Hello all
Seeking some help, I work overseas in Nigeria where the food is absolutely horrible and I can bring in around 100 lbs. of food . I’m in country about 30 days at a time and I have limited cooking facilities.
Any suggestions on healthy options to bring over,that. Don’t required refrigeration and taste descent?
Thanks
I’d look at stuff like dried pasta, beans, and rice which only need clean water and boiling to cook. Then I’d find some seasonings and spice packets for pasta sauces/chile/beans. Some bullion cubes for more flavor. You can add canned proteins like salmon/tuna/beef/spam/chicken, and I’d add a way to purify water like a good filter. all you’d need to cook this things would be a deep skillet/wok/large sauce pan/electric skillet. Supplement with fresh vegetables and fruits and possibly some emu eggs and hippo meat (just kidding on the eggs/meat), but surely there are local foods you can add in?
Oh, and learn some recipes before you go over…
Good luck
Assuming you have or could source a supply of clean drinking water, perhaps a bag of whey protein, maybe a bag of maltodextrin or other complex carb powder if access to a decent carb source is poor as well. Those two might give you the most bang for your macronutrient buck. They would also require very little to prep; just a shaker bottle and some water. Give yourself bonus points if you throw in a decent multivitamin to take a couple times a day.
Depending on what you may or may not have access to there, this might be a decent starting point. Not sure how much weight you’d like to allocate for other items.
Really like the two replies above. They keep it simple and create one dish dinners and what is a nice perk, it will be really clean eating. For the pastas/rice I’d do mix of whole wheat and regular pasta options. (The whole wheat offers the same values as the standard pasta but you get double the fiber). Take packaged/pouch/canned meats. Supplement your protein with some good protein powder. Take a good batch of spices. Even create some premix flavors with your base spices for any fresh meats (red, white and fish) you’ll get while in country. Take good oatmeal if you can’t get it there. A little cereal or sweet treats thrown in will be a nice splurge. Toss in a multivitamin and any additional supp you need. If you need any powdered drinks, that’s easy to throw in as well.
For your fruits and veggies, hopefully you can get what you need fresh, as often as you need to. Same for meats. But the things you take ought to be a good foundation to work with.
You will need to be creative so you don’t fall into a rut cooking the same three meals, but it can be done. And don’t be afraid to take some items that may not last but a week or two (I have tortillas in mind and thinking tacos for breakfast or dinner). Although it is only half the time you’re there, you still get the psychological benefit of enjoying that food for a little bit; it changes your menu at least for a little while.