On the road again:

[Darienne]

We are soon to go on the road again and no matter how cleverly I plan, we always run into eating problems. I will forbear on those stories.

I need a few ideas. I am talking only cans, packages or boxes which can be brought with us or bought at the first American grocery store. (We can't bring meats of any kind into the USA.) Adding cold water is acceptable for this exercise. No need for heat or refrigeration please.

There is canned chili (if we are desperate), canned salmon. I hate tuna and sardines. DH will eat both. I've never tasted canned chicken. I guess I should. No power bars please. I bring them homemade. Granola things are fine for snacking...I am talking 'mealish'. Wraps we have.

What else? Thanks.

[runwestierun]

Darienne,

I hate to break the rules straight off, but is there any way you could bring an electric tea kettle? When the new husband and I go camping, 5 out of 7 nights we will eat Cup O Noodles with canned chicken. The noodles and dehydrated vegetables come in a styrofoam cup and we pour hot water in it. Then we split a can of Costco Kirkland brand canned chicken (the best IMHO) between the 2 cups. We buy the dried noodles at Costco, too, they are Nissin brand ramen cups. It's certainly not haute cuisine, but it works and stores easily and indefinitely.

Don't forget peanut butter sandwiches!

[Darienne]

Darienne,

I hate to break the rules straight off, but is there any way you could bring an electric tea kettle? When the new husband and I go camping, 5 out of 7 nights we will eat Cup O Noodles with canned chicken. The noodles and dehydrated vegetables come in a styrofoam cup and we pour hot water in it. Then we split a can of Costco Kirkland brand canned chicken (the best IMHO) between the 2 cups. We buy the dried noodles at Costco, too, they are Nissin brand ramen cups. It's certainly not haute cuisine, but it works and stores easily and indefinitely.

Don't forget peanut butter sandwiches!

You broke the rules and now you must pay the penalty!

It's not that we CAN'T, it's that we choose not to. We have traveled for years with an assortment of this and that and mostly it has been an unused pain. We actually have a cigarette-lighter food cooker. Phooey. Never could get around to using it, what with in the dark, looking for a place to get off the highway to fee the dogs, motels to find (which will take 2 huge dogs), the map to read, the front of the van stuffed with a variety of things, etc, etc. Hmmm...it's very much the front of the van. So, I am talking OPENING A CAN, RIPPING OPEN A PACKAGE, OPENING A BOX only..five days there and five days back.

Don't care about haute cuisine, but I don't really want peanut butter sandwiches either. However, it fits the requirement of no cooking and no refrigeration.

We'll try the Costco chicken immediately!! Thanks.

[Jaymes]

We used to do a lot of cross-country traveling with three kids and a dog.

In addition to the obvious things, I'd lay in a selection of convenience foods from these nice folks:

Mountain House - food for camping, traveling, etc.

Don't know where exactly in Canada you are, but if you click on the Canada link, you'll get a list of retailers that sell the Mountain House products.

___________________

Edited September 8, 2010 by Jaymes (log)

[Snadra]

Are you passing very few grocery stores on the trip?

Our usual thing when planning a multi-day trip is to pack sandwich-y bits and pieces, and buy some cheeses/sliced ham, etc as we pass a store in the mornings so that our meals are basically picnics at rest stops or in the hotel in the evening, fortified with tea and wine (motel rooms here generally have a kettle and small fridge). We've also done this when travelling by car in Europe.

We find cheese generally keeps well enough in a cooler bag for a day, and so buy just enough for a single meal. Of course, how useful this is depends on how many grocery stores you pass in your trip!

I cannot make a meal of sweet things, so really need savoury stuff. My general rule is if it can't be made on a single plate on my lap, it's not happening, so cucumbers and tomatoes which can be sliced straight onto a sandwich/crispbread are better than carrots which might need peeling, or celery which takes up all that space. Plus they go great on a sandwich. Just wash and dry before you pack them if you're stopping off during the day.

So besides snack foods, we might buy/bring:

Rye crispbread (Wasa, Ryvita, etc).

grissini

pita crisps

Olives

Tinned/jarred artichoke hearts

Tinned/jarred roasted peppers

Tinned hummus (not bad!)

Avocado

Tomato

Cucumber

Apples / Pears (they tend to be a bit less messy than other fruit and go great with cheese)

Then depending on what we're in the mood for, when we stop for cooler stuff we get whatever cheese or deli meat looks good/takes our fancy. Fresh hummus & tzatziki if it's available are good too. If there's decent fresh bread to be had, so much the better, but if you've got some good crispbreads, at least you're not suffering. Our motel picnics have ranged from french to middle eastern to italian. But with tomatoes, cukes & avocado, you can still make a nice meal on bread/ryvitas without cheese or ham. Don't forget the salt and pepper grinder!

Personally, I love tinned tuna, but can live without the smell in an unairconditioned hotel room, so generally leave it.

[Darienne]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I didn't explain myself too well. We travel quite well and have been doing so for decades now. What I am looking for is only some new ideas of foods which need no refrigeration and no cooking which can be kept in the van for the few emergencies situations which can arise out of seemingly nowhere.

Something which I don't know about or haven't thought about which comes in a box, a can, or a package and can be eaten almost right out of the container...like salmon (which I can't believe that I never thought of before), or tuna (which I hate and won't eat) or sardines (ditto, but Ed will eat)...or whatever.

What food exists in a box, can or package which we can have in reserve for those few stupid emergency situations which we somehow get in from time to time?

