Help me increase calories without a fridge

JaydedMiss
JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I need foods that dont need a fridge im struggling. I dont really want to live off granola bars and prepackaged snacks. I have a fridge but it sucks and isnt cold as it should be, Working on fixing it. Food goes bad iv been force feedign self large amounts of questionable dairy products in hopes i get it down before they go bad. Eggs seem fine in it though. I feel pretty crappy after a smoothie i just had -huge headache head feels like its going to explode :( and im tired of it.

What are some good nutritionally sound foods that dont need a fridge? Been thinking of adding in chicken breast i preportion and freeze. I do have a freezer. But i dont really like meat much it freaks me out i know from experience once i freeze baggies of meat chances are theyll never be eaten, But ill be a big girl and do it if i need to.

Any and all ideas appreciated im tired of having low key food poisoning every few days lol

Replies

  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    Protein bars, jerky, almonds, bananas, apples.

    If you do have a working freezer, the options are pretty limitless. Lots of meat and veggie options, depending on if you also have a microwave/oven/stovetop, you can make pretty much anything from frozen.
  • WVWalkerFriend
    WVWalkerFriend Posts: 575 Member
    Hmmm...you can do a lot with ramen if you're ok with the carbs. Plus, rice, pasta, and oats can go along way. If you know someone who produces fresh eggs you might be able to buy fewer of those at a time. You could do canned meat like chicken and tuna. For healthy fats coconut and olive oils don't need refrigerated.
  • kaizaku
    kaizaku Posts: 1,039 Member
    Rice and pasta
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    toxikon wrote: »
    Protein bars, jerky, almonds, bananas, apples.

    If you do have a working freezer, the options are pretty limitless. Lots of meat and veggie options, depending on if you also have a microwave/oven/stovetop, you can make pretty much anything from frozen.

    yeah i probably should have added i need quick foods with little prep atleast for this week, I work every day and have no time to even properly shop ill have to swing by and grab what i can in the 10-20 mins before work i like the thought of jerky and nuts
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Peanut butter, bread, bananas, nuts, jerky, veggie chips.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Nut butters
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    And you have a high calorie goal. A bar of chocolate of some kind every day wouldn't be a problem at all.
  • Daddy78230
    Daddy78230 Posts: 125 Member
    Freeze some ice and use an ice chest to store some food. You can freeze bottles of water (minus a little off the top) to keep food cool.
  • WVWalkerFriend
    WVWalkerFriend Posts: 575 Member
    edited April 2017
    Edited because I re-read the OP and answered my own question. :p
  • KeithWhiteJr
    KeithWhiteJr Posts: 233 Member
    Go to Mcdonalds lol
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    edited April 2017
    And you have a high calorie goal. A bar of chocolate of some kind every day wouldn't be a problem at all.

    ye iv been eating lots of chocolate and stuff like cookies and fast food to try to get my diet break calories but its just not good for me so i prefer to find other ways that are healthier to take into maintenance with me XD
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    Edited because I re-read the OP and answered my own question. :p

    curious what you said lol
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    And you have a high calorie goal. A bar of chocolate of some kind every day wouldn't be a problem at all.

    ye iv been eating lots of chocolate to try to get my diet break calories but its just not good for me so i prefer to find other ways that are healthier to take into maintenance with me XD

    If you're in the US, check out the Blue Diamond flavoured almonds. They are SO good! Wasabi Soy and Habanero BBQ are my faves.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    Go to Mcdonalds lol

    i was going to today! then it started to storm and my heads going to explode so i cant be bothered walking to work lol
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    toxikon wrote: »
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    And you have a high calorie goal. A bar of chocolate of some kind every day wouldn't be a problem at all.

    ye iv been eating lots of chocolate to try to get my diet break calories but its just not good for me so i prefer to find other ways that are healthier to take into maintenance with me XD

    If you're in the US, check out the Blue Diamond flavoured almonds. They are SO good! Wasabi Soy and Habanero BBQ are my faves.

