Van food with no refrigeration or cooking. Ideas?

[CosmickGold]

So far, I have Powdered Eggs, Pondered Milk, & Chlorella for their complete protein; Mayo and Peanut Butter for a variety of oils & energy, Vital Reds for trace elements, Mixed Nuts for various nutrients including soluble fiber to keep my blood clean; and raisins.

What are more items I can I add to my pantry that support health (not "junk foods'), have long shelf lives after opening, (i.e. no refrigeration), and don't require cooking?

 

[highdesertranger]

what do you consider a long shelf life. if stored properly a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables last a good while for example potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, oranges, lemons, limes, peaches, pears, plums, and apricots to name a few.

you can add a few canned items I especially like Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, also canned green beans.

plus many dehydrated or freeze dried items like banana slices, green onions, and just about anything can be found, but I tend to only buy stuff this way that goes bad fast or is just a plain good deal like potato flakes.

highdesertranger

 

[1shemp]

You are really restricting your diet by using only foods that don't require cooking.Is there some reason for not cooking?

 

[highdesertranger]

I cook but there are several reasons some people don't. highdesertranger

 

[WanderingRose]

Canned beans of various types, perhaps precooked brown rice in packets.

I think an opened can of beans, if not consumed entirely at one meal, would safely keep a day without refrigeration, and the same for rice.

 

[CosmickGold]

Oops!  I should have specified that by "long shelf life", I meant at least a month or two after opening.

Cooking requires time and fuel, and destroy's a variety of nutrients.  But basically, I'm wanting to keep things more simple.

 

[SheketEchad]

Still trying to fathom powdered eggs sans cooking... are you making shakes with them?? If you don't want to cook, but want a hot soup or such, you can put it in the dash of your vehicle just to get it warm. But sounds like you're more into raw foods rather than canned and cooked stuff.

Mackerel is good without being cooked and stores forever. Low mercury as well and good for your D3 and Omega 3 needs. Beef jerky or beef/turkey sticks might work in single serving sizes for some additional proteins.

 

[skyl4rk]

Dehydrated refried beans
Dehydrated precooked beans
Mashed potato powder
Couscous

Search "no cook backpacking food"

 

[skyl4rk]

Trail mix
Granola - raisins - sunflower seeds - walnuts
Clif bars or similar
Qinoa
Tortillas
Tuna-chicken-spam pouches

 

[CosmickGold]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]SheketEchad : [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Still trying to fathom powdered eggs sans cooking... are you making shakes with them??

[/font]Me : Yes, I am.  I half-fill a glass with water, scoop in 1/2 cup of powdered milk, 1/4 cup of powdered egg whites, and a scoop of Vital Reds. Then mix with a battery-operated stir stick. The Vital Reds have a strong sweet/fruity taste, making the "shake" delicious!  By the way, if you try this, use these egg whites; because, whole eggs are so fatty/sticky, and the other brand of egg whites I tried gummed up badly in both the glass and in the stir stick.  (I don't know why the difference between egg whites and egg whites.)  Also, this stir stick is great. Most others have a coiled spring at the bottom which easily gets gunked up with food powders. This one doesn't.

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]SheketEchad :  [/font]Mackerel[/font][/size][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] is good without being cooked and stores forever.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Me : Whoa!  I don't know about that.  I Googled "spoiled mackerel" and learned it is one of the most common to become poisoned by Ciguatera and Scombroid bacteria, both of which don't alter the taste or anything else detectable.  So you don't know the fish has poisoned you until you become really REALLY sick![/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Yikes![/font]

 

[Gypsy Freedom]

canned mackerel might store forever, it can be used just like canned tuna but has much stronger flavor.

there are many different species refered to as mackerel, not all of them have issues with the ciguatera poisoning. the problem is more so with tropical fish. like in florida or caribean. the north pacific is a commercial food fish

 

[Souleem]

Thank you for the van food with no refrigeration or cooking query and replies, especially no cook backpacking.

This appeals to me because I've been vegetarian for a while and thinking of becoming vegan.

Also, the space saved in the van and money saved by not buying a refrigerator would be great.

