Food uncertainty can strike anywhere, anyone, anytime. And in this particular time of heightened costs and inflation (it’s 2022 as of this post), sometimes you need to stretch your budget and expectations a little. Even if you aren’t suffering pangs of hunger, these “recipes” can help stretch your food budget or even just add a little variety to your weekly meal plan. And for those wondering how this relates to woodworking, it doesn’t. Well, not directly.
First, I promised myself I’d never be one of those who put the stories ahead of the recipes. You go to the recipe sites and have to sit through all that to finally discover it’s got ingredients you don’t want, or can’t eat, or it’s not appetizing. So I’m going to give the story with the recipe. (If I could do side by side, I’d prefer that. But I apparently chose the wrong format to pull that off.) But I promised you five meals, and specifically five that you don’t need a refrigerator to pull off.
Poor Man’s Fettucini.
Technically, this breaks the rule right off the bat. This is a quick and cheap dish using Ramen noodles (the plastic-wrapped ones available at most grocery stores or discount stores), some butter, and some grated parmesan cheese. The butter and cheese are refrigeration-based foods, but you can leave the butter out and not have it affect you. (There are some recipes that call for “softened butter,” which is essentially butter that’s been left out. Use a butter tray or dish, or keep it under a bowl turned upside down on a plate.) There are no real measurements here: add enough of all the items to satisfy your tastes. I will suggest:
- 1 Tablespoon of butter
- 2 packets of dehydrated ramen noodles
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
But all this is up to you personally. When I started making this, I was working at a club with a kitchen that only had evening hours. I could use the kitchen as long as the kitchen manager was satisfied that I cleaned up after myself. I’d use a bowl and a microwave (although I use a pot and a stove now), throw in some of the butter pats that come foil wrapped in individual servings and get a small tube of grated parmesan cheese from the store on my way into work. I would only use about half that tube, but some days I would go through the whole thing and not complain. While prices have changed since I started making this meal, you can still do this for cheap. There are stores that sell single sticks of butter (don’t get margarine). The ramen packets come in single packets, multi-packs of five or six (based on the brand and store), or flats of 24. The cheese will be the expensive part, and finding the small tubes might take some effort, but a 3-ounce tube is plenty big enough. A quick web search of the stores near me pulled up a Meijer listing of 3 ounces of their brand grated parmesan cheese at $2.29 and the same size Kraft brand for $2.79, while Wal-Mart has a 16-ounce container for $5.78. In between these options, Dollar General lists an 8-ounce container at $3.65; when stretching funds, don’t be afraid to shop around.
Directions are simple: boil water, add the ramen, let it boil for 3 minutes (if you’re doing the microwave bit, add enough water to cover the noodles and microwave on high for 3 minutes), drain off the excess water, add butter and cheese, and toss together.
- Dishes/tools needed:
- Pot or microwaveable bowl large enough to cook noodles in.
- fork
- strainer or colander. (I’d recommend the colander over the strainer, but use one with small holes so the noodles don’t go through them.)
You can cut the butter with the fork, especially when softened. With enough practice, you can get the amount of water in the microwave version down to just enough to cook the noodles without having to drain any off. And if you need to drain the microwave bowl, use a small plate or colander.
Best of all, this can feed one or you can scale this up to feed many. So you college folks looking for a late-night carb can make this in your dorms without the need of a full kitchen, and you folks living in a tiny home, camper, RV, or full-size kitchen can make something quick and simpler to clean up.
Salsa Mac
The secret to eating healthier without a refrigerator is salsa from a jar. You get your veggies, it spices up the food, and it adds a variety. While “traditional” mac and cheese uses both milk and butter (and therefore requires a refrigerator), you can go two ways on this. So I’ll provide both recipes under the same header.
Option one:
- Boxed macaroni and cheese
- butter (1/2 stick per box)
- milk (1/4 cup per box) – actually just under.
