Quest for the One Can Meal

[Weyalan]

An amusing little research project. But why? I can think of no circumstance where I would choose to have a one-can meal, ever. I can't really even think of any circumstances where I would be forced, by circumstance, to have a one-can meal.

[I.Grind]

Franco American Ravioli-o's. Ravioli in Spaghetti-o's sauce. Better than Chef Boy Ar Dee. Even good cold.

Most any Progresso products are pretty tasty too. They are good about not going overboard on the salt.

Swanson used to make a canned Chicken-ala-King that was really good, but I haven't seen it in years. But you need to dump it over something so it's not really a complete meal in a can. I liked it over toast.

Other than that there is doctoring to be done. Nothing else I could qualify as a complete meal.

I had a roommate who had just gotten out of the army once. He was addicted to 9-lives Turkey Dinner. He proved to me beyond a reasonable doubt that it was labeled as turkey spread in his MREs.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

An amusing little research project. But why? I can think of no circumstance where I would choose to have a one-can meal, ever. I can't really even think of any circumstances where I would be forced, by circumstance, to have a one-can meal.

We were delivering a 23 sports cruiser 165 miles along a choppy English Channel, shouldn't have really been out in the conditions but we were. Fired off a pair of hot can heated meals for lunch. Tasted absolutely terrible but we needed something warm and easy. No chance of cooking down below in those conditions doing 20 knots.

Pete

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by Pete7

We were delivering a 23 sports cruiser 165 miles along a choppy English Channel, shouldn't have really been out in the conditions but we were. Fired off a pair of hot can heated meals for lunch. Tasted absolutely terrible but we needed something warm and easy. No chance of cooking down below in those conditions doing 20 knots.

Pete

I have a cheap vacuum sealer. I pre-prepare and vac seal hearty wholesome meals. They can be heated in the sealed bag by dropping in boiling water for a few minutes (use a pressure cooker in a seaway, with the seal-knob off). Cut the top of the bag off and eat (no need for washing up except a spoon).

[Emmalina]

make your own....Easy guides to canning your own foods - Survival Mom

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

but things are going to be pretty bad before I ever eat another MRE. Probably a good thing to have in a life raft or ditch bah

I agree. Australian Army MREs obviously were different, but not better, anything fresh is best.

[Dave Chapman]

try a can of veg beef soup ... add an extra can of water and put a pack of ramen noodles in it ...add the seasoning ... thickens up and makes a rib sticking meal

[JPA Cate]

Weyalan,

If you ever go far offshore, like to the Solomons, for instance, it's a case of bring it or doin't have it to eat or drink. So one relies on stuff in tins for survival, and then it's whatever you can tolerate that is commercially prepared. Some tinned fruits meet the bill for me; you can make your own yoghurt, and season them to taste. But the acceptable meal in a tin is very rare, indeed. We can tolerate some of the French made, lentilles garnis, or haricots garnis, but --it's strictly from hunger!

Ann

[hellosailor]

Ramen noodles, purina geek chow. Any oriental market will have plain "angel hair" rice noodles at 1/10th the cost, without all the unhealthy salt and fat. (Ramen noodles are actually high fat, fried.)

In prepacked polluting foam cups, ramen are certainly convenient but it is easy to do better. In flavor, nutrition, health, and price.

In an anglo supermarket you get brands like Annie Chung's rice noodles, $3.69 for a four?-ounce bowl. Oriental market, $2 for two pounds in a plain plastic bag. Rice noodles, bean noodles, wheat noodles, all kinds.

[RainDog]

Trader Joe's is king of the one 'can' meal. But I doubt OP has that as an option.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Ramen noodles, purina geek chow. Any oriental market will have plain "angel hair" rice noodles at 1/10th the cost, without all the unhealthy salt and fat. (Ramen noodles are actually high fat, fried.)

In prepacked polluting foam cups, ramen are certainly convenient but it is easy to do better. In flavor, nutrition, health, and price.

In an anglo supermarket you get brands like Annie Chung's rice noodles, $3.69 for a four?-ounce bowl. Oriental market, $2 for two pounds in a plain plastic bag. Rice noodles, bean noodles, wheat noodles, all kinds.

Super tip.

Many thanks to all. I've filed away a couple of pages of content.

Thanks to the OP for the very entertaining videos.

[RigelKent]

These are great. Tasty, ready to eat and with a shelf life of a year:

St Dalfour Gormet Meals to Go:
St Dalfour, Gourmet Meals, Grocery - Health Products, Buy Online

[NRosenthal]

One Bag Meal?
This is what I do.
cip.bz

[jongleur]

Someone posted about "unhealthy salt and fat."

Y'know, 10 years from now we're all going to look back and
say, "How could I have thought salt and fat were
unhealthy."

Mark my words. LCHF You'll know what it means by then.

[RainDog]

Originally Posted by jongleur

Y'know, 10 years from now we're all going to look back and
say, "How could I have thought salt and fat were
unhealthy."

Actually we are already there with fat. It seems pretty clear at this point that running from fat for the past 30 years has done far more harm than good, and that the diet it has pushed us to if far worse than a hight fat diet.

Salt on the other hand.... I don't think that will happen.