What Food to Buy Without Refrigeration?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by JanetGroene

Don't go overboard, pardon the pun, on dehydrated items because at sea you'll probably yearn for juicy fruits and vegetables. I go for lots of variety, so include some cans of mixed Chinese vegetables and other oddball ethnic fruits and vegetables for variety.

Thanks Janet. I'm certainly not planning a full dehydrated diet, and I like your suggestion of having a variety of canned veggies. However, I can tell you that rehydrated veggies and fruits can be nearly as "juicy" as the original thing. Not as good as fresh, of course, but properly done, dried foods can come pretty close.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Thanks Janet. I'm certainly not planning a full dehydrated diet, and I like your suggestion of having a variety of canned veggies. However, I can tell you that rehydrated veggies and fruits can be nearly as "juicy" as the original thing. Not as good as fresh, of course, but a properly done, dried foods can come pretty close.

I'm not terribly familiar with dehydrated veggies, but I've had a number of dehydrated fruit, and I think it retains better flavor than canned fruit.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Chicken, once it's turned, smells incredibly nasty, but barbecuing might kill the smell. That really sounds awful.

It stinks when BBQed too..

[sctpc]

Originally Posted by NatKat

Hi JazzyO,
This is a off topic "trash vs. refrigeration". But to fine-tune ... there is re-cycling and garbage. I aim for zero waste (not saying I hit the mark ... just that I try)

Zero waste means that all end-products can either be RE-CYCLED or RE-USED. For example when I buy a packet of felafel mix, the cardboard can be re-cycled. Good. The plastic baggie becomes garbage. Bad. When I buy from bulk bins, I re-use those plastic baggies a few times before they become "garbage". I re-use all plastic yogurt containers multiple times. The few times I buy canned foods, the cans go straight to garbage b/c I can't figure a use for them and they don't really recycle like aluminum, glass, and paper. So I rarely buy cans.

Apologies for going off-topic and getting so enthusiastic about trash, but I am one of those people who is horrified by the impact of plastic on ocean life and the floating island of plastic refuse in the pacific. I try to do small things and encourage others.
I honestly don't mean to be all soap-box or whatnot ... but I like that old saying: waste not want not.
Now ... back to refrigeration vs. no refrigeration ...
cheers,
NatKat

Nat Kat you are correct especially on a boat Try not to have any garbage (different reason) as if you cant get rid of it, it starts to stink, take up room ect. I don't believe in useing the sea as a bin.

On land it is easy we have recycling so everything can go there.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by sctpc

Nat Kat you are correct especially on a boat Try not to have any garbage (different reason) as if you cant get rid of it, it starts to stink, take up room ect. I don't believe in useing the sea as a bin.

On land it is easy we have recycling so everything can go there.

There is recycling in 1st world countries but not so much in the tropical cruising grounds. When you set off to the tropics, you need to reset all your previous experience and think it all over again in the context of the new territory.

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Would you agree that people on boats, especially at sea when it is more difficult to clean utensils thoroughly, should have a separate cutting board for raw chicken?

I heard that, but never done it, and never got sick. Yet. Touchwood.

On our boat we have faith in the power of saltwater to kill all nasties, and clearly faith works

I do think that sailors need to harden up a little and quit worrying so much. A bit like the six second rules when you drop a sausage on the ground when camping. Hell, if you pick it up before six seconds, then the nasties don't have time to hop on board. Any longer than that then the dog's polished it off anyway, so it's a moot question.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

I heard that, but never done it, and never got sick. Yet. Touchwood.

On our boat we have faith in the power of saltwater to kill all nasties, and clearly faith works

I do think that sailors need to harden up a little and quit worrying so much. A bit like the six second rules when you drop a sausage on the ground when camping. Hell, if you pick it up before six seconds, then the nasties don't have time to hop on board. Any longer than that then the dog's polished it off anyway, so it's a moot question.

ROTFL!

but you make a valid point. Honestly I tend to think of nutritionists as "food Nazis." They have us terrified to eat a tablespoon of mayonnaise (from the fridge, it's still gonna kill you! All the mayonnaise!!!!!) ... and yet crammed margerine down our throats.

I have a friend who is a healthy food nut. I think an alarm goes off on her watch, and she brings out her handful of carefully measured almonds, or blueberries, or pulls a cooked, cold sweet potato out of her purse and eats it like an apple. She is convinced these things will keep her alive and healthy for a very long. And ... at about 70, she IS very healthy. And yet we know no one lives forever.