- Jar of salsa (see below)
Option two:
- Delux boxed mac ‘n’ cheese (see below)
- Jar of salsa (see below)
When I say “delux mac ‘n’ cheese,” I’m referring to the boxed meals that come with a cheese sauce pouch in the box already. Dollar General has a Clover Valley box of Shells and Cheese (basically the same thing as macaroni) for $2.65, while lists their Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese Original Cheddar at $1.45 – but my search indicated it was currently out of stock. On the far end, a listing came up for a 36-count of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (White Cheddar) 7 ounce packages for about $90 plus shipping – I haven’t tried this approach but that’s an awful lot of this to eat, and the listing shows a picture with the words “Keep Frozen” on the cover. Not exactly friendly for those without refrigerators, eh?
Follow the directions on the box of noodles for cooking. If you’re using the version with milk, go a bit shy of the 1/4 cup line with the milk: the salsa will add the remaining liquid you need. Drain/strain the noodles, toss the butter into the still warm pot (turn off the stove at this point), add the cheese powder, stir in the noodles, then add the salsa. If using the delux version, drain the noodles, turn off the pot, open the cheese pouch and squeeze it into the pot (or bowl), and stir in the salsa.
As for the salsa, I’ve got options for you. And a few suggestions. If you don’t mind keeping an open jar of salsa around for a bit, get the jars the same size as spaghetti sauce jars in whatever flavor you like. You’ll end up using only half of the jar for this dish. Alternatively, you can get the 15 ounce jars from any number of places: I personally prefer the small batch salsas from Aldi’s the Mild salsa from Save-A-Lot, and the Black Bean and Corn Salsa made by Newman’s Own (I find these at Marc’s, WalMart, Giant Eagle, Acme, Meijer’s, and Target. Not consistently, but some options for you. Typically around twice the price of the house brands at other stores, but that veggie blend change-up does wonders.) And as a final alternative, Dollar Tree currently has 8-ounce jars of Pace Picante Sauce for $1.25 that liven dishes up nicely. Oh, and to get the most out of the salsa, add a splash of water (maybe 1/8th of a cup?) to the jar, put the lid on, shake it up, and pour the remnants into the bowl. Be aware this might be a bit runny at first, but if you let it stand it will firm up some. Save the jar, as it comes in handy.
The best part of this recipe is the versatility. Swap out the salsa for any number of other sides you would like to add in. I’ve used cans of mixed vegetables, canned corn, tuna, ground beef or turkey, and have even seasoned the beef up with taco seasonings for added kick. If you are worried about refrigerating the meat, you can buy the meat that day in one-pound increments. I wouldn’t worry about leftovers – the salsa helps it stay edible overnight and I’ll finish the pot with everything else. General rule of thumb is 1 box per 2 hungry appetites. College folks might count as 2, depending on how close to exams one is.
Boxed dinners
This next recipe is more of a classification of meal than a “mix this add that” recipe. Banquet Homestyle boxed meals provide everything you will need to make the meal except water and/or milk, and the kit does not require refrigeration. If you check the back to pick only the versions that do not require milk, this casserole meal can be prepared without the need of a refrigerator (except for the leftovers). I will be honest: for a single person it can be daunting to finish this in one sitting, so don’t feel you have to.
This does require some form of oven to provide the hour or so baking needed, but smaller casserole dishes from Corning or Pyrex can fit into some of the smaller toaster ovens. I happen to have a larger one from Black ‘n Decker (I bought it deliberately to try the van lifestyle, with mixed results), so I can use full size casserole pans, but a 9-inch by 9-inch pan is the recommended size per the box. Follow the directions on the box, and enjoy!
Tools needed:
- Mixing Bowl
- Oven or Toaster Oven
- Mixing spoon
- potholders or oven mitts
- measuring cup for liquids
- serving spoon
- plate
- maybe a can opener.
