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Healthy-ish meals made with a kettle?

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Guapa1
Guapa1 Posts: 890 Forumite
in Old style MoneySaving
I'm at my wits end trying to come up with a solution for this and I know if I'm going to get an answer anywhere it's going to be here.

I'm a cabin crew member and have been off work for many months so am really broke. I am currently budgeting myself £40 a week which would be perfect if I'm at home, but I'm not. I'll be in the States 3 times this month.

Now you're not allowed to bring in any fresh fruit of veg. You can declare things like cup soups they don't usually have a problem with that.

Room service is extortionate. Example this week I stayed in a hotel that charged $19 for a salad, which actually came up to $27.75 once they added on sales tax delivery charge and service. I was staying in the middle of no-where and there were no other shops to get something to eat. The only thing that was keeping me going was the free apples at the gym! :rotfl:
I've bought some cup a soups to take with me but does anyone have any other suggestions? I suppose I could take ramen noodles, but I'm really trying to eat healthily.

Many thanks.


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  • Gingham_Ribbon
    Gingham_Ribbon Posts: 31,520 Forumite
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    What about couscous? You can add half a stock cube, put the couscous and boiling water in a measuring jug and put the plate on top to keep the steam in, then fluff it up after about 3 minutes. It should be fine. You could have it with a drained tin of chickpeas and whatever veg you could find at the time, sliced to eat raw.

    Hmm. This is a tricky one. I'll have a look to see if there's an old thread with some more ideas.
    May all your dots fall silently to the ground.
  • Gingham_Ribbon
    Gingham_Ribbon Posts: 31,520 Forumite
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    This thread has some good ideas.

    How light are you travelling? Can you manage a small slow cooker for example?

    Can you usually find somewhere selling bread?
    May all your dots fall silently to the ground.
  • debsy42
    debsy42 Posts: 1,737 Forumite
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    When I went last year I took loads of chocolate, crisps, shortbread biscuits and a Warbys toastie loaf (for my outlaws) and sailed through no problem ;)
    ITV Winners Club #87 :eek:
  • culpepper
    culpepper Posts: 4,076 Forumite
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    Ive been looking at this very subject for things my son can make at uni(he is in catered halls but sometimes wants food outside feeding time)
    He has just a kettle.
    I made a list of things you could just add water to...
    Instant: Cereal,rice,noodles,powder soup,mash potato.
    Powdered fruit drinks,powdered milk.
    You could add tinned meat or fish.
    Dried fruit.
    Drinks like hot choc,tea,coffee.
  • Guapa1
    Guapa1 Posts: 890 Forumite
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    Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »
    This thread has some good ideas.

    How light are you travelling? Can you manage a small slow cooker for example?

    Can you usually find somewhere selling bread?

    Thank you. I guess I could invest in one. Because of that 100ml of liquid rule I always have a suitcase now.

    Bread doesn't agree with me, it make me all bloaty and stuff. Thank you about the cous cous idea though. I think I've seen one in Tescos where you just add water to a pot like pot noodle.
    debsy42 wrote: »
    When I went last year I took loads of chocolate, crisps, shortbread biscuits and a Warbys toastie loaf (for my outlaws) and sailed through no problem ;)

    They seem to check us more than the passengers! Choccie and stuff they don't mind, it's more food stuff they are concerned with. I'm nervous of bringing anything contraband in because that's my job on the line if I get caught!
    Getting there... A deal at a time. :T
  • vanoonoo
    vanoonoo Posts: 1,897 Forumite
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    Guapa1 wrote: »
    I think I've seen one in Tescos where you just add water to a pot like pot noodle.

    you can do that to the ordinary packets too - despite what the instructions say, I only ever cover with boiling water and leave for a few mins then fluff thru with a fork. adding a bit of tabsco or soy sauce makes them more interesting IMO

    you'll prob have to take a suitable bowl or jug with you tho! I have now got images of you bringing thru a steamer trunk sized case with a slocooker and microwave in it and a full set of cutlery and crockery ;)
    Blah
  • Pandora123_2
    Pandora123_2 Posts: 517 Forumite
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    You can get Ramen noodles which are baked and not fried (I've seen them at large Chinese supermarkets). Rice noodles and bean thread noodles will also cook by just pouring boiling water over them & letting them sit, and neither has any added fat. You could take bouillon powder to make soup with them. Or buy packets of instant rice noodle soup from here.

    Are you allowed to carry dried fruit & nuts, a jar of peanut butter or a tub of hummus? All healthy choices.

    You can also buy tubes and little containers of veggie pate (health food shop), which could be spread on cream crackers or Ryvita.

    For breakfast, how about granola, or packets of instant porridge oats?

    HTH

    :A

    Edit: or how about one of these? Can be used for heating tinned foods as well as boiling water, and only weighs 1.5 lbs.

    Toastess MultiPot
    I want to move to theory. Everything works in theory.
  • sandy2_2
    sandy2_2 Posts: 1,931 Forumite
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    What about tinned tuna, corned beef and instant mash. If all else fails there's Complan
    Surely there must be a local food store close to the airline's hotel
  • Gingham_Ribbon
    Gingham_Ribbon Posts: 31,520 Forumite
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    If you can buy meat/veg when you're there then a small slow cooker might be a good way to go as you can have a hot and healthy meal ready for you when you get back each day. (There's a slow cooker recipe thread I'll look out in a moment if the baby lets me...)

    Also, I suppose tinned soup could be heated reasonably well by putting an open tin inside a jug full of boiling water (like reheating baby food.) You'd have to keep changing the water till the soup was hot enough but if it's quite a tight fit, it shouldn't cool down too quickly.
    May all your dots fall silently to the ground.
  • Gingham_Ribbon
    Gingham_Ribbon Posts: 31,520 Forumite
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    Here ya go.
    May all your dots fall silently to the ground.
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