 

[SheketEchad]

<snip>
[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Me : Whoa!  I don't know about that.  I Googled "spoiled mackerel" and learned it is one of the most common to become poisoned by Ciguatera and Scombroid bacteria, both of which don't alter the taste or anything else detectable.  So you don't know the fish has poisoned you until you become really REALLY sick![/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Yikes![/font]

The only food that has ever sickened me was from a restaurant - striped sea bass.  Otherwise I eat canned fish nearly daily and usually at minimum 3 times a week. But I promise not to hold you down and force feed you Mackerel   It does have a stronger taste, although less strong than sardines in my opinion (I like those too).  I just prefer my nutrition come from food more than supplements, but I take them as well.
Thanks for the tip on the shakes.  It wasn't something I had considered possible.

 

[highdesertranger]

well I can't eat mackerel. as a kid went used to catch mackerel off the coast of Southern California. it was a poster child for pollution, three eyes, two tails, open sores, and strange growths. all in all the fish looked scary, like they were from another planet. I was scared to even catch one because then I would have to touch it to release it. for a kid it was scary and scarred me for life. highdesertranger

 

[PODebbie]

I know you want to eat healthy, but protein shakes @1.25 each do supply protein with chemicals, ehh. I know you don't want to cook, but you can either make a coke can stove, or buy a $20 small hiking stove at Walmart. The fuel canister is about 7-9 dollars. When I car camped, I would use it to make oatmeal, coffee and just about anything. A canister would last me a couple of weeks. The stove is 3 in x 1.5 in, and the canister is about 7 inches tall by 6 inches wide. They take up very little room. You don't need refrigeration. Just a thought. I would search backpacking sites for trail food. I currently use a 20 lb propane tank and a Coleman stove in my van, but the little backpacking stove worked just as well on a picnic table or rock. I still keep my backpacking stove and water filter in my van for emergencies.

 

[Qxxx]

Besides various raw fruits, I rather like the Juicy Juice individual apple juice containers. Eg, 8 for about $2.88 at Walmart and Winco. They'll keep forever (months ??) and are very low in sodium, high in potassium. In comparison V8 is extremely high in sodium. Why do they do that?

Also, I always water down juices 2:1 because they just taste better that way.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Juicy-Juice-100-Apple-Juice-4-23-Fl-Oz-8-Count/47197254

 

[jacqueg]

Dehydrated food? I'd appreciate hearing about people's experiences with it. Not meal packets, but dehydrated (or freeze-dried) ingredients such as peas or celery or beans. Which dried foods - if any - do you think actually taste pretty good or perform as well as fresh in recipes?

Personally, I'm not a fan of dehydrated spuds, and actual potatoes travel pretty well without refrigeration. I usually take canned tomatoes and roasted red peppers in a jar, but I'm interested in piggybacking on other folks' experiences with dried substitutes if they taste OK. Also, I'm not a fan of buying things in a #10 can. From doing my own fruit drying, I KNOW how much food that is!

 

[Firtree]

Suggest reading all the latest topics and comments for the last 6 weeks or so. Read even if things say Amazon Sales or Campbell’s soup. Topics quickly wander and usually to some really good ideas for inexpensive, quick meals, dried or dehydrated foods.

While we all offer something of use I especially read and ponder any topic Kaylee starts or comments on. She is a true minimalist in every way. $, fuel and power usage, space...
And if you like Mac and Cheese she plays with it many ways

 

[highdesertranger]

frankly I think fresh is always better but for some things not always practical. for instance something like fresh green onions don't last very long even if you refrigerate them.

I do keep a lot of dried/freeze dried food because it keeps so well for so long and I have figured out how to prepare it so it's not half bad.

some things like chilies and beans work good just dried.

canned tomatoes and canned chilies work good for cooking.

I use different companies for different items. I have good luck with,

MRE Depot,

http://www.mredepot.com/

they have the freeze dried green onions, I buy that there and some other veggies. once you buy something from them the send you emails all the time for sales. they have excellent sales. so once your pantry is stocked you can take advantage of the sales.
NOTE many of their stuff comes in the smaller number 2.5 cans. so you don't need to open a big old number 10 can

I also like Thrive,

https://www.thrivelife.com/shop

I get my freeze dried green chilies there. they also have numerous items in number 2.5 cans. I have tried some of their other fruits and veggies and like them.

finally Honeyville,

https://honeyville.com/

I get my eggs their and other fruits veggies and meats. although if I am going to buy meat in the future I am going to give MRE Depot a try because their sale prices are to good to pass on.

I am happy with all three of these companies and have always had good results with anything I have bought from them.

highdesertranger

 

[Moby T]

Ever considered Soylent, Huel, or other meal replacements? I use the "ready to drink" bottles, but they also have powder. Most are vegan, some pro GMO, some not.