The canned chicken from Costco is a great suggestion. We've never tried it. Anything else we are missing in that we don't usually buy canned, boxed or packaged? Thanks.

[prasantrin]

If you go stand in the canned fish aisle, you'll find all sorts of seafoods that you can eat straight from the can--mussels, shrimp, crab, etc.

If you go stand in the canned meats aisle, you'll find all sorts of meats you can eat straight from the can--deviled ham, vienna sausage, canned hams.

If you'll eat cold canned chili, then canned pork and beans, canned ravioli, etc. are not too far off.

Dry cereals come in a box. Make some milk with powdered milk and water, and you've got breakfast.

Babybel and Laughing Cow cheeses can go without refrigeration.

Just walk up and down your grocery store aisles and I'm sure you'll come up with far more ideas of your own than the ones being shot down here. Plus you know what you like/don't like, so no worries about suggestions of things you hate.

[Darienne]

Thanks for the suggestions. I could certainly get off my duff and do that very thing.

Just wondered what, if any, others had tried. Some clever obscure notion which I would never think of...

BTW, I eat cold canned chili only under extreme duress.

[JAZ]

I used to get dolmas in cans that were pretty good. And instead of plain canned salmon, how about smoked salmon in vacuum-sealed packages?

[Jaymes]

I used to get dolmas in cans that were pretty good. And instead of plain canned salmon, how about smoked salmon in vacuum-sealed packages?

Boy, I'll second the dolmas suggestion. I buy them all the time. And frankly like them best at room temperature.

[baroness]

The canned dolmas are fairly tasty, as noted above.

Indian-style entrees would be edible at room temperature, too, such as these from Kohinoor or other brands such as Trader Joe's.

[andiesenji]

Have you considered MREs?

I know many people who have adopted the Meals Ready to Eat method while traveling in a vehicle where they don't have a fridge or a means of cooking.

Many camping stores now carry these but if you have time you can order them online

from vendors like this one. This three day package is pretty good.

These meals are quite good and the package is compact and easy to pack into close quarters.

[heidih]

Along with the canned dolmas you may find a canned eggplant that is really tasty

[judiu]

Check out sporting goods stores for freeze dried foods. They ain't cheap, but they can be awful tasty, even straight out of the pack. The Yakisoba (brand) noodle meals I buy have freeze dried cabbage, corn and other veggies included; I have a difficult time leaving any of them to make with the noodles...

[Snadra]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I didn't explain myself too well. We travel quite well and have been doing so for decades now. What I am looking for is only some new ideas of foods which need no refrigeration and no cooking which can be kept in the van for the few emergencies situations which can arise out of seemingly nowhere.

Something which I don't know about or haven't thought about which comes in a box, a can, or a package and can be eaten almost right out of the container...like salmon (which I can't believe that I never thought of before), or tuna (which I hate and won't eat) or sardines (ditto, but Ed will eat)...or whatever.

What food exists in a box, can or package which we can have in reserve for those few stupid emergency situations which we somehow get in from time to time?

....

D'oh! (smacks head on desk). I see what you mean now!

As far as ready-to-eat shelf-stable, I think you could still do well with pita crisps, tinned hummus and assorted jarred, roasted/marinated veggies, like the eggplant mentioned up thread and the dolmades (great idea!). They are all fully shelf-stable and there is no need for heating or prep other than opening the jar/tin and putting some stuff on your plate. Plus it's much nicer than canned chilli and can be enhanced by any fresh food (cukes, tomatoes, etc) you may have with you.

Also: I have a weakness for canned refried beans at room temp. Add some jarred salsa and tortilla chips and you've got a sort-of meal that doesn't need heating.

[Darienne]

As far as ready-to-eat shelf-stable, I think you could still do well with pita crisps, tinned hummus and assorted jarred, roasted/marinated veggies, like the eggplant mentioned up thread and the dolmades (great idea!). They are all fully shelf-stable and there is no need for heating or prep other than opening the jar/tin and putting some stuff on your plate. Plus it's much nicer than canned chilli and can be enhanced by any fresh food (cukes, tomatoes, etc) you may have with you.

Also: I have a weakness for canned refried beans at room temp. Add some jarred salsa and tortilla chips and you've got a sort-of meal that doesn't need heating.

I can't believe how stupid I have been about it all. And I thank you and all the others for pointing me in the right direction.

I'll get some canned chicken from Costco, and some canned salmon and one of my favorites, which is yummy and wicked, corned beef. This, with tortillas from the cooler, will more than do it. Some of the other suggestions are excellent, but this should do it.

I finally realized last night, late at night...when things can suddenly come and smack you up the side of the head...why we get into trouble once in a five day journey, year after year. It's our own stupidity. We compulsively hit the road as soon as we can after breakfast (toast, or granola, or shakes in the motel room), thinking we'll pick up lunch on the road. But in states like Kansas and eastern Colorado, there are few if any on the road grocery stores. OK. How can two intelligent people be so stupid? Well, a few cans will mean never again.

[judiu]

Darienne, do you have a 'spice shelf' in your travel kit? Garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauces, small pepper mill, etc, things like that. They can improve a 'canned' lunch to the point where it's actually good! I prefer ready made corned beef hash to tinned corned beef, but it's not too good for a sandwich... During hurricanes and the ensuing blackouts, I've been know to lunch on a can of corn with a bit of salt and onion powder. Also, canned fruit, especially pineapple in juice, has an affinity for decent cheese.HTH!