Hi, /ck/. I'm going downstate to visit my girlfriend for the weekend, and the thing is, she still lives in a college residence hall and the dining options are absolute shithouse. It's all unhealthy and unsubstantial as fuck.
I want to bring some food down with me when I visit her, but because everyone who lives in her residence hall is an asshole, I can't bring anything that needs to be refrigerated or else it WILL be stolen.
So, /ck/, do you have any suggestions for healthy foods/meals that can just be kept out at room temperature, at least for four days? I was thinking about bringing some fruit, like apples and oranges and bananas, but if there's any kind of meal that'd keep, please clue me in. Because I don't wanna eat shit all weekend, either.
>>7380791
Why does she not have a small fridge in her room?
>>7380804
This. I bought a Husky fridge in my first year of uni, 5 years and it's still going strong. Treat her to one
Reminder: If you need milk then UHT milk can be stored out of the fridge, though should be refridgerated after opening so I'd recommend buying a six pack of 250ml cartons and using up each carton. That's about a cup of milk.
Oats, rice, potatoes, capsicum (bell pepper), cucumbers. Those should keep out of the fridge for a few days if it's not summer.
>>7380804
>>7380809
The blunt truth is that at the time she moved in, she couldn't afford one due to a ton of other costs at the time, as a full-time student (music school is hell) a lot of the money she DOES make from different ensembles goes towards train tickets to see each other, food, and other small stuff.
She could save up for one now, but she wants to ollie out of the residence halls ASAP after this semester, and wouldn't NEED one anymore then. And I would've loved to have gotten her one or have given her my old one (which is probably in the basement of my parents' house) but there's no damn room in her tiny dorm and I'd also have no way of actually getting it to her. I can't take a minifridge on a train.
maybe get a cheap esky and fill it with ice. keeps stuff cold for a while.
>>7380817
When you say rice and potatoes, does that apply to cooked rice and cooked potatoes? Because I won't be able to cook anything while I'm there, I'm bringing all the food with me.
>>7380827
This seems like a good idea; my only hesitation is that it might be hard to bring it on the train (with the rest of my luggage). But I'll look for one - maybe I can just leave it with her. But when you say "for a while", would it keep stuff cold overnight? I can always replace the ice when I need to.
fruit (fresh and dried), granola bars, crackers like wheat thins, trail mix (not the kind with chocolate), mixed nuts, veggie straws, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, fruit bars, rice cakes, tea (get her a simple electric kettle if she doesn't have one)
the possibilities are endless op
>>7380791
Canned food, dude. Pretty much anything can be/is canned these days & last 5 ever. Most fresh produce will last ~a week. Bread will last a week. You really just can't buy fresh meats or frozen shit...
Buy this shit when you get there and it will last long enough too.
Also, are you tight on cash? Take your lady out a couple of nights. And bring her some homemade cookies ffs. Also some cute snacks in a vacuum sealed package. And if her laundry machine runs off coins, bring her 2 or 3 rolls.
Make ya bitch a cute little gift basket. She'll love it.
>>7380858
preservatives and excess salt tho
>>7380849
>does that apply to cooked rice and cooked potatoes?
Nah, I don't think so. I assumed you'd be cooking. Sorry.
Regarding the Esky: It's just a plastic box and they come in all sizes. Big ones have wheels like a suitcase so should be easy to transport. Small ones have handles like a picnic basket.
Just an easy temporary solution.
I have never seen a dining hall that didn't have salads and fresh fruit.
>>7380865
Anything that's not in a refrigerator at the store and still fresh can last four (4) days outside of a refrigerator when bought.
Cooked food will go bad faster than raw food without refrigeration (typically).
Baked goods will usually last a week or more.
Unless you live near the equator or are in a place in the world that is having its summer right now, something I'd advise you disclose for more accurate replies...
There's your answer.
>>7380856
She loves tea, and I got her a nice kettle a while back. She's got her own supply at her dorm, and I hate the stuff, but keep my own stash at my apartment just for her. But all of those are good suggestions, thanks. I didn't think of pumpkin seeds and fruit bars.
>>7380858
Canned food is good, but she doesn't own any pots, pans, hell, even strainers. But when there's only one tiny kitchen and communal fridge for a whole building of students and actual (unhealthy) meals are right around the corner, it's not like it's practical for her to cook. It's not like she has money to buy groceries regularly, anyway. So unless there's some canned food that tastes delicious right out of the can (and isn't fucking loaded with salt and shit like >>7380865 said) it's hard to shop.
Some context: I live in Chicago, and she lives in a southern Illinois college town. We take the train to see each other every few weeks or so (which works pretty well, since we've got busy as hell school lives). I live in my own studio apartment and public transit gives us a LOT more freedom than being stuck without a car in some glorified rural suburb. She sees me, and we go out and do things and see shows and cook wonderful meals. I see her, and...there's just not much to do - except each other (AYYYYY)
And guys, don't worry. She came up to visit me just last weekend (Valentine's Day), and it was splendid. We cooked a steak dinner together with homemade soup and had a lovely cabash of fruit and french toast for breakfast the next day. Although we DID splurge on a Valentine's pie. Cocount cream. We're weak.
But yeah, all the sweet romantic stuff was taken care of over the past few days. My business this weekend is catching her wind ensemble concert and just being all dumb and cute for four days.
But thanks for all the tips guys. I leave Thursday night so I wish I had more time to prepare but keep any and all advice coming.
>>7380890
so go grocery shopping once a week you fucking dolt
canned food is shit
>>7380887
Her dining hall has them, yeah, but it doesn't mean they're any good. Her food literally comes from the same providers that fed my high school. The salads are limp and flavorless and the fruit's small and practically bitter. And it still doesn't stop them from charging twice as much for a salad than a burger. The criminals.
>>7380890
Thanks for the bullets. I'd like to bring baked goods, but just munching on a straight-up loaf of bread all weekend isn't ideal (even if that sounds pretty delicious). And as I said before, it's the Midwest USA in winter so it's cold as a yeti's tits.
I've thought about putting meals in tupperware on her outside windowsill, but that seems unreliable and like a big mess waiting to happen.
>tfw your food gets confiscated when crossing the mexican border
