 [2 favorites]

Ploughman's lunch.
posted by biffa at 10:16 PM on September 1, 2015 [5 favorites]

I really like Deli-Chicken + Bag Salad if I want a super convenient but healthy meal. My local supermarket has some sort of kale/broccoli/mixed green mix, and if you chuck a bunch of that into a bowl with some dressing, hack bits off the chicken, then you have a quick and tasty meal. If I'm feeling fancy I'll chop up some peppers or mix in some nuts or something in there too.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 10:17 PM on September 1, 2015 [4 favorites]

My specialty market sells cooked sushi rice togo because they make sushi onsite. Makes the salad c'mon sea legs mentioned so much easier! Crumple in nori - and don't be a heathen! - add a glass of sake, too!
posted by jbenben at 10:19 PM on September 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

I do charcuterie for times like this- cured meats, cheeses, nuts, and some nice fresh bread.
posted by raw sugar at 10:23 PM on September 1, 2015 [6 favorites]

I stop by our local granola market, PCC, and pick up salads and cold soups and chopped veggies and dips and Greek yogurt . . .
posted by bearwife at 10:28 PM on September 1, 2015

Best answer: Vietnamese style spring rolls are my favorite for too-hot-to-cook days. The rice paper wrappers just need a brief dip in water to soften. I fill with some combination of lettuce, cilantro, julienned cucumber/carrot/daikon/bell pepper/jicama, and rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked shrimp, with peanut sauce for dipping.
posted by gennessee at 10:32 PM on September 1, 2015 [10 favorites]

Ramen noodles are cooked, so you can break them up dry into a salad for crunch, or you can soak it in hot tap water for a few minutes to have yourself some limp noodles, which you can make into a cold noodle dish (or lukewarm ramen). For cold noodles, I'd add some kind of light sauce some garlic, red pepper, soy sauce, ginger, I dunno, something with some acid like mild vinegar or pickled vegetables.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:32 PM on September 1, 2015

I make this no-cook delicious salad: take nice small tomatoes, like grape or cherry (great if in season from produce mart), cut in half; take container of small mozzarella balls, cut in pieces; cut up avocado (when in season); chop and add roasted red pepper from a jar; add (drained) small white beans from a jar; add olive oil, a little vinegar, and a glop of parsley from a tube. If you want more protein, you could add some kind of chopped chicken or meat or egg. At this point I would suggest roasting a fresh chicken, but this would go against the no-cooking rule.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 10:47 PM on September 1, 2015 [5 favorites]

There are a couple of no-cook salads that I like for dinner: diced multi-color bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, halved green olives, and feta chunks, with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing; and chicory leaves, thinly sliced Pink Lady apples, and canned Mandarin oranges, with a yogurt/mayonnaise/white pepper dressing.
posted by neushoorn at 12:04 AM on September 2, 2015

Tuna and White Bean Salad
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 12:11 AM on September 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

Pita (or other bread), hummus. Visit your favourite Italian deli thing (as in, most supermarkets) for olives/artichokes/sundried tomatoes/etc.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:17 AM on September 2, 2015

Lots of Asian markets sell various kinds of noodles you don't have to cook, eg rice or shirataki noodles in liquid pouches. Just rinse them out and stir through some things like soy sauce, tofu, sprouts, veges.
posted by lollusc at 12:57 AM on September 2, 2015

I'm usually into elaborate meals that take so much effort to make, but when I want something quick for lunch, I make a salad that has mixed greens, hearts of palm cut into thin strips, corn, sliced cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes, and slices of cold cuts, I dress it with Thousand Island. It's really good. You can also add carrots to it, or some goat cheese and switch the dressing to balsamic vinaigrette.
posted by SkinsOfCoconut at 3:17 AM on September 2, 2015

- Vacuum sealed smoked fish or glass jars of tuna are good over salad.
- Frozen cooked shrimp, thawed under hot water over rehydrated vermicelli and carrots and cucumbers.
posted by hooray at 3:20 AM on September 2, 2015

My wife makes a nice chicken salad (pre-cooked chicken breast slices, or you can buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it with your own fingers) that has grapes, yogurt, and curry powder.

My old go-to single-person meal when I was a grad student was some tortilla chips or pita chips, dip (or salsa), salami, and some sliced vegetables or a salad.
posted by the_wintry_mizzenmast at 4:05 AM on September 2, 2015

One of my favorite salsas that is super filling - Black Bean Mango Salsa. You can eat it straight, eat it with chips or tortilla. It's healthy and full of protein and general deliciousness.

I am also a fan of brie with jam (although i prefer to warm/melt it which would require some microwaving). Just a hunk of brie cheese, pour some jam or honey on it, sprinkle some almonds/walnuts and eat with crackers.

[Seriously, pasteurized brie and blackberry jam has been my summer pregnancy go to lunch]
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 4:27 AM on September 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

Caprese salad, at least while tomatoes are in season.
posted by mr vino at 5:20 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

This time of year? Panzanella. Cut up 4-6 ripe good tomatoes, throw them in a bowl with ripped-up bread, balls of fresh mozarella, some olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic if garlic your thing, capers if capers are your thing. Mix it all up, give the bread 2 mins to get nice and tomato-soaked, DONE. This is literally 10 minutes of work.
posted by escabeche at 5:42 AM on September 2, 2015 [8 favorites]

You said no canned foods but tuna IN OLIVE OIL and a can of cannellini, just drained and poured onto a plate, makes a yummy lunch.
posted by Dragonness at 5:58 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

If you don't mind a little advance planning, marinated vegetables. Here's a recipe for marinated asparagus.

I'm envisioning this on a plate with some pre-cooked sausage, cheese, and grapes.
posted by treachery, faith, and the great river at 6:42 AM on September 2, 2015

Best answer: A few salads with beans have been mentioned, but I'm huge fan of just bean salads in general. They are great! Get 3 or 4 types of beans, rinse them, throw them into a bowl. Then you can put in a little dressing (balsamic vinaigrette or italian dressing). Chop up some tomatoes and onions and your'e good to go! Lots of recipes online that you could find to fit your particular tastes.

They are delicious, healthy, have a great variety of flavour, store easily, and super cheap!
posted by mayonnaises at 6:47 AM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

I am also a fan of the "no cook" meal! My favorite book of recipes for this is the Cool Kitchen. Lots of great, easy ideas and although some of the recipes rely on canned products (like canned chick peas, for example), many don't, and others could be readily adapted to use more preferred ingredients.
posted by merriment at 12:49 PM on September 2, 2015

Another go-to that doesn't quite qualify because it does require boiling water, but it might be a nice change of pace. Chicken with Couscous and Orange. I love making it with red grapefruit & pepitas as well.
posted by gennessee at 11:20 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]