Any Healthy Shelf-Stable Meals?
July 18, 2015 5:12 AM Subscribe
I'm a sensitive flower when it comes to digestion. I follow a sort 40-30-30 / paleo'ish diet and like to have a constant stream of good quality protein coming into my body. Are there any all-natural shelf-stable meal options that have good quality protein in them?
I find Whey Powder doesn't do it for me other than right after exercise, and canned fish is something I can tolerate only occasionally (histamines?).
I find Whey Powder doesn't do it for me other than right after exercise, and canned fish is something I can tolerate only occasionally (histamines?).
Response by poster: By "good quality" I mean not coming from powdered or other synthetic sources (e.g., TVP) and having a healthy fat profile (so, not "deep fried x")
posted by Jon44 at 6:00 AM on July 18, 2015
posted by Jon44 at 6:00 AM on July 18, 2015
Canned soup is usually the easiest option for me. They're often high in salt and can be high in preservatives, but there are a lot of choices and many are packed with veggies and lean protein.
It'll take a little more effort, but you can also put together a bean+corn based meal. For example, canned beans+ canned corn + microwaveable rice bowl or a sweet potato and shelf stable salsa (if you can handle the histamine profile).
Lentil soup can be made with just lentils and crushed tomatoes for an easy-high protein meal.
posted by fermezporte at 6:49 AM on July 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
It'll take a little more effort, but you can also put together a bean+corn based meal. For example, canned beans+ canned corn + microwaveable rice bowl or a sweet potato and shelf stable salsa (if you can handle the histamine profile).
Lentil soup can be made with just lentils and crushed tomatoes for an easy-high protein meal.
posted by fermezporte at 6:49 AM on July 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Do you want things you can make or things you can buy? Tasty Bites has a number of bean and lentil meals that are high in protein. They're not low cal specifically and they are high in fiber which may not work if you have sensitive digestion but they're my go-to post-workout thing. Ingredients: Water, Tomatoes, Lentils, Red Beans, Onions, Cream, Salt, Butter, Sunflower Oil, Chilies, Cumin. You could make your own lentil mush if you wanted to. They're usually a good protein source, shelf stable until cooked and if you cool them without animal products they will keep for a short amount of time without risk of food poisoning.
posted by jessamyn at 7:13 AM on July 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by jessamyn at 7:13 AM on July 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
There's not a lot of shelf-stable complete-meal products that aren't vegetarian. There are a couple lines - Dinty Moore is one - that might actually meet your macros, though I doubt they're terribly primal.
You have more options if you're willing to do some combining on the fly. Canned chicken/beef/turkey are not a textural delight, and they tend to be a little salty, but it is protein. Ditto canned ham and Spam, though I think both taste better than canned chicken, and Spam comes in a lower-sodium version. Chipped beef gives me the creeps, but jerky actually has a lot of possibilities, especially if you've got a source of a variety of styles and flavors.
I have kept canned meat and shelf-stable veg meals (usually Tasty Bite) in my desk for emergency lunches, though in the end I found keeping 5-6 cans of Chunky or Progresso soup on hand was easier.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:17 AM on July 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
You have more options if you're willing to do some combining on the fly. Canned chicken/beef/turkey are not a textural delight, and they tend to be a little salty, but it is protein. Ditto canned ham and Spam, though I think both taste better than canned chicken, and Spam comes in a lower-sodium version. Chipped beef gives me the creeps, but jerky actually has a lot of possibilities, especially if you've got a source of a variety of styles and flavors.
I have kept canned meat and shelf-stable veg meals (usually Tasty Bite) in my desk for emergency lunches, though in the end I found keeping 5-6 cans of Chunky or Progresso soup on hand was easier.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:17 AM on July 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
Would nuts be an option? If I eat too many pecans/walnuts/etc., it can cause a reaction (in my skin primarily), but cashews seem milder. Just a few fill me up, and if you get unsalted raw cashews they don't have a lot of negative effects.
posted by amtho at 7:59 AM on July 18, 2015
posted by amtho at 7:59 AM on July 18, 2015
I was looking at these shelf-stable quinoa meals the other day. They look really tasty and high quality, but they're not cheap, easy to find, or a ton of food.
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:06 AM on July 18, 2015
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:06 AM on July 18, 2015
Why, I have just the answer for you! Chia, hemp, flax, and sunflower seeds! Three of the four (not hempseed) can be purchased very cheaply online from Bob's Red Mill on Amazon- if you buy a 4-pack it costs the same as a single bag in stores. Hempseed can also be found on amazon- I recommend buying it pre-hulled, although there's a lot of fiber in the shells if you don't mind some crunch (a lot of crunch). All of the above taste delicious in greek yogurt and are packed with protein, fiber, and omega 3s.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 9:32 AM on July 19, 2015
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 9:32 AM on July 19, 2015
(Keep in mind that if you mix chia with yogurt in advance, it'll suck up some of the water in the yogurt and make it harder- you can just add a little extra water and mix it in if you want).
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 9:33 AM on July 19, 2015
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 9:33 AM on July 19, 2015
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posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 5:51 AM on July 18, 2015