No-refrigeration foods

Having no refrigeration, I'm eating peanut butter and mayonnaise, as germs won't grow in either. I use them because the eggs in Mayo provide complete protein, and both products have oils needed for energy. But what are some other health-boosting no-refrigeration foods that are cheap and taste good?  Those can't be the only two!

PS --  I'm also taking Dr. Gundry's Vital Reds for all the trace nutrients my body needs. And for health, my mayo is Craft's Olive Oil Mayo (since soy oil is a lot less healthy). :huh:

Of course, cans and dry.  Pasta, rice, instant potatoes,  soup mix, beans and anything in a box are all ok.  Jerky and pemmican are good.

Of the stuff most people refrigerate I keep butter, eggs, mayo, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, oil & vinegar and italian salad dressing, ketchup, and hard cheese.  There is probably a cool place in the van for these things.  On the dash under the windshield, bad.  Near the floor under a blanket, good.  When I have ice in the ice chest a cardboard box on the ice chest under the sleeping bag is good for those foods.  

No refrigeration becomes more difficult if you have dietary restrictions.  That's difficult, not impossible.  For example, with gout anchovies, beer, and caviar are bad.  Avoiding them is not a problem for me.  Tuna is bad too so I now use more canned chicken.  

With high blood sugar brown rice is better, instant white rice is bad.  The process is the same.  For each food it is either ok or there is something to substitute.  

When you cook too much the left over can be thrown away.  Sometimes with a pot that has a tight fitting lid after you eat, reheat it.  Then leave it in the pot with the lid on until the next day.  That means that the food sits at a temperature that bacteria like for 12 to 18 hours.  If it got cooked and then not contaminated it is likely ok to eat.  Some foods survive better than others.  If you have a fancier meal at lunch the leftovers last until supper better than supper until lunch the next day.

There are a couple of older, multi page threads regarding this subject
https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=12882

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=23073

Great resources also out there in the marine world

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f91/suggested-cruising-menus-195297.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f91/books-about-provisioning-195166.html

I thank all of you for great ideas to experiment with.
You really are very helpful people!

Ramen, not healthy but just Google ramen recipes, with the right ingredients it is so yummy! Egg, scallions and sesame oil mmmm.

CosmickGold said:

Having no refrigeration, I'm eating peanut butter and mayonnaise, as germs won't grow in either. I use them because the eggs in Mayo provide complete protein, and both products have oils needed for energy. But what are some other health-boosting no-refrigeration foods that are cheap and taste good?  Those can't be the only two!

PS --  I'm also taking Dr. Gundry's Vital Reds for all the trace nutrients my body needs. And for health, my mayo is Craft's Olive Oil Mayo (since soy oil is a lot less healthy). :huh:

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Low sodium TUNA packets and rice cakes. I absolutely live on these. oh and slim jims, big hot mama sausage YUMM

You might look at tvp (textured vegetable protein) as a substitute for ground meat, nutritional yeast & powdered milk. They're all healthy, light weight, easy to use & cheap. The tvp comes dehydrated, I get a beef flavor that's fortified with vitamins. It's a complete protein since it's soy. The yeast tastes kinda cheesy & is super filling. Powdered milk doesn't taste great to drink plain.

Peanut butter has no b12, mayonnaise has very little. It's important if you're not eating much meat to get b12 from other sources. Both fortified tvp & nutritional yeast have b12. Iirc the canned meat with the highest b12 is oysters.

I absolutely love my Hamburger Helper but it's hard keeping hamburger fresh so I'm learning how to can my meat there's many videos on YouTube on how to do it here is one;

Use fresh meat.

