What food can you make with just boiled water?

[kingjoshi]

I'm on my trip across the country (USA) living out of my car. I don't have access to microwaves, stoves, refrigeration, etc. However, I have an electric kettle that I can boil water with at rest areas. I have used this to create Ramen noodles and oatmeal.

What other meals can you think of that I could make? And my kettle has a 4 cup of water limit. And I don't have a plate, just a glass bowl (though I could buy paper plates).

 

[The Yankee]

Little batches of pasta and rice, if you had any way to separate the water afterwards. Perhaps use it to soften up vegetables (even if it isn't boiling). Somehow I think the more professional minimalists here will come up with fifty more ideas, but that's what I could think of right off the bat.

Oh, and if you find frozen vegetables in the bags...those could be put in water, I believe.

 

[Bluemofia]

Ramen, anything dehydrated, canned soups, tea, coffee, more Ramen, etc.

 

[Godwynn]

The almighty RAMEN!

Hail to the king.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

ah you both beat me to ramen

 

[jamiethearcher]

you could hardboil eggs. I love hardboiled eggs!

mind you without a refrigerator, you would have to boil them all at once, as I dont know how long eggs stay good without being cold. Actually, now that I think about it, I am not even sure if already boiled eggs will stay good. Maybe if you have a cooler or something.....

EDIT: or i suppose you could just buy the eggs in the little 6 egg boxes, boil em all, and eat them in a day or 2

 

[skadistic]

Hot dogs and grits and stoffers creamed chip beef. mmmmmmmmm creamed chip beef.

 

[Urederra]

Canned food. Food like tuna, sardines, pinneapple... you don't have even to warm them. jerky beef and that kind of stuff.

It is a pity, but most of the things I am thinking about you cannot find in the US.

 

[The Yankee]

You could find those in any supermarket here and many smaller stores.

 

[taper]

Potatos, hot dogs, pasta, rice. If you get some sort of basket you can steam vegetables, might even try braising meat.

 

[Urederra]

Oh... no, I know you can find tuna, sardinas and jerky beef. I was thinking about more variety of canned food like octopus in olive oil, clams, mussels, anchovies... and cured meat like chorizo and prosciutto (I have found chorizo and prosciutto in the US, but it is quite pricy)

 

[The Yankee]

Not sure about octopus, but I've seen the mussels and anchovies in cans...usually near the tuna.

 

[RameNoodle]

Mmmm... Soup... Try some Campbell's chicken noodle, and that kind of stuff. Its really good.

 

[kingjoshi]

Thanks for the ideas!

I've been having a hard time fulfilling my vegetable requirements. I don't know why I haven't bought carrots but just have been eating fries. But will try boiling potatos later. Vegetables go bad quickly though I don't know how soon. So I've been reluctant to buy any.

Dairy is hard to fulfill because it all needs to be refrigerated. To get any decent prices, you have to buy in bulk. I might just have to deal with paying extra and buying small containers of milk regularly.

For meats/beans, I had been going to McDonalds for their $1 Double Cheeseburger or Taco Bell to get Bean burritos. But canned tuna is a great idea. I just learned that I can add nuts/seeds for this category as well!

Grains (noodles, oatmeal) and fruits (I eat two apples and two bananas a day) are very easy requirements.

This rest area (Park Rapids, MN near Lake Itasca, the head of the Mississippi Rivier) is right next to a 24-hour supermarket! So I'll buy some stuff before I head out from here.

 

[The Yankee]

Wonder what MN is like since I won't be able to head there this summer.

Anyway, for fruits/vegetables, either get the canned variety or buy them as needed from some supermarket's or WalMart's produce...since they'll go by weight or amount, you won't necessarily be paying more for "individual convenience."

That or buy more juices, since they'll often give you the goodness of the fruit/vegetable.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Cup-a-Soup (Lipton is tasty, but you need a cup or bowl).

Other dehydrated soups are usually sold in bowl-shaped containers so all you need is a spoon.

You can get cheese/cracker packs that don't need refrigeration. Pudding snacks (usually sold in packs of 4 single servings) don't need refrigeration, and will give you some of your calcium. And you can always get powdered milk at a bulk food store and add water when you want some (although I personally find it revolting).

A lot of canned foods now have lids that are the lift-and-pull type, but you should make sure you have a manual can opener anyway.

My own favorite canned fish is herring, and it comes in about half a dozen different varieties.

Try picking up dried fruit at a bulk food store. If you want to soften it up, you can soak it in hot water.

 

[bhsup]

80s era MRE pork patties. Mmmm, yummy in the tummy!

 

[classical_hero]

What is Ramen? Enlighten a non American.

 

[willemvanoranje]

You can make about anything with boiled water..

Rice would be the easiest since it doesn't need constant high temperature. Once the hot water and the rice are together, put it in a sleeping bag or isolate it some other way and just wait. It will be perfect (as long as you use 2 cups of water for each cup of rice... since you're alone one cup of rice should be more than enough).

 

[Shaihulud]

Potatoes contains alot of essential vitamins, starch and protein. It also last along time, so it is propably your best bet. Cabbages, carrots, dried peas last awhile and does not really require refridgeration. Get dried fruits such as apricot, figs, apples etc. Those should fulfil your vitamin and fibre requirement. Nuts are also a good source of nourishment, walnuts, peanuts, brazilnuts and almonds make good munchies and are nutritious. get beef jerky.