Just add hot water

Hey there,

I work at a place with no cooking facilities, the only thing they have is a kettle.

I do like a hot meal at lunch time, it’s cold here in the uk and it’s just not salad weather!

For the last week The night before I’ve been adding rice noodles, miso paste, spinach, sweetcorn and tofu to a soup bowl and at lunch time I just add boiling water ... a few minutes later it’s a pretty good miso type soup for 150 cals that’s actually reasonably filling ..

This is great but I need more ideas??

i know there are the instant Cup type noodles as generally just empty calories and are usually about 300 cals each ..

Or instant soup but again they tend to be very empty and not very filling.

Anyone get any other ideas for warm dishes that only need hot water?

Replies

  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Could you bring a mini crockpot to warm your lunch? I have one, and it's awesome for transporting and warming all sorts of healthy dishes.
  • ktsj2015
    ktsj2015 Posts: 65 Member
    No sadly not there isn’t anywhere we would be allowed to plug it in
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,033 Member
    edited February 2020
    It's a bit convoluted, but could you perhaps improvise a little bain marie? Fill a bowl with boiling water and put a smaller bowl in the hot water to heat up anything you want?

    Another very easy option using hot water is couscous. You can prepare all the ingredients beforehand (vegetables, raisins,... whatever you like) and then just add hot water to cook the coucous and add salt, pepper,...
  • Antiopelle
    Antiopelle Posts: 1,184 Member
    You could make a bowl of couscous. Add hot water, cover with a plate and let it sit for 5 minutes, then add veggies, shredded meat, herbs to your liking.
  • katsheare
    katsheare Posts: 1,025 Member
    Of if you make your own soups, you can cook some down so it's more condensed, take that into work and add hot water to it (might end up being a bit more water than you like...) Also, if you are doing the improvised bain maire idea, heat the larger container, drain that and then do the hot water and submerged item (also works with things in zip loc-type bags - in case you want something like baked beans for lunch!!)
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,308 Member
    MRE. Aka ready to eat meals (dehydrated meals)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    I see lots of options on Amazon for "just add hot water meals" (and lots of irrelevant results).

    How about you go to several different supermarkets and see what they have in the soup, cereal, and pasta aisles?

    Also, MREs.
  • eryn0x
    eryn0x Posts: 138 Member
    First of all... what kind of place has only a kettle, and not even a microwave? Agree about using thermos's. You could also do savoury quick oat meals? I mean it's not easy... I would be really rattled if I had to heat all my food with water!!!!!
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
    eryn0x wrote: »
    First of all... what kind of place has only a kettle, and not even a microwave? Agree about using thermos's. You could also do savoury quick oat meals? I mean it's not easy... I would be really rattled if I had to heat all my food with water!!!!!

    My husband works as an electrician and sometimes he winds up at sites that have no heating facilities. I agree with the above response of a good old fashioned thermos with homemade soup.