Pizza
Come on, you didn’t expect to find a list of foods that are college-friendly that didn’t include a pizza on it, did you? The ingredients that require a refrigerator can be purchased that day, preferably within 3 hours of making the pizza. While you can opt for the frozen pizzas, Dollar Tree sometimes has pizza mixes available for $1.25. If you shop around, you can also find the mix versions that only require water at Save-A-Lot, Aldi’s, and Big Lots for a similar price.
Now, you could make your dough from scratch, such as this version from Bobby Flay. (This is not a paid advertisement: I looked for a simple recipe as an example.) But this requires a work surface to flour and gets a bit messy. Plus, if you opt for the jar of yeast instead of the envelopes, you’ll need (you guessed it) a refrigerator to store the yeast in. The benefit of the mixes is that they need only a little water, some heat, and a pan to cook them on.
Here’s where that toaster oven comes in handy. Instead of a round pizza, make a calzone. Use a small casserole dish to spread out the pizza dough, open a jar or can of pizza sauce and spread it on half of the dough, add some shredded cheese, throw in some pepperoni slices, fold in half, and bake for 12 minutes. Or make it a deep dish with the same ingredients and dish but two dough mixes. Put the rest of the sauce on top and bake for maybe 15 minutes. Or make breadsticks, drizzle olive oil on top, and sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese on top. (Great way to use up the cheese from the first recipe.)
The shredded cheese can be purchased that afternoon, in 8 ounce bags. (Be aware this stuff gets everywhere if you aren’t careful – and sometimes when you are.) Pepperoni can be purchased pre-sliced or in small sticks that you can cut up yourself. The thicker the slice, the longer it takes to cook. Some of these are available in the refrigerated sections of your local grocery stores, and some of them are in the ethnic sections of dried goods in those same stores. Anything you don’t use will need to be refrigerated, so use it all up. (Snacking while cooking is a time-honored tradition, you know.)
The last option: the artery clogger
This one is nowhere near healthy. But it doesn’t require a refrigerator at all. You might need two burners on a stove, or an electric kettle, but this can be served on a plate or in the mixing bowl. For a quick dish when you need carbs and have no patience, or want a small side dish to go with your main dinner, it’s hard to beat the simplicity of pasta and gravy.
I know, it sounds weird. But bear with me. Boxed pasta can provide two to three meals per box by themselves, or stretched further with other dishes. Packets of gravy mix run under a dollar at most stores, or you can “buy in bulk” from stores like Gordon Food Services and measure out the mix into some clean empty jars (the 8-ounce Pace jars and 16-ounce salsa jars are fantastic for this).
Ingredients:
- Boxed pasta (shells, bowtie, elbows, rotini, and celletani work better for this recipe).
- Gravy mix. (1 Packet or 1/4 cup mix from a bulk packet.) I prefer beef but you can use whatever version you prefer.
- Bonus add-ins: hot dogs (cut up), mini meatballs, roast beef slices, canned peas (strained), or breadsticks from pizza dough.
Boil the noodles and drain. If you have an electric kettle, boil water for the gravy. You’ll need a cup of water per 1/4 cup of gravy mix. Sure, you could use the boiling water from the noodles, but I don’t like to try to collect the water when draining it off. If you’re living the van or camping life, you probably should to conserve water – the starch that collects in the pot while you’re boiling the pasta will add texture to the gravy if you pour the gravy into the noodles. If you want a one-pot version of this, leave the noodles in the collander while you boil the gravy. If you don’t have patience pour the boiled water into the gravy mix in a mixing bowl.
The gravy will cause the noodles to float, so pick a bigger plate than your serving of noodles, or use a bowl. I pour the whole gravy serving on, but half is probably appropriate for one person. Now is the time to add in the extra options: you’ll want them room temperature or fully cooked for best options. (Or, you know, the rest of the dinner you’ve prepared, if you’ve got ambition.) And as a time-saver for you, throw the hot dogs into the boiling noodles when they’ve got about 2 minutes left.
