Cheap No Cooking Monthly Food List

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Just go to the cold lunch meat section of the grocery store, the lunchmeat and most of the sausage links are all precooked. This is Christmas week, ham is on sale and it is also already cooked.
 
Cooking is the best part, you can fix what you want when you want it.

Its also fairly easy when you know how.
 
Food budgets should not so much be focused on the cost of a single item but instead be focused on the average cost per day. A few years back the food supplement,  food stamp program used the average cost per meal as $1.50. So that gives you $5.00 per day to spread out among 3 meals.

A rotisseri chicken might seem very expensive but it is not if you divide it up and use it piece by piece as the meat in a meal. That is easy to do with a chicken, 2 drum sticks, , t2 thighs, that is 4 meals right there. The breast meat is good for a number of sandwiches, wings for snacks, the back meat can be diced for adding to salads. So a $6,.00 already cooked chicken works for meat protein for 9 meals if you don't sit and gorge yourself eating half a chickken at a time. The trick is when you get it home use your knife to divide it and bag it up into one meal portions in zip lock bags.
 
The list on the OP looks to have about 1/3 of recommended protein for a month.

Personally I'm with HDR. Can't imagine trying to get going on a winter morning by eating a cold bowl of soaked oats with a cold glass of water. Nor can I picture myself looking forward to chowing down on some raw frozen Cauliflower.

Boiling a cup of water is as easy as it gets and would certainly perk up a bowl of Ramen noodles or oats. Will the tea be cold too?

Guy
 
Thanks to you all for your appreciated comments. I think my list will work other than I will replace my Ramen Noodles for dinner with something more filling and nutritional.
 
Maki2... the chicken bones can be used for a broth or make good bait in a Pinfish trap or crab trap. HA! Waste not want not.

The Walmart near me has them for $4.50. They used to chill them after so long under the heat lamp and sell them for $2.50 but not at the moment. I get 5 or six meals from one.

Guy
 
No cooking oh my gosh! So if anyone knows me, knows that ain't happening. But I understand that's just me. I travel for food. I have a few questions. Is this going to be an ongoing diet or just an on the road diet? Not that I'm an expert, but be careful that there is enough of what you need as well as easy to do but not so healthy. Sorry the Mommy just came out on me. I do know the better (health wise) you eat, the better you feel the more you can enjoy what you do, what ever that is. And think about all the yummy goodies that are around you where ever you are at the time leave room for some of those goodies. Fresh fruits and veggies. Worlds greatest bread bakery. That meat shop that does what ever they do to make that perfect steak.
 
I personally think Bacon should be its own food group.
 
Cooking/eating well is what I look forward to the most about camping trips with our friends, I can't imagine choking down a meal that I don't care for just because I don't want to cook anything. The whole idea of camping is to do things we enjoy, and that we actually have the time to properly do them...whether it is art, music, reading, or cooking.
 
I enjoy cooking, its more of an art form to me, everybody a different style, me I like anything spicy.
 
Well I set up my bed first, and then I set up the kitchen.
I like cooked food, and I will cook (almost) like I cook at home!
And I don't think you need to haul a month's supply worth of anything, as you are on the road and you pass a grocery store everywhere you go. If you are boondocking, you still have to move every 14 days.
 
Howdy Knoll,

There are some additional great tesources if you search for recipes regarding the "Raw Food Movement".

Consuming raw foods is very popular here in the Northwest with hi end testaurants devoted to it.

Honestly if i could navigate a healthy and budget friendly path, I also would take a no cooking lifestyle. Thanks for bring this option back to the "burner".

Not sure if u have tried it before but steak tartare is AMAZING! My family would typically eat it once a month. You have to be more careful about in todays food system.... but I highly recommend.. ground beef..(not burger).use ONLY whole meat and dice it up yourself... raw onions, spices and raw egg. served with crackers of some sort..Makes my mouth water thinking about it.

But ya... if I can sort it ..I would prefer not cooking.. i think boiled water would be my ideal maximum at the stovetop.
 
I gotta have something with a some fat and some salt, and preferably with a lot of smoke. I will have my little tailgater smoker with me, I will just about everything on it.
 
A lot of good advice. I will give you more information on why I chose to do a no cook diet. I retired early (55 now 57) for I didn't have a mortgage, but I lost that in the divorce. I have $30,000.00 and a converted van. I have to make that last me until I get SS and IRA in 2025. I'm trying to pinch every penny. I'm a manly man, so eating cold food in the winter doesn't bother me. In fact, eating is boring to me and I only do it to survive. I do want to add that I'm 100% alone, no family or friends, so if anyone want's to caravan with me I would love that.
 
It would be great to meet up with you someday and maybe caravan. I forget where you’re from I’m on the East Coast in Florida now. Don’t worry I’ll do the cooking honey, you pay the rent. Remember that old song about Bill Bailey? Smile I’m not looking for relationship I’m a 67 year old man Who only likes the girls. If only they would like me, boo-hoo
 
Hey Nature Love,

Same, love the ladies, but also enjoy having a cold beer with a new friend and talk until the sun goes down. I'm on the west coast by Yuma AZ. Looking to move into AZ when the weather starts to get warm (April), then taking Bob's advice and going to Leadville, Co for the summer. If you are near by, email me ([email protected]) and we'll have an old fashion chit chat!
 
knoll128 said:
A lot of good advice. I will give you more information on why I chose to do a no cook diet. I retired early (55 now 57) for I didn't have a mortgage, but I lost that in the divorce. I have $30,000.00 and a converted van. I have to make that last me until I get SS and IRA in 2025. I'm trying to pinch every penny. I'm a manly man, so eating cold food in the winter doesn't bother me. In fact, eating is boring to me and I only do it to survive. I do want to add that I'm 100% alone, no family or friends, so if anyone want's to caravan with me I would love that.
Well u r youngest est to me, I am 76 now. I love love to travel with u. There so many bad things happen now days. If some was to knock me in ahead, and take all that. My tranmission went. So I temporarily rented a place, but as soon I can get all the money together and get it fixed right. I'll be able get up and try again. U know even when u stop to rest for awhile. U sometimes see others just watching. And u don't know what to do. So I lock my doors and pray. What kind of vehicle u have, traveled in. Is it ok when we r chatting, to put our email that person. Trying not to break the rules. Thanks.
I would feel so much safer with a man around. So get back with me, ok..

Sent from my SM-G988U1 using Tapatalk
 
I would love to travel with you Brandy. Friendship knows no age. I'm in Yuma AZ until April, then moving close to Sedona then Leadville, CO for the summer. If you are in the area email me ([email protected]).
 
Couscous would be better than the ramen and rehydrate just as well without heating.
 
Top