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flotsam

(3,268 posts)
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 02:49 PM Jul 2021

Flameless Cooking

A recent discussion was asking how elderly people could heat food during an electrical outage without using an open flame. I found several companies make survival type meals that heat in their packaging after you add water to a chemical in the outer envelope. They tend to be limited as to choice and are pricy at $10 or more per meal. I've been googling around and found several cookers that heat your food to around 200 degrees F. There are several systems-heat packets for this one are $1.49 each. A medium (28oz) cooker is in the $30-35 price range.

System here: https://www.amazon.com/Barocook-Rectangular-Flameless-Cookware-40-Ounce/dp/B00CRBWLI4/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=barocook&qid=1626720092&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-2&th=1&psc=1

Other systems and videos here: https://www.google.com/search?q=flameless+cooking&rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS800US800&oq=flameless+cooking&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i67j0l6j0i67j0.8512j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Helpful for forgetful seniors but as the climate changes we should all consider this cooker as a second heating source for food...

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AllaN01Bear

(17,383 posts)
1. does the mr. spock left eyebrow raise . my building is all electric . hot water included .
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 03:17 PM
Jul 2021

when power goes out . it goes out . been looking for a battery electric hot plate as i cant have bio char or propane grilles in the building. fire code . that looks fascinating though.

flotsam

(3,268 posts)
9. Cheap and not a bad option.
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 05:06 PM
Jul 2021

The post I was working on was a DUer who was worried about elderly parents and open flames. This system is only a food heater as opposed to a stove. The thing to keep in mind is that emergencies come in all temperatures and that if a cold one shuts you down that one warm meal a day might be a high point for someone stuck in darkness. For myself while my main heat source needs