She goes to all this trouble -- and doesn't buckle her seat belt (and by the way, she's a truly terrible driver).

But food poisoning out at sea -- not wanting to play that game, and even in my very minimalist galley, one more skinny, plastic cutting board doesn't take up much space.

We are all going to, in the end, throw a big party where everyone comes except us and says wonderful things about us. That's how it will be. But meanwhile, I'd rather do "what I can" to skip the food poisoning. I'm not going to go so far as to eat a cold sweet potato when I could have a hot one -- WITH BUTTER!!!!

[sailcruiser]

Ok not getting into mayo wars as I don't eat it. For meat may I suggest considering canned? This place shows their labels online which is meat, water and salt :

http://www.werlingandsons.com/products

It might help fill in the gap of veggies and lentils if you eat meat.
SC

[Crimea Cruiser]

Now what was the OP's original question???

Popcorn. It lasts forever and can be made in a jiffy even without microwave. Try the non mayo varities!

[tamicatana]

Quite a few South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines have evolved without refrigeration

Indian foods are a good nonreefer choice: ghee, dried beans and lentils, onions, coconut milk (can get powdered), dried spices

Viet foods: banh xeo (rice flour and turmeric in coconut milk batter crepe); banh trang rice paper for wraps, just dip in water and place on damp towel. stuff and go; rice noodles that instead of boiling you can soak; Chinese style sausages (lap cheong) which aren't refrigerated until opening; fish sauce...

I seem to remember a prior discussion in the food fora...

[virginia boy]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

I heard that, but never done it, and never got sick. Yet. Touchwood.

On our boat we have faith in the power of saltwater to kill all nasties, and clearly faith works .

IMHO a spritz from a spray bottle of bleach is the safest and most practical method of sterilizing kitchen stuff. I'm surprised this solution hasn't been discussed previously. Especially If I've been cutting meat, I'll use a bleach solution to clean the kitchen counters, cutting boards, faucets, and door handles. I also occasionally spray bleach into the bilge and in those recessed, mildew prone areas. The head always gets bleached if guests have been aboard.

Bleach is my friend.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Smokingator

Mayo will not go bad at room temperature. It is indeed all about cross contamination. The only reason that Hellman's recommends to refrigerate after opening is because it will separate. I am sorry that any of you got sick. At the same time it is fallacious of those who say it is OK because they did not get sick. That is not science. What are my credentials? PhD in food science, former senior director of Green Giant technology & engineering and Consumer Service Laboratories, group that invented River Ranch Dressing, former director of research Florida Dept of Citrus food safety and nutrition, team leader Univ of California that invented peeled baby carrots. Member of original USDA team that developed first HAACP food safety regulations. I know food science. Mayo unrefrigerated by itself will NOT sicken you. Regardless of the eggs. It is impossible. It would be something else. The same for peanut butter. If you get sick, it is because you were not careful and there was cross contamination.

I only use squeeze tubes so no cross contamination , my hellmans lives in the boat cupboard all summer .

Dave

[Kestle]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

PS -- don't count on a 3-M sponge and elbow grease to get a cutting board clean -- ask any chef in a restaurant open to the publice would happen to them if the Board of Health found out they were doing that.

What THEY do is keep the chicken separate from the other food in every way possible, because salmonella is incredibly common in chickens. Still scrub it really well using bleach, because you don't want to contaminate one chicken with another.

Or don't. Count on a scrubby but don't be surprised if you and/or your guests get sick.

On any long cruise, two gallons of bleach are a must. I always put a capful into the rinse water.

After many years of camping and cruising, our family has never been sick.

Jeff

[sctpc]

Maybe a stupid question, but. Has anyone tried to vacuum seal fresh fruit and or veggies? If so did it last longer or not?

[Abrain]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I really like tuna salad and chicken salad. I can survive chicken salad made from canned chicken, but not without mayo.

I don't like dry sandwiches, and I don't like mustard ...

I don't eat tons of mayo (hence why the jar has lasted so long).

I understand people's fears about it. I know it's not true, but I understand people have really been indoctrinated on this one.

In short, I understand why, once some clever French person made the first mayonnaise, the notion spread. Yum.

have you tried using coconut oil? My wife uses it and it makes for a pretty good substitute in tuna salad etc. Ill ask her how she does it