Non-refrigeration foods list

Of course, you could just purchase more solar panels and/or larger batteries, but for us frugal-types there is an alternative; going without refrigeration all together. Since power is always a concern when living on the road, either in a van or small RV, I have slowly developed my shopping-list of dry and canned foods for each meal of the day with no refrigeration needed and easy storage in mind. Now, we can go down the isle  at Walmart and find a ton of items that do not require refrigeration, but I try to eat at least semi-healthy and avoid ‘junk’ and ‘fast foods’.

What I look for in my foods

• High Protein
• High fiber
• Low Saturated fat (no trans fat)
• Complex-Carbs (no ‘white’ foods)
• Easy to store, prepare, and clean up

Breakfast

• Oatmeal, Grits, or Cream of Wheat (easy to fix with only water)
• Boxed cereals (good for snacking too)
• Powdered milk (much needed protein)
• Powdered eggs
• Pancake mix (be mindful of the dirty dishes after)
• Bread (toast)
• Fruits (fresh or canned)
• Instant coffee (less to clean)

Lunch

• Bread (sandwiches are your friend)
• Peanut butter (does not require fridge)
• Granola bars
• Canned Tuna
• Canned beans
• Chips and Pretzels
• Fruits (fresh or canned)

Dinner

• Canned soups
• Canned Chicken, Ham, Fish
• Pasta
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Instant rice (brown, not white)
• Canned beans
• Canned veggies
• Stuffing mix
• Cornbread and muffin mixes (check that it does not require milk)

If I know I am only going out for a short trip and do not need to worry about the power consumption of the fridge, then I can stock up on some of those luxuries and flip that switch on the refrigerator;

• Milk
• Raw Beef or Chicken
• V8 juice (daily fruits and veggie)
• Lunch meats
• Butter
• Yogurt

Carrying a bottle of mustard, mayo, ketchup, etc is unrealistic. Not only do they all require refrigeration, we barely use them in any real quantity. So grab a few packets of each when in your next truck-stop or deli. They require no refrigeration and take up little to no space.

Fending just for one, I can get a week’s worth of food for well under $40 that require only water and fire to prepare. Sure, you could go the more expensive route and buy prepackaged dehydrated foods, but I save those added costs for the times I am backpacking and do not have a vehicle or trailer to act as my mule.

A final point to bring up is that all these foods can easily be packaged into zip-lock baggies and carried with you on those day-hikes. Peanut-butter sandwiches are my favorite meal to have at the end of a long trail… I’m not sure why they taste so much better when you are tired and sore, but they just do.