And that’s the whole enchilada.
So to speak. If you’re setting up a kitchen for the first time, or if you are going into a smaller space, there’s a couple of appliances that will help. Cooktop surfaces, single-burner hot plates (these can be found at Family Dollar for $15, according to a quick search), electric kettles (pick ones that are BPA-free), toaster ovens, full-size ovens, and even microwaves are all on this list. But if you’re in a shared space, or your own dorm, or renovating the kitchen and can’t use all the stuff for one reason or another, or can only run one appliance on the generator, or only have a campfire, don’t panic. None of this requires a refrigerator. And honestly, that’s been the hardest part I’ve found about all of those situations I’ve listed. Adding heat is easy. It’s keeping the heat at bay that is the hard part.
I’ll keep looking for other meal options, but I’d like to take a moment to mention again the stores I’ve shopped at for this list. And no, I get no funds from any of them for shopping there, or recommending them to you.
- Dollar Tree (I love that price point, even if the serving size is smaller than what you’d find at a full-size grocery store. Also, be aware that the same company that owns Dollar Tree also owns Family Dollar – full size versions are available at Family Dollar but I’ve found pricing to be much higher.)
- Aldi’s (If you haven’t shopped at Aldi’s they offer better pricing but usually their brand version of foods. Comparable to the name brand, and in some cases way better, but don’t expect to find massively stocked shelves or the advertised items always available: that isn’t their business model.)
- Marc’s (This one’s a local chain. Originally a discount reseller, it grew large enough to get into the grocery business. Local to Cleveland, Ohio, the prices are still lower than you might find at other grocery stores, but not as deeply discounted. And definitely more of the name brands.)
- Save-A-Lot (Similar to Aldi’s in that they sell house-brand foods over name brands, Save-A-Lot is a lower-priced grocery store that offers food for a lower price than larger conglomerate grocery store chains like Publix, Topps, or Giant Eagle. And much lower priced than Whole Foods.)
- Big Lots This discount operator offers lots of products that other stores either couldn’t or wouldn’t sell. Typically product overruns, many of their stores have a furniture department that is easily half the footprint, while the grocery section is maybe a fifth of the footprint.
- Meijer’s. Another big-box grocery store and department store. The local one also has a gas station attached.
- Gordon Food Service. More aimed at restaurant supply or fundraiser portions, I’ve gotten bulk offerings of beverage mixes, gravy mixes, gelatins, and snack chips there in manners similar to warehouse stores. They also have fresh meats, frozen prepared entrees, and large bags of pierogis (my personal kryptonite) that I cannot find elsewhere.
- Acme Public Markets Smaller than Meijer’s, this chain offers local service and both name brands and house brand foods. In my personal opinion, their house-brand foods are often better than some of the name brands.
- Giant Eagle – This is the first grocery store I was aware of that crossed state lines. Not that there weren’t those before it, I just wasn’t aware of them. My experience has been that they offer decent quality in their products (both house-brand and name brand), but they usually cost more.
- Walmart. The big supercenter that most folks know. Whether you like them or not, they have grocery stores in most locations and offer name brands and house brands alike at costs lower than many.
Notable mentions:
- Instacart. A grocery delivery service, that can provide local options if you’re not seeing familiar names.
- Amazon. Grocery delivery is an option, although I have not had much success with that feature locally.
- Door Dash. The company you talk to about delivering fast food might be able to deliver your groceries.
- Shipt. Owned by Target, this delivery company offers deliveries at $10 each or subscription plans, plus applicable fees and whatnot. (See the link for full details. I’ve never used them, but they’re a company I’m watching.)
- Costco. A warehouse store, with yearly membership fees and a famous discount lunch deal, that offers more bulk purchases than single-person-friendly staples.
- Target. Bright lights, splashy marketing, and big chain buying power, this place offers a lot of everything. My personal experience has found name brands, slightly higher prices, but better service and quality than average.
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