Make Dinner Without a Kitchen

Whether you’re on the road, staying in a hotel, or remodeling your kitchen, you may need to make a meal without access to all of the luxuries of a modern kitchen. Remember to stock up on nonperishable food items and purchase only what you can consume in one sitting for foods that require refrigeration. You can even try utilizing the tools around you (like a coffee machine or clothes iron) to cook your dinner.

Steps

Changing Your Shopping Habits

1. Purchase fewer items on more frequent shopping trips. One of the key strategies for cooking without a kitchen is to buy smaller quantities more often. Instead of stocking up on everything you’ll need for a week or two, make smaller purchases and more frequent trips to the store.
   • For fresh items, purchase only what you can eat without refrigerating.
2. Buy dried or canned goods. If you don’t have a kitchen that probably means you don’t have a refrigerator. To keep your food from spoiling, you should consider purchasing items that don’t need to be refrigerated – like canned goods or dried food.
   • Dried fruits, rice cakes, nuts, canned vegetables, canned meat (tuna, chicken, etc.), peanut butter, and honey are great options for making dinner or a snack without a kitchen.
3. Purchase pre-cooked protein. Without a kitchen, there’s no way to cook your meat or other protein sources. You can find pre-cooked shrimp, lobster, or chicken in most grocery stores. You can even purchase some smoked tofu to add to your meals for a nice source of protein.
   • Remember that even pre-cooked meat needs to be refrigerated, so only purchase what you want to eat that day.
4. Get creative. If you’re staying in a hotel, you might have access to a coffee maker or clothes iron that you could use to cook some food. You can use the coffee pot to boil water to make instant rice, ramen noodles, boil eggs, or even to add hot water to instant packages (like mashed potatoes).
   • You can wrap a sandwich or quesadilla in aluminum foil and apply the clothes iron to heat it up and melt the cheese.

Making Entrees Without a Kitchen

1. Make a large salad. Purchase enough fresh veggies and condiments for one meal, whether it’s just for you or for your family and guests also. Rinse all of the produce in the sink (even in the bathroom sink is fine, as long as it’s clean) and let them dry on a paper towel or napkin.
   • Choose a variety of lettuce types, add some pre-cooked grilled chicken, and throw in some extras like cashews, sliced avocado, pre-cooked boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, sliced bell peppers. Top with a tasty vinaigrette dressing.
2. Throw together some easy tacos. Purchase a small bag of shredded cheese, a small container of salsa, some taco shells, a package of pre-cooked chicken, and a bit of shredded lettuce. You can combine all of these together to make some delicious tacos without the use of any kitchen devices.
   • You can also consider adding some other vegetables to create a more flavorful finished product – like jalapenos, peppers, or even some avocado.
3. Make gourmet sandwiches. Purchase some bread, some sliced deli meat, sliced cheese, and a dressing or condiment of your choice. You might consider adding Dijon mustard or light mayonnaise. Add some lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and a pickle wedge.
   • Remember to only purchase what you can use that day. Any leftover meat or cheese will need to be refrigerated.
   • If you want something a little more simple, you can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Consider adding sliced bananas to peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

Making Side Dishes and Snacks Without a Kitchen

1. Make a broccoli salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of mayonnaise, {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of sour cream, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar, {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of chopped broccoli, one {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} can of sliced water chestnuts, one minced clove of garlic, 3 tablespoons of dried cranberries, and a dash of pepper. Mix the ingredients together and serve.
   • You can make this recipe healthier by using low-fat mayonnaise and reduced-fat sour cream.
2. Create a meat and cheese platter. This is a nice, filling addition to any meal that involves no cooking. Simply prepare an assortment of sliced meats and cheeses, with accompanying bread or crackers. You can even add some pickled veggies for additional flavor options.
   • Try including some sliced prosciutto, sliced turkey, some salami, sliced provolone and asiago cheese, and some gherkins, cocktail onions, and artichoke hearts.
   • Don’t forget to include some nice bread (like a French-style baguette) to accompany the meat and cheese.
3. Purchase some pre-made side dishes. Most grocery stores have an assortment of pre-packaged side dishes all ready to go. Consider purchasing something served cold so you won’t need to heat it up – like macaroni salad, potato salad, pasta salad, chips and salsa or guacamole, or even a lentil salad.
   • Remember that some of these items should be refrigerated after opening, so avoid purchasing more than you can eat in one sitting.

Related Articles

• Survive Without Cooking
• Make a Fabulous Dinner
• Cook Food in a Hotel Room
• Make Homemade Food

Sources and Citations

See also

• Follow a Recipe when You Don't Have All the Ingredients
• Make a Citrus Glaze (for Baking)
• Pan Fry
• Make Stocks for Soups and Sauces
• Substitute Commonly Used Ingredients
• Cook Sponge Cucumber
• Boil Artichokes
• Make Half‐Popped Popcorn
• Cube Sweet Potatoes
• Reduce Prep Time when Cooking

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