    im not in US :( now im sad that sounds so good
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    toxikon wrote: »
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    And you have a high calorie goal. A bar of chocolate of some kind every day wouldn't be a problem at all.

    ye iv been eating lots of chocolate to try to get my diet break calories but its just not good for me so i prefer to find other ways that are healthier to take into maintenance with me XD

    If you're in the US, check out the Blue Diamond flavoured almonds. They are SO good! Wasabi Soy and Habanero BBQ are my faves.

    im not in US :( now im sad that sounds so good

    Oh I see you're in Ontario. If you have a Walmart, they MIGHT be there. I live in Ontario on the American border and I sometimes see them in the Canadian Walmart.
  • WVWalkerFriend
    WVWalkerFriend Posts: 575 Member
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    Edited because I re-read the OP and answered my own question. :p

    curious what you said lol

    I missed the part about you having a freezer and wondered how you were going to make ice. Nevermind. :D
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Starkist used to make shelf-stable kits that had a pouch of tuna, a squeeze pack of mayo and some kind of crackers. Would something like that work for lunches?
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    edited April 2017
    Did someone say Ontario?

    giphy.gif
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,254 Member
    Nuts, dried fruit, nut butters.

    Bread

    Rice or ramen (since someone mentioned ramen... sodium bombs!)

    Cheese, full fat dairy, cream, ice cream

    Muffins or pretty much any baked goods

    Brownies and chocolate bars and pies

    Condiments and dressings
  • Heather4448
    Heather4448 Posts: 908 Member
    See if you can borrow a cooler from a friend. As long as you keep fresh ice in it, it's as safe as a fridge.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    Did someone say Ontario?

    giphy.gif

    I'll continue the off topicness.. I always thought you lived in London, England, Jade. I have no clue what the American and Canadian initials stand for! You lot have far too many states :lol: We have a grand total of 6 states in Australia.
  • tnm7760
    tnm7760 Posts: 109 Member
    Shredded cheese freezes and thaws easily. If you can stand bacon, you can cook it ahead of time and freeze it in strips.

    Canned chicken or tuna. Add packets of mayo (no fridge required). You could do a chicken salad style meal and add nuts for more calories.

    Canned beans (flavor with cumin and other taco seasonings), plus an avocado or guac. Over tortilla chips or in a tortilla. Add frozen shredded cheese to beans as they cook, or on top of you can thaw it a bit first. You could add lettuce, tomatoes or salsa if you had it. But it wouldn't be necessary.

    Frozen tortellini with canned pasta sauce. You *could* add precooked/frozen chicken or meatballs if you wanted. Pest is good frozen into ice cube trays, so if you opened a big container you could freeze for later instead of freezing--and it's high calorie.

    Does meat gross you out if you cook it right away? You could make a batch of chili or other soups and freeze them in individual containers. I'm less grossed out by meat (especially precooked and frozen meat) if it's in something. Or make enchiladas and freeze individually?

    Breakfast burritos. Use eggs from fridge (although they too can be frozen--just crack them into a separate little container first), frozen cheese, maybe some diced/boiled potatoes, frozen bacon or precooked sausage. You can even make these ahead in a larger batch and freeze them. You could even use potatoes or hash browns from the frozen section to cut time.

    On that same note, a breakfast hash is good. Same ingredients as burritos. Add other veggies (frozen would work, too), canned chilis, etc.

    Breakfast sandwiches. Freeze lunch meat or sausage patties if you feel you need it. But eggs and cheese are plenty if you don't want meat.

    Add cheese or guac to veggies. Nuts to salads. Beans for filling up on fiber and protein because they require no fridge. Frozen or canned veggies.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,230 Member
    Oh, I second the frozen pasta and sauces. You can buy the large bags of frozen ravioli/tortelini and just grab out the amount you need, it defrosts in the boiling water. Sauces can be frozen (and even bought) in single size serves.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Nuts, dried fruit, nut butters.

