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Out of town make ahead meals

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    Out of town make ahead meals

    Hey everyone I'm looking for some awesome, somewhat healthy meals I can make ahead of time to eat put of town. I'm an electrician traveling away from home and sick of eating out for every meal . I have access to a microwave and a charcoal grill, what you guys thunk?

    #2
    Chicken,herbs and olive oil

    Comment


      #3
      The new coolers can hold things cold for 5 days these days now. So you have a whole slew of things you can bring with you. Pork chops on the grill with a salad. The chicken above. A steak if you want. Throw a baked potato in the micro wave, they take about 6 minutes. I am sure you will get lots more ideas.

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        #4
        With a microwave and a cooler, you options are great. Add a vacuum sealer and you are golden. Anything that you can cook, seal, and reheat in a microwave is doable.

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          #5
          I use the weekends to make large meals and take leftovers to work all week. All I ever use at work is the microwave. Casseroles are good, or really any similar dish that you can spoon into a smaller container for single portions. Other ideas: meatloaf, pulled pork, soups and stews. Healthy kind of depends, but in my opinion lean meats and heavy on the vegetables.

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            #6
            I was looking for something else and saw this thread. I try to eat light at lunch and save my big meal of the day for dinner. I don't eat breakfast. I'm with you that I get sick of eating out and since you have a microwave, you can heat up a lot of things quickly. Then you have time to read a book or scroll through AmazingRibs.com. I don't like microwaving meats because I cook to med. rare and when you heat it up in a microwave, it becomes med. well. So here are a couple of light ideas:

            Soup & Crackers or bread. I make soup all the time. Cheap, good, good for you with all those veggies and nutrients and liquid takes up a lot of room in the belly.

            Stews and Gumbos. Just like above, but a bit more hearty.

            Salads and I add cubed meat (pork, steak, or chicken, etc.) from my left over dinner. I usually buy prepared salads from Trader Joes and then add cold cubed meat. Healthy and you still get some protein.
            Last edited by TripleB; September 10, 2019, 01:44 PM.

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              #7
              My wife and I will get a Kentucky Legend ham and slice it. We will then portion it in freezer bags and freeze them. They make for easy warm up meals.

              I am a fan of one pot, one skillet, etc... meals. They are usually good and easy to warm up. We have a Mexican style one skillet meal we really like to make from time to time.

              Grilled chicken breast are pretty versatile from salads to sandwiches.

              I also make a ale a chia seed fruit cup that I take with me. I use the ball jelly jars.

              -Fill the jar 1/2 - 3/4 with pieces of frozen fruit (my favorite is a pineapple and strawberry mix).
              -1 to 2 tbsps of chia seed (I recommend starting with 1 to 1.25 and adjust to a consultancy you like after you have tried it.)
              -fill the jar with a fruit juice or coconut water. I like passion fruit juice. The pineapple orange juice is good too.
              -Stir and put in the fridge overnight.

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                #8
                Ernest Take a look at how "The Man, The Legend" himself does it. Ernest is for realzies.

                How about Sous Vide and grill with that charcoal. Or Put a cast iron on them coals.

                or how about a burger, Boom... easy money there. Travel well my friend. Butter and herbs will do you some good too.

                Comment


                • Troutman
                  Troutman commented
                  Editing a comment
                  You forgot he "myth" part. Since we've never actually SEEN Ernest, I think it's apropos

                #9
                With a charcoal grill you are golden. I would do what others say and take some frozen prepped foods for grilling. If your charcoal grill has a lid (like a Weber), you can pre-make casseroles and take a small Dutch Oven with you, baking at the temp you like. Microwaving leftovers is best with a wet paper towel over the top. However, your choices are literally limitless with a dutch over, a covered charcoal grill and the materials needed to clean it afterwards.

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                • HouseHomey
                  HouseHomey commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Who dat? How you doing my friend?

                • tbob4
                  tbob4 commented
                  Editing a comment
                  HouseHomey - doing well. It has been a busy year and a half. My dad has had a back surgery and hip replacement. Mom has had a hip replacement. I have been spending time taking care of them in an area where internet (Verizon hot spot) is sketchy. In between, I have been working for Butte Co. doing a couple of different jobs. Believe it or not, I am actually retired! Doesn't feel like it. I have been BBQ'ing - lots of grilling. I miss the daily interactions.