Meat comes in tins at Wally, high sodium but can be significantly reduced by soaking in water for a bit prior to use and drain. Chicken, tuna, pork and beef, and comparable in price to fresh. Great for those on a budget. Add it to rice, beans, potato, with canned veggies, compete meal. Canned veggies at Wally are down to 40¢ a tin, bargain. Peas, carrots, string beans and corn.
Dollar General has the flaked, chunk ham for a dollar which is hard to find at that price.
Dollar tree specials are the canned mackerel, 15oz for a dollar. Pain to clean, but tasty fried with seasoned breading mix in a little Olive oil.
Their frozen section now has pork chops, rib eye, etc... in convenient single size portions. You can get four meals if you do it right, eating them the next meals after purchase.
Lunch and dinner easily the same day purchased. If you keep the Frozen meat in a cool place, since it's sealed, can cook it the next day and still be fine. Great for next meals right after picking up supplies. And if you pick up some fresh veggies, they as well should last 2-3 days for salads and side dishes.
The roasted chicken from Wally are also great for a couple meals. One meal right away, second or third in salads, rice, sandwiches. Strip the meat asap and place in ziplock bags, will keep another day if stored in a cool place.
Hit Wally at the end of the day or early morning and often pickup the chicken and other deli meats for reduced price, sometimes even half, depending on the store. The ranch chicken wings at half price are the major score. Yummy.
Ways to add variety to your PB, Mayo and condiments. Btw, jam can keep as well for a week or two if stored in a cool place. Buy a small container and use it up daily as a treat or dessert. No fridge or ice required.

Obviously this doesn't hold true if you are parked in the sun at 90+ heat and your van is at 110+ heat inside.
Bon appetit!

I used to stagger out meals to get a week.
First two nights: frozen meat, fresh veg including greens, etc
Next couple days: canned meat but fresh veg (think roots and hearty stuff)
Next infinite days as needed: canned soups, meats, beans, veggies, instant taters/stuffing, rice, pasta, etc.

Just go to the grocery store and walk down every isle. Bring a notebook if you need to. Try to look at everything in a new way. Does that really need to be refrigerated? for how long? what can i make with this? There's ton of stuff to work with if you look close.

For example, bacon is meat but it can last for daays without refrigeration. It can last even longer if its cooked. Pro-tip, the Hormel "real" bacon bits add awesomeness to almost anything.

Minivanmotoman said:

Hit Wally at the end of the day or early morning and often pickup the chicken and other deli meats for reduced price, sometimes even half, depending on the store. The ranch chicken wings at half price are the major score. Yummy.

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What are ranch chicken wings? 

Ways to add variety to your PB, Mayo and condiments. Btw, jam can keep as well for a week or two if stored in a cool place. Buy a small container and use it up daily as a treat or dessert. No fridge or ice required.

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I've started using dried cranberries (often sold as "craisins") in place of jelly, for that sweetness etc.  Seems to work well.  They can stick together if it gets too hot, though.

stinko said:

For example, bacon is meat but it can last for daays without refrigeration.  It can last even longer if its cooked.  Pro-tip, the Hormel "real" bacon bits add awesomeness to almost anything.

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Whenever my bacon starts to get about too old to eat, I fry or micro up the lot and freeze it in individual packs of a slice or two each.  Crumble one later over a baked potato or salad, or into a recipe that could use a little kick.  No waste.  And it only took me 50 years to figure it out!

I wouldn't worry too much about it outside the freezer either, I guess.  In the old days, people used to leave meat out to age for days.

Ranch seasoning flavoured fried chicken wings found at the deli counter of Walmarts.

a good technique for fresh vegetables and fruits....

fill a container enough to cover oranges, apples and add one cup of vinegar... soak apples, oranges, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, etc for 10 minutes or so..... this will make them last 3 times longer on the shelf or in the fridge....

jT

so fill a container with water? then add the vinegar? highdesertranger

highdesertranger said:

so fill a container with water? then add the vinegar?  highdesertranger

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Yes.... swirl the fruit, etc for 10 minutes.. .kills all the surface bacteria, gets rid of a lot of the wax coatings... etc.... the surface bacteria speeds up the decay process

WanderingBiker said:

Yes.... swirl the fruit, etc for 10 minutes.. .kills all the surface bacteria, gets rid of a lot of the wax coatings... etc.... the surface bacteria speeds up the decay process

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I've been doing that for years with my apples fresh from the store.

I hang many fresh vegetables in a mesh hammock with a damp towel over them. I have kept heads of lettuce, cabbage, celery, squash, and carrots (whole carrots-not peeled etc) for two weeks if I haven't eaten them first. It also helps to put a folded up wet paper towel on the root end of the lettuce, cabbage, and celery types.

Cherry tomatoes in the boxes seem to last longer for me than regular, but either will keep a week easily out on the counter.

The little mesh hammock holds the produce to keep it from bouncing around when I move, and it helps with air circulation.
The damp towel over the produce helps in two ways. It keeps the humidity higher around the it, and as it evaporates it helps to keep them cool.

YMMV depending on your climate and daily weather.