    Bread

    Rice or ramen (since someone mentioned ramen... sodium bombs!)

    Cheese, full fat dairy, cream, ice cream

    Muffins or pretty much any baked goods

    Brownies and chocolate bars and pies

    Condiments and dressings

    Im going to make sme muffins thats a really good option actually good ideas guys!!
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    Did someone say Ontario?

    giphy.gif

    I'll continue the off topicness.. I always thought you lived in London, England, Jade. I have no clue what the American and Canadian initials stand for! You lot have far too many states :lol: We have a grand total of 6 states in Australia.

    haha nope im canadian lol
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    tnm7760 wrote: »
    Shredded cheese freezes and thaws easily. If you can stand bacon, you can cook it ahead of time and freeze it in strips.

    Canned chicken or tuna. Add packets of mayo (no fridge required). You could do a chicken salad style meal and add nuts for more calories.

    Canned beans (flavor with cumin and other taco seasonings), plus an avocado or guac. Over tortilla chips or in a tortilla. Add frozen shredded cheese to beans as they cook, or on top of you can thaw it a bit first. You could add lettuce, tomatoes or salsa if you had it. But it wouldn't be necessary.

    Frozen tortellini with canned pasta sauce. You *could* add precooked/frozen chicken or meatballs if you wanted. Pest is good frozen into ice cube trays, so if you opened a big container you could freeze for later instead of freezing--and it's high calorie.

    Does meat gross you out if you cook it right away? You could make a batch of chili or other soups and freeze them in individual containers. I'm less grossed out by meat (especially precooked and frozen meat) if it's in something. Or make enchiladas and freeze individually?

    Breakfast burritos. Use eggs from fridge (although they too can be frozen--just crack them into a separate little container first), frozen cheese, maybe some diced/boiled potatoes, frozen bacon or precooked sausage. You can even make these ahead in a larger batch and freeze them. You could even use potatoes or hash browns from the frozen section to cut time.

    On that same note, a breakfast hash is good. Same ingredients as burritos. Add other veggies (frozen would work, too), canned chilis, etc.

    Breakfast sandwiches. Freeze lunch meat or sausage patties if you feel you need it. But eggs and cheese are plenty if you don't want meat.

    Add cheese or guac to veggies. Nuts to salads. Beans for filling up on fiber and protein because they require no fridge. Frozen or canned veggies.

    great ideas thanks so much for taking the time :)
  • TheCupcakeCounter
    TheCupcakeCounter Posts: 606 Member
    There are several frozen breakfast bowls and sandwiches that have good macros - I think Special K has a veggie egg white one with turkey sausage that is quite tasty).
    Since you have minimal time and prep go with some of the Healthy Choice type frozen meals to get your through - Evol and Annies have some great meatless options too.
    You can get shelf stable almond and coconut milks in individual servings and make a dairy free smoothie with frozen fruit and veg (I just put fresh baby spinach in the freezer and works really well).
    No sugar added dried fruit helps me with energy levels - apricots and mango are my go-to's.
    Ready to cook sweet potatoes nuked and topped with some shredded chicken (either store bought or homemade and then frozen) and tossed with some buffalo or bbq sauce.
    Instead of McD's I would hit Wendy's for a baked potato and chili.
    A lot of grocery stores have really nice salads for grab and go you can pick up on your way to or from work.
    Egg and veggie scramble
    Can never go wrong with a PB&J

    When you have some more time for food prep get the ingredients for the egg sandwiches and breakfast burritos to freeze for grab and go meals. I make a meatless one with refried beans, eggs, hot sauce, shredded pepper jack, and eggs scrambled with (very well drained) fresh pico de gallo/salsa.
    Make and freeze your preferred chili in individual portions to serve on a baked regular or sweet potato.
    Enchiladas, lasagna, and chicken pot pie all are easy to make ahead and freeze in individual servings. Grab the frozen container and leave in a lunch bag until time to eat - it thaws during the day but is still slightly frozen around lunch time so no need to refrigerate.
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