Anyone got any good ideas what to buy that can be eaten without cooking or opening refrigerator?

[politicat]

105. We just did our annual prep

I just did the resupply, so this was an easy cut and paste. (Except for the explanatory notes)

This is for two people for 10 days, and 2 cats, and assumes that at some point, we will have to do heavy manual labor (like limb cutting, snow removal or sand bagging). If we don't actually have work to do, it will last up to three weeks (assuming we can use snow for water or we never lose water pressure).

This is the shelter in place kit, and assumes that a) we're home and the pantry isn't bare, b) we have whatever bread and fresh fruit/veg is in the house (generally, when the power cuts out during a storm, I open the freezer once and pull out two loaves, transfer 3-5 bags of frozen veg and whatever strikes my fancy to an igloo - worst case, I have to toss $5 of veg.) and that we have our small propane stove or that the gas is still on, even if the electricity is out. We also keep several blocks of ice in the freezer, as well as the cold ice cream freezer thing, so that's another source of cold.

Everything but the water and the cat litter fits in a 20 gal Rubbermaid tub, so it's also part of our bug-out kit, assuming we have to evacuate (for wildfire or flood.)

This list is tailored to our preferences -- i.e. I hate vienna sausage, but partner likes them. We both like spicy, but have different heat tolerances (and tabasco bottles are tiny.) We're more likely to have to shelter in place due to blizzards, so our bigger concern is staying warm (in our case, loss of power means loss of heat because our gas furnace uses an electric blower. Our house is well insulated, and will maintain +50 degrees for several days even in single digit weather, but if we're locked in by weather AND lose power for more than 96 hours, we move our kit and bedding into the master bathroom - it's the smallest room in our house so easiest to keep warm.) We usually have celery, apples, bananas, tomatoes and carrots in the house; all will last several days without refrigeration and can be eaten raw. (We usually have other vegetables, too, but most either require cooking, aren't so good raw, or don't last.)

6 tuna
6 chicken
6 devilled chicken
6 vienna sausages
1 small velveeta
2 boxes pre-cooked bacon
1 large peanut butter
1 jar jam
1 box matzo (wrap in damp paper towel for 5 minutes - gets flexible. Makes a decent grilled cheese.)
1 box wheat crackers
1 box ritz
1 box Melba toast - these are preference issues -- otherwise, just a couple boxes of crackers would do.
4 cans navy beans ( for hummus - drain 1 can of beans, put in zip bag with some olive oil, dash lemon juice, sprinkle of garlic, dash Tabasco. (Add a spoon of tahini if you got it.) Seal, squish, check flavor. Squish more. Check flavor. Eat with crackers. WILL NOT be smooth, but it will be tasty.)
2 cans refried beans
2 boxes tostada shells (flat, so easier than taco shells. Less smashable than chips.)
1 lb potato flakes
1 lb dry milk
14 shelf-stable individual milk boxes - preference thing again. Dry milk isn't for everyone.
1 box rice crispies
1 box shredded wheat
1 box quick oats (combine boiling water and oats per box proportions in heavy stoneware and cover with plate. It will cook.)
7 cans pineapple
7 cans peaches
5x3 pk individual applesauce
2 lb tub freeze dried veggie mix (our local Sprouts carries this -- called Just Veggies) tastes very good straight from tub.
2 lb quick-cook noodles (ramen bricks, rice noodles, vermicelli) - 2-3 minute cook time. Yes, you can make Mac & cheese with the velveeta, ghee & milk. Because when SIP, food becomes entertainment.
1 box couscous (boiling water needed to rehydrate, but rehydrates fast.)
1 box tabouli mix (personal perference again -- it rehydrates fast, is shelf stable, and isn't boring.)
1 box instant rice (it will rehydrate with plain cold water if you leave it alone for an hour.)
1 jar better than boullion - dissolves better than cubes in cooler water. Tastes better than cubes always.
4 oz dried sliced onion
2 oz dried garlic
2 oz dried mixed herbs
1 jar ghee - this is a shelf-stable clarified butter available at Indian markets. Use like butter.
1 small bottle olive oil
1 squeeze bottle lemon juice
1 bottle red Tabasco
1 bottle green Tabasco
1 squeeze bottle hellmans mayo
1 squeeze bottle each dill and sweet relish - these are personal prefs because I HATE sweet pickles, partner HATES dill. Some families don't have this problem.
1 jar instant coffee
1 box tea bags (100)
1 container hot chocolate mix (not packets), the uses water type, not uses milk type.
1 pound box sugar packets
1 bag of fun sized candy bars or M&Ms. (Sweets can jump-start a cloudy brain, are fast energy when necessary, and help relieve boredom.) Get dark chocolate if possible, dark with nuts is best.
1 box shelf stable creamer containers (usually 30 count)

