Help me eat without a kitchen

June 19, 2007 8:34 AM

Due to works in my flat I will not have a kitchen for the next couple of months. What can i keep in stock which is easy to prepare and can be stored without refrigeration?

I will basically have very limited access to a fridge or cooker for the whole time. I have a kettle, but the whole packet noodles thing would get old very quickly. I have plenty of supermarkets and takeaways near me but would like to stock up on things that are edible as bought, and don't require a great deal of preparation, as any washing up will have to done in the bathroom.

I'm thinking along the lines of ready made salads and bread and can obviously buy chilled things on the day and eat them as soon as i get back home, but is there anything else you can think of?

posted by jontyjago to food & drink (11 comments total)

Packet noodles get old quick, but you can get some far fancier ones in many countries that come in tubs and pots, such as Pot Noodle in the UK, for variety.

Here in the UK you can also buy dried pasta meals in tubs that you add water to in a similar fashion.. which gets away from the noodle vibe. You can even tip them out onto a plate and eat with salad (ideal with tomato + pasta pots). Microwavable rice packets are also good and go well with fresh vegetables and salads.

Cereals are always a great fall back.. not just for breakfast! Don't forget toast, jam on toast, tins of rice pudding, heck.. anything tinned. Also, eat a lot of fruit. To be honest, your diet will probably be better with these restrictions than normal ;-)
posted by wackybrit at 8:46 AM on June 19, 2007

Apocalypse Chow: How to Eat Well When the Power Goes Out is a book my dad bought me when I moved out of the dorms. It's got lots of recipes you can make with only canned or long-shelf-life foods. Recipes include Shiitake-Happens Mushroom Soup and Consolation Couscous. It includes a 4-person week-long meal plan with shopping list. He sent me off with a couple of boxes with everything on that list. I've really enjoyed their black bean patty recipe. A stove is required for many of them, though.
posted by lostburner at 8:46 AM on June 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

I would take a look at a small hotplate, or possibly a toaster oven or something. At least then you have another prep. option. Or, of course, a microwave. None of these HAVE to be in the kitchen, as long as you have a little space to place them, and they open up a lot of meal option.
posted by pupdog at 8:50 AM on June 19, 2007

organic milk is subject to a more intensive sterilisation process than stardard milk, and as such, lasts un-refridgerated for as long or longer than standard milk will last in the fridge. So you don't need the fridge.
This opens up a wide range of "breakfast" cereals :)
posted by -harlequin- at 9:37 AM on June 19, 2007

Also - under these circumstances, you may be allowed a limited pass giving you temporary permission to use paper plates, instead of attempting dishwashing in the bathroom.
posted by -harlequin- at 9:40 AM on June 19, 2007

Sandwiches - Try out various nut butters, jams, etc. Stuff veggies into pita bread.

Hummus - you can buy the dehydrated stuff either in boxes or in bulk at a natural foods store. Just stir in some water, then dip veggies or bread and enjoy! Also good in the aforementioned veggie-pita sandwiches.

Soups would be good, if you've got a way to heat that kettle of yours up.

A cooler and some ice might be a good investment for you, in the mean time. You could keep cheese (to put on crackers or in sandwiches), deli meat, etc.
posted by vytae at 9:53 AM on June 19, 2007

Trader Joe's soup in the carton - can you set up a microwave?
posted by chickaboo at 10:28 AM on June 19, 2007

dehydrated (powdered) milk. Soy milk comes in this form too, I recently discovered.

granola bars

tofu/seitan (or the old-fashioned kind) jerky

nuts / peanuts

dried fruits

peanut butter - lots of people store it unrefrigerated, apparently.

chips / salsa, as long as you finish the salsa quickly.

Try to eat a lot of salads / fresh vegetables when you're out, since non-refrigerated diets will tend to leave this out.
posted by amtho at 10:38 AM on June 19, 2007

In many parts of the world eggs are not refrigerated and last quite some time even in the heat (unbroken). When we lived in Costa Rica eggs were bought by the kilo and stored in a basket on the counter at most houses for up to 2 weeks. YMMV.
posted by kch at 12:21 PM on June 19, 2007

This sounds like the undergraduate diet. A hot plate or electric kettle will let you make pasta, canned soup, rice and beans, and hot cereals. Bread, fruit and vegetables, and salad last several days without refrigeration, and dry cereals don't need it. You can make a lot of different sandwiches with non-perishable ingredients.

A compact refrigerator might not be a bad idea if you have to do this for six months. It will let you store larger amounts of sandwich meat, cheese, and milk, and keep fruit and vegetables fresh longer.
posted by wtdoor at 2:11 PM on June 19, 2007

Jams and jellies tend to need refrigeration. Try honey instead.
posted by deborah at 11:34 PM on June 20, 2007