                • HouseHomey
                  HouseHomey commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Been missing you around here. Glad the Co. has had some slots. Helps with the grilling and peace of mind a bit I’d imagine. Sounds like mom n dad are as well as can be expected. I surely hope that’s the case. Happy to see you lerking. been lurking myself, 60 hour weeks will do that. Peace brother.

                #10
                Chili always makes fer an easy leftovers meal...

                Comment


                • Razor
                  Razor commented
                  Editing a comment
                  As long as you aren't working in a confined space, lol.

                #11
                I take cans of sardines in olive oil. I know that sounds bad, but I actually love them right out of the can.

                Spinach or broccoli salads are a regular side for me on the road. They are easy to make and you can always find stuff at gas stations to add to your salad. I will also take pulled pork on the road too. It always reheats well and you can use it to make a ton of different stuff.

                Comment


                  #12
                  If ya got a sous vide method and maybe a fridge, yer gold.

                  What is healthy to you? Keto? Low Fat? High protein? Plant based? That's such a complicated idea in our complicated times...

                  With charcoal grill, the protein world is your oyster. There really isn't an animal that doesn't have some portion or some wholeness that can't be prepped pretty simply and made magical by charcoal cooking. Steaks... if you want keto, it's ribeyes and strips. If you want low fat, it's filets and sirloins. If you want to go for some bigger flavor, skirts are amazing (yes, I am the pit's leading butcher cut evangelist).

                  For make aheads, anything you can make in an instantpot/crock pot/dutch oven can profitably be stored and brought back to life in the science oven (microwave). Chili, rice, braised chicken stuff... braised short ribs... I will leave what is healthy to you.


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                    #13
                    I saw this just today. If You travel a lot get yourself a sous vide stick and a small induction burner......

                    Comment


                    • Craigar
                      Craigar commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Dude, when are you going to write your Traveler's Cooking Guide?

                    • Ernest
                      Ernest commented
                      Editing a comment
                      LOL!! Craigar won't that get me banned in certain hotels?

                    • Craigar
                      Craigar commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Ernest Just don't use your name or list the hotels/motels and you should be okay.

                    #14
                    Honestly, I’d focus on one-pot meals that can be prepped at home, travel well in a good Yeti-like cooler, and cooked on the road in something like an Instant Pot. I’d forego SV on the road unless you’ve got plenty of time to wait for SV to work it’s magic (I’m a huge SV fan, BTW). Consider SV to be part of the at-home-prep instead.

                    Comment


                      #15
                      Make ahead meals for on the road --
                      I'm generally not in the mood to cook a lot nor to wash dishes when traveling, so I focus on stuff I can warm up in a microwave and still get a nice home-cooked meal. I will divide the food into 1 or 2 meal portions to freeze. When packaging to freeze, I want the packages to be as flat as possible for efficient storage and also so they thaw faster.

                      Main dishes or 1 pot meal --
                      Grilled burgers
                      Grilled chicken parts.
                      Cooked tri tip or other steak, sliced thin for sandwiches.
                      Chili or bean and ham soup or other hearty soups/stews.
                      Pot roast with roasted veggies in 1 package. Noodles or rice in a second package. Warm up separately and then combine.
                      Carnitas or pulled pork to eat on tortillas with whatever fresh veggies are available
                      Mac and cheese with ham or other meat. Pasta freezes best if not overcooked.

                      Fresh veggies, fruits, etc. --
                      Layered green salad with lettuce, peas, shredded carrot, cabbage, etc. Choose veggies that are fairly dry for longest life. Can top this salad with sliced meat and eat as a salad or can wrap some in a tortilla with carnitas or pulled pork
                      Firm melon cut up in bite-size cubes and stored in a zip top bag
                      Cherries or grapes washed and well drained, grapes cut into portion-sized clusters, stored in a zip top bag
                      Tortillas -- they stay fresher longer than bread or buns
                      Favorite condiments in small containers -- salsa, sour cream, mustard, etc.

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