Non-rotating items
50 pk sturdy paper plates - because doing dishes on tight water rations isn't happening.
50 pk sturdy paper or plastic bowls
2 mugs - the germs you left on it won't kill you.
2 quart saucepan
Knife
Cutting board
Small spatula
Box of plastic cutlery
Can opener - old type, so you can use the can lid to drain the tuna/beans/chicken. Not the safety type that takes off the lid and lip.
200 pk paper napkins
50 ct box zip top bags
100 ct box latex gloves (because water for washing may get tight, so better to use gloves for food prep and because... other)
1 roll trash bags
1 roll heavy plastic dropcloth (multiple uses for this, not just for sealing windows)
6 small propane bottles (camping size, not Blue Rhino size; rotate out every 2-3 years)
Camping stove (1 burner, light primus type; test annually)
8 inch square ceramic paver (to insulate stove from floor - depending on stove type - or heat on camp stove then wrap in towel for bed warming)
1 tub liner (for emergency water storage -- it's a big plastic bag with a short hose and screw-cap; holds 200 gal of water. Our tub will slowly drain and if we're hit unexpectedly, the tub may not be perfectly clean. Soap in drinking water causes diarrhea, which is not useful when locked in.)
Note pad (Because instructions may come over the radio, notes may need to be taken or left for others, scores kept.)
Pack of .7 mm mechanical Pencils (writing is darker, lead is sturdier)
Sharpies (For when pencil is not enough)
Battery powered radio
1 teaspoon measuring spoon \
1 1/4 cup measuring cup. / because it may be repetitive to make multiple dips, but these are
the most useful sizes - 3 tsp = 1 Tb, 1/4 cup = 2 Tb.
1 1 quart bowl ( for mixing chicken salad, tuna salad - mayo is shelf stable and does not need refrigeration after opening, just eat the salads immediately - or rehydrating dried pasta, rice, vegetables. Use paver as lid.)
2 baby wipe refills
1 bottle crappy, high-proof vodka (for cleaning, sterilizing. Martinis are not advised under emergency conditions.)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Box of tampons AND box of maxis (because in addition to regular use, in an emergency bleeding situation, both make great emergency compresses)
1 container baby powder
tube of desitin (because if walking out is necessary, desitin is a decent anti-chafing cream. Replace 2-3 years.)
First aid kit (bandages, splint, sling, basic drugs, insect repellant, sunscreen)
Candle lighter (the long type, for lighting camp stove, candles or stove burners. Test annually.)
14 pillar candles (the heat from one candle and one body will keep a bathroom warm enough to prevent hypothermia, assuming no wind, dry clothes.)
2 decks cards or small games (we have Munchkin in our kit)
5 paperback books (light & funny - ours are Terry Pratchett and Jane Austen.) - these two are assuming we have to either shelter in a small room for heat conservation or bug out to a shelter; shelters are BORING and the last thing a couple needs to be doing when stressed is fight.
4 personal sized LED flashlights - because one may break or get lost. Test annually.
10 pk AA batteries and AA battery phone charger. Replace batteries annually. Test charger annually.
Solar USB charger (5 volt output, for phones, small electronics. Test annually.)
Roll of duct tape
Roll toilet paper
Empty 2 quart thermos (easier to boil 2 quarts of water and keep hot)
Paper towels
14 cans cat food (replace annually)
3 lb bag dry food (replace annually)
Big bag of cat litter (because the humans may have to cover their stuff, too, if water gets tight)
30 gal water. (Stored in 1 gallon bottles. Plan 2 liters of water per person and .5 liters water per cat per day if no major activity; double if working. Replace water annually.)
1 month supply of necessary meds
spare spectacles