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#92965 - 03/22/08 05:04 PM Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or cooking
Wayneburg Offline
member

Registered: 09/09/02
Posts: 74
Hello there,

I'm living in a dorm situation where it is a real hassle to get to the common kitchen to cook anything. I'd rather just eat in my room rather than have to jockey for position in the kitchen and then fight to keep my food once it is prepared. The problem with preparing food in my room is the lack of refrigerator and the lack of a stove/microwave/oven. So I'm reduced to eating out at restaurants or eating foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking. And eating out at restaurants is getting too costly.

Do any of you have suggestions for foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking?

This is a list that I've come up with so far:
Fresh Fruits
Fresh Vegetables
Breakfast Cereals
Bread
Bagels
Flat Bread
Nuts
Seeds
Crackers
Peanut Butter
Nutella hazelnut spread
I'd love to have another bread spread that isn't sweet. Any suggestions?
Honey
Spices
Olive Oil
Sunflower Oil
Assorted Junk Foods (Not something I usually eat, but it does apply): Chips, Candies, Cookies,


DRIED
Dried Fruits
Dried Vegetables
Trail Mix
Jerky
Pork Rinds


CANNED (limited to individual serving sizes or eating the entire contents of a larger can in one meal)
Canned Fruit
Canned Meats: Chicken, Spam, Vienna Sausages, etc.
Canned Fish: Tuna, Salmon, Oysters, Sardines, etc.
Gelatin Cups: Jello
Pudding Cups


DRINKS
Water
Canned Fruit Juice
Canned Vegetable Juice
Drink Powders

Can you add to the list?

Thanks

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#92966 - 03/22/08 06:43 PM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: Wayneburg]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Well, since you've been here a while, I'm sure you've seen sarbar's site for freezer bag recepies at http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/ - but between that and most of my backpaking meals are just made with boiling water.

Now there's the trick - you're probably not allowed to fire off a backpacking stove in the dorm, but you can probably have a kettle, or sneak in an Electric Immersion Heater Speaking from experience, I don't get away with a backpacking stove, or a kettle in a university office or dorm, but I get away with an immersion heater.

Once you can boil water you an have a pot and a cozy, and get pretty creative.
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#92967 - 03/23/08 07:45 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or cooking [Re: Wayneburg]
Fiddleback Offline
member

Registered: 06/22/04
Posts: 478
Loc: Northern Rockies
This week I had an email exchange with a friend who was showing her neice around one of the Seattle-area universities. She mentioned the flash-backs she was experiencing seeing the dorm rooms with their mini-refrigerators. "Refrigerators?," I wrote, "You had refrigerators? You young kids had it so easy...we couldn't keep food on our rooms!" Knowing me well, she wrote back, "You couldn't have food in your room...and you stayed?!?" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

phat's suggestion is a good one...FBC seems like a good option as does all the grocery store dried foods. If you can have a coffee pot in the room it'll provide all the hot water you need...

FB
_________________________
"...inalienable rights...include the right to a clean and healthful environment..." Montana Constitution

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#92968 - 03/28/08 03:24 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: Fiddleback]
robi Offline
member

Registered: 05/29/03
Posts: 312
Loc: budapest, hungary
well, i have lived in many hosues without refridgeration...

in the cold months there was no big deal, just hang stuff out window!!!! I am serious!


In warmer months perishables were bought in smaller portions and more often..most cheeses will be fine for 2-3 on the countertop... if you keep them qrapped well so they do not dry out they will actually be fine for much longer. I have been on blazing hot beaches for upt a week with cheese... no problems... kind of messy, ,ind of soft in the heat, but by morning it was always cool enough th athe cheese was not mooshy...

salami and any smoked meat will last for YEARS!!!!! I live in Hungary, many ppl here stil leave their smoked meats in the pantry, not the fridge... buy a nice chunck of quality smoked ham, hang it in the pantry, or anwhere not too damp and just carve off pieces as you need them. it will not rot!

get your favorite cut o fmeat, say porkchops - the big favorite here, go into the kitchen, you could time it to cook when vegetarians are there, they wil not eat your stuff, mean but effective... anyway... cook the meat in a frying pan... in lard i fyouwant great flavor but any oil will do.. when he chops are cooked place them in any container you want such that you have a layer of grease/lard/oil then a chop, more grease, chop, etc. make sure the top layer of meat covered with grease... I have eatem meat like this 2 weeks after making it, again on the blazing hot Croatian beaches.. I have eaten stuff like this months later, stored on a kitchen shelf, no fridge...

if you are allowed to use an immersion heater you should be allowed to use a hot plate or crock pot.. .with either of these you can cook anything.

if you have lots of sun wher eyou are think of a solar cooker.. place dinner int eh cooker, place in
the sun, go to class, come home, eat fresh cooked meal...

To be honest any leftovers will be fine for at least one day, usually even two! so you could cook big batches and eat it for 2 ro 3 days without a fridge.

robi

edtied to add: spreads...

crush garlic, add fresh basil cover with olive oil dip your favorite bread in it... get a toaster dip toast in this...

make körözött: cottage cheese, paprika, chives, salt... yoru cottage cheese in the US is too runny... buy a small tub of it... strain it very well then mix in the spices... it will be fine for many days on your counter!!! you can add a dallop of sour cream BTW if you want to make is creamy/spready....



Edited by robi (03/28/08 03:29 AM)

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#92969 - 03/28/08 05:13 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or cooking [Re: Wayneburg]
Paddy_Crow Offline
member

Registered: 11/08/04
Posts: 2285
Loc: Michigan
Look for a small electric hot plate and some pans at a thrift store.

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#92970 - 03/28/08 07:18 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: robi]
finallyME Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 2710
Loc: Utah
You forgot tartar. Of course, your korozott sounds like the many sandwiches I ate when in Poland. I sure miss my perogi and golompki.

Tartar: finely ground beef. Put fine ground beef in vinegar. Mix in some garlic and onions. Wait an hour or so to let the vinegar work. Spreed on bread. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I was given this a few times in Poland. Can't say I liked it, but you don't have to cook it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Here is another winner. Take a fresh Herring, you know, the fish. Fillet it. Soak meat in vinegar. After eating this a few times, you will realize how much better it is to cook with heat. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

All right, enough funny business. Buy a crock pot. It heats your water, and you can cook lots and lots of stuff with it. If you get an electric griddle, then you can have pancakes, bacon, eggs, steak, all kinds of stuff as well. Have fun, and study hard.
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#92971 - 03/28/08 08:55 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: finallyME]
robi Offline
member

Registered: 05/29/03
Posts: 312
Loc: budapest, hungary
beef steak tartar, the stuff rocks! but you gotta have toast with it.

never had the meat in vinegar before...

robi

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#92972 - 03/28/08 10:55 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: robi]
finallyME Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 2710
Loc: Utah
Quote:
beef steak tartar, the stuff rocks! but you gotta have toast with it.

never had the meat in vinegar before...

robi


So, do you not put the beef steak tartar in vinegar? Do you just eat it raw, with onions, and toast of course? I have never had it without toast. Why would you? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Anyways, I always assumed the meat was in vinegar because it wasn't cooked. Maybe I was wrong. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Here is another food you can make without cooking or refrigeration. Kimchi ! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I don't know how to make it, but once you assemble all the ingredients, all you need to do is put it in a jar and put it in the sun for a long time (month or longer). The longer it sits out in the sun, the better. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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#92973 - 03/28/08 11:24 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: finallyME]
robi Offline
member

Registered: 05/29/03
Posts: 312
Loc: budapest, hungary
yeap, raw beef, ground very fine, mustard, onion, raw egg, salt, pepper, mix all up, spread very thinly on toast.


kinmchi.... ok, now we are entering the infite realm of pickled veggies... they are all good!

robi

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#92974 - 04/02/08 02:23 PM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: robi]
finallyME Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 2710
Loc: Utah
Quote:
yeap, raw beef, ground very fine, mustard, onion, raw egg, salt, pepper, mix all up, spread very thinly on toast.


kinmchi.... ok, now we are entering the infite realm of pickled veggies... they are all good!

robi


Spoken like a true Eastern European. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
_________________________
I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.

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#92975 - 05/25/08 11:24 AM No Cook Ideas [Re: Wayneburg]
Lucky Offline
newbie

Registered: 03/17/06
Posts: 6
There's been a number of threads related to no cook backpacking meals. Search for those ideas.

Remember that many foods "cook" with only warm water. Oatmeal, ramen, instant soup, and mashed potatoes are ideas that come to mind. Use hot water right from the sink. You can also consider salads. Those bags of pre-cut lettuce last several days without refrigeration. Add a single serving of salad dressing (from McDonalds) and fixings (chicken, salmon, sunflower seeds, croutons, cheese, dried fruit, bacon , etc.) and you have a nice dinner.

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#92976 - 05/27/08 01:03 PM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: Wayneburg]
NiytOwl Offline
member

Registered: 11/06/04
Posts: 501
Loc: California
So you're stuck in the dorms with an anti-cooking nazi RA? Been there, faced with the same problem. I eventually made friends with two girls who lived off campus. In exchange for use of their kitchen facilities, I prepared them several meals a week - whatever I was cooking for myself. A side benefit (other than the obvious <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />) was that sharing home-cooked food back at the dorm brought in a steady stream of consumables that I was not old enough to buy. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You could cheat on the refrigeration by acquiring a thermoelectric cooler - looks like an ice chest but can plug into the wall. Indoors it should easily keep things in the 40-degree F range. Depending on what size you get, it can be hidden during room inspections or placed in a vehicle.

Other than that - all I can suggest are MRE meal heaters. These come in a pouch that you fill with water. In seconds, the pouch is full of boiling-hot water. You're supposed to place your MRE inside, but any heat-and-eat food will work with these - even stuff in cans, like Chef Boyardee, Pork & Beans, etc.. I suppose you could even use frozen dinners if they're small enough, like the Stouffer's and Budget Gormet. Just thaw them before heating. The site I linked above is just one of many that sell these. Don't take my linking as an endorsement - never ordered anything from them.

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#92977 - 05/29/08 12:34 PM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: NiytOwl]
Earthling Offline
member

Registered: 02/22/03
Posts: 3228
Loc: USA
What Nity said, plus, you might be able to get one of those plug in coffe pot type containers that you could dump soup or heat water for pasta type meals in. Rival makes one for like $15. Easy to stash if need be, and only time you'll be plugged in is to eat so it's not really a fire hazard in the sense of a cooking aplilance left plugged in all the time, and no flame <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
_________________________
PEPPER SPRAY AIN'T BRAINS IN A CAN!

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#92978 - 08/12/08 02:09 PM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: phat]
Cruzzer Offline
newbie

Registered: 08/12/08
Posts: 8
Pickled eggs,, and I thought traditionally kimchi was pickled under ground,, well,, fermented actually??

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#92979 - 08/20/08 08:03 AM Re: Dorm food that's needs no refrigeration or coo [Re: Cruzzer]
bulrush Offline
member

Registered: 04/19/07
Posts: 132
Loc: Michigan
What's the rationale behind no refrig and no microwave in the dorms? They use too much energy? They pop a breaker every once in a while?

At college, 1987-1991, we could have fridges, microwaves in the dorms. People also had electric tea kettles for making ramen noodles. And people often ordered pizza. But we also had a kitchenette on every floor (it was the honors dorm).

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