Meals that don’t need kitchen or refrigeration

[sonjadog]

I am away on a course Saturday -Saturday (i.e. one week) and am staying somewhere where I won’t have access to a fridge or any kitchen facilities. I don’t want to eat out all the time as it will get very expensive so am looking for meal ideas that I can have during the week.

To make things a bit more complicated, the course is in the UK and I am from another country so I will be flying in and going to a supermarket on my way. I am not familiar with what kinds of produkts are available.

Anyone got any good suggestions? Thanks!

Pick up some sliced preserved meats, chorizo, parma ham etc some bread, cheese, tomatoes, olives etc.
Non of these need refrigeration.
You could get some instant porridge pots ( if you have a kettle) and fruits for breakfast.

If you want a cheap meal head to a Wetherspoons.

Where abouts are you staying op? We might be able to give good cheap options

If you have acess to a kettle then you can get pots of porridge for breakfast and pot noodles or mug shots ( dried pasta) which you just add water too. Then supplement with fruit, salad and cooked meat, cheese etc.

I've had to manage like this previously with work. It's difficult but possible, better if you are staying somewhere that provides breakfast so you can get something hot and nutritious in the morning.
Otherwise instant porridge pots that you add boiling water, providing you have a kettle, or porridge bars for breakfast.
Lunches tuna meals, can be kept at room temperature and come in various varieties with rice, pasta or pulses. Dinner maybe instant couscous or noodles.
Plenty of fresh fruit, apples and satsumas keep well. Dried fruit and nuts.
Buy fresh salad and maybe cooked chicken for the first evening and if your room isn't too hot individual cheese portions such as baby bel are OK out of a fridge for a day or so.
If you have a mini supermarket close to you course you could perhaps shop daily so salad and deli bits for evening meal and a bag of ice to keep milk cold in the sink overnight ready for a cuppa or cereal in the morning.

Cheese without refrigeration? Will that not be horribly sweaty?

I am on an Island in North West Ireland for the week. So there are two pubs I can eat at and will (but preferably not twice a day for a week!), but apart from that I have to make do. There is a villige shop with some stuff I can get. I am travelling through Belfast so thought I could buy food at Sainsburys or Tescos on my way west.

I think I may well have a kettle. I will check that out…

Cheese will be OK at a cool temperature. Supervalu is the smaller supermarket chain in Ireland. There is likely one close to you destination.

Plenty of fruit - apples, oranges, bananas. Nuts, crisps and crackers for snacks. Agree with porridge pots for breakfast too, just add boiling water and some UHT milk.

For meals you could do sandwiches, noodles, or eat at the pub/takeaways

Tinned isle, fresh isle and bakery. Go more frequently.

North West Ireland? That’s not in the UK, your destination is the Republic of Ireland( currency is euros) v

Belfast is in Northern Ireland and part of UK ( currency is GBP)

In the Republic of Ireland, many small shops on the mainland like Centra, Spar etc will have a hot deli counter. Supermarkets too.

Good idea to pick things up in Belfast first though if you are spending time there before leaving for your destination. Village shop on an island will certainly not have as big a variety of produce.

Some things do ok out of a fridge for a day. You could pick up small packets of sliced cheese/ sliced ham/ tomatoes and make up rolls.

Good shout on the porridge pots above.

Supermarkets also sell things called ‘mug shots’ and ‘cup a soup’ that only need boiling water too. Not very filling though, and a bit artificial tasting. Wouldn’t recommend as a meal.

Other things that travel well include fruit- bananas, oranges, apples.

What kind of course takes you to a remote Irish island? Intriguing lol

Thanks for all the ideas, you have given me some good ones I haven’t thought of!

I am on an Irish language immersion course. 😊

Is this a part of your current job? If so your employer will surely pay you subsistence (food) allowance for eating out.

If it is volunteering for a role outside of your current job, then as others have said, if you have a kettle you will survive say every second day with brioche rolls (they seem to be nuked they last so long!), cake, biscuits, protein bars, yogurts (last outside the fridge for at least a day), porridge pots, super noodles, tinned salmon/sardines, etc.

I am also curious as to what you will be doing on Craggy Island (Father Ted reference).

Tory Island in the Donegal Gaeltacht? Beautiful part of the world.

I’m jealous! I’d started trying to learn Irish, but found it so hard!

It is beautiful indeed!

I do know, btw, that Donegal isn’t in the UK. I just put that I was staying in the UK in the opening post to try and be a bit vague, and I will be travelling there through NI so I will be shopping in the UK before I get there…

Other ideas for breakfast are breakfast biscuits, or you can get bags of individually wrapped brioche buns & croissants that last a few days. Sainsburys or Tesco in Belfast will stock these, in the bread aisle.
If you have a kettle in your room, have a look for boxes of sachets of instant hot chocolate, they don't need milk added and would be fine for a breakfast drink,

For lunch or dinner, look for John West tuna meals, they are with rice or beans or couscous. They come in a shallow carton with a peel off lid, so you don't need a plate, just cutlery. Perhaps pack some plastic/bamboo cutlery in your suitcase?

Babybel cheese is wrapped in wax, and fine to be out of the fridge for a day or two. Soup in a cup comes in all varieties, a good drink to warm you up! Instant noodles will be a good snack. Maybe have a look at the Sainsburys website before hand, it will speed up your shopping if you have an idea what to look for.

Have a wonderful time, Ireland is a most fantastic country with lovely friendly people.

Tuna pasta pots. Oatcakes and babybels. If you have a kettle flavoured cous cous sachets are nice put in bowl or Tupperware, cover in boiling water leave for a few minutes and it’s done. Sachets of olives or tinned corn. Bring some fruit and nuts.

Could you take an electric cool box or pick on up in Belfast? We bought one from decathlon for camping but often take them to premier inns to keep milk cold over night. They plug into the mains

I’m up for doing this course, whatever it is <glares at my noisy children>.

I’d check whether you have a kettle. Then:
porridge sachets/instant oats
fruit
crackers
Tuna / fish in tins
toms, cucumbers
Instant / kettle couscous
biscuits/snacks
coffee

You can boil eggs in a kettle

Thanks for all the advice, I have stocked up and am on my way! I have brioches, babybels, a variety of tuna based meals that you put water in, noodles etc. I will not be going hungry!

I’m too late to this, probably, but don’t forget about pot noodle type lunches. I think these are an easy way to fill up in a hotel room.

🤦‍♀️ I should have read the updates first 😅