Okay, I know the shelf stable foods are generally not the most popular, but am wondering which ones people tend to like best of the shelf stable options.

I am going camping for 8 nights next month and am trying to think ahead about what I can bring.

So far of the shelf stable I've had:

chicken corn chowder (meh....not so bad doctored up but pretty bland as is...I'd get it again but not be excited to eat it)

rotini & meatballs (i know most seem to like this one but I found the sauce too sweet and the meat chef boyardee-ish)

Zesty tortellini soup - this one I like a lot

Tuna salad kit - call me weird but I like this. Have not tried the chicken yet

My weekly staple is the SW chicken with beans and rice. I love it as is, although it's a little sticky. Might be good made into a soup!

Hubby loves the rotini. To change the sauce a little, you might mix in a can of Rotel tomatoes with chilis.

He also likes the swedish meatballs.

The cookout chicken and beans aren't bad. I'd doctor it up with my own bbq sauce and again, maybe some Rotel.

I haven't tried the new fiesta chicken kit, but am looking forward to it. I like all of the salad kits personally. If you like the tuna, you should like the others too.

I also like the lentils with beef. I grew up eating lentils, so it's a familiar flavor for me. I'm sure some don't care for it.

I like the southwest chicken made into a taco salad, the rotini with sauteed mushrooms and a little parmesan cheese, the swedish meatballs w/ spoonful of FF sour cream (makes it taste like stroganoff), the turkey chili made into a taco salad, the cookout chicken & beans, the chicken pasta parm w/ extra parmesan, and the lentils & beef volumized with a curry sauce made of tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, chilis, & graham masala.

In other words, most of them taste pretty decent if you doctor them up and volumize.

Have a great trip!

Take care,
Angela

I really like tha pasta fagioli. I sprinkle it with a little bit of low fat cheese once it's cooked.

Thanks everyone! I did have the cookout chicken and beans last night and liked it quite a bit even as is. I might add a bit of zestier bbq sauce next time but it was good I thought, with a salad.

Tonight I'm trying the sweet and sour chicken and will see what I think. Tommorrow's lunch is beef stroganoff.

Am trying to work in the shelf stable foods as I go along so I know which ones I want to bring camping. It wouldn't be any fun camping if I get there and don't like my food!

So far my favorite is the pasta fagioli. I volumized it with a can of green beans. I know it sounds weird but it was actually very good!

I didn't care for the chicken and rice pantry entree. Thought it was very thick and pasty.

Hope you have a great trip Carol!

Rotini and Meatballs!! I open it up.....take a can of rotell tomatoes and saute fresh zuc,onions,mushrooms and then add them together and let it simmer.......delish!!!!!

b'fast: complete start cereal, oatmeal raisin square

lunch: sw chicken and rice, fajita chicken salad kit, tortellini soup

dinner: lentils w/beef, cookout chicken & beans

What great new ideas I saw from you guys!
Thanks for posting this topic Carol- I'm going to try some of these.
I really like the turkey chili and lentils with beef. And I really like camping!

happy losing!
jane

I, too, really enjoy the Tuna Salad Kit but have yet to try the chicken.

Hands-down favorite of the shelf-stable foods has got to be the Southwestern Chicken with Rice. I mix it into a big spinach salad with onions, carrots, cukes, and tomatoes. Yummm!

The most disgusting IMHO is the Swedish Meatballs...NO matter HOW MUCH it gets doctored-up! : P

Since I'm building up a supply for our hurricane season, I've tried almost all the shelf-stable foods, but the bottom line is your own personal taste AND the way you choose to volumize that particular meal.

Thank you so much everyone!

As someone here suggested, yesterday I tried the southwestern chicken and rice on top of a salad and it was delish. I added fresh cilantro and fresh (rather than canned) salsa as my dressing.

it was amazingly good. Will definitely bring it camping as it was also no cooking or heating required!

I have tried the chicken salad kit now and like that too. The swedish meatballs was okay with mushrooms and ff sour cream added but not fabulous. I just don't like the taste of canned meat.

I do like the cheese ravioli. I was at a theme park all day and had a cooler in the car with lunch stuff and dinner veggies and just left the ravioli on the dashboard of my car all day. It was great, nice and hot for dinner LOL and made a great meal with a big salad.

The turkey chili is good. I still have a ton of the chili con carne left over...so if you have any of that I'd suggest that as well. And the pasta fagioli is awesome. (The Swedish meatballs was the first thing I tried and both hubby and I thought they were disgusting..so I've never tried them a second time.. and I can't get over my mental hurdle to try the cookout chicken. Something about a chicken breast that does not need refrigerated just grosses me out.)

The Turkey Chili is great done this way--

First cook it up as is. Then break apart 1 slice of Kraft FF cheddar cheese. Mix in well. Then add several tbsps of canned green chilis (depending on how spicy you like it). Mix in and I usually nuke for another 20 - 30 secs to bring flavors together. If you want, you could even add some Rotel tomatoes with chilis but I like it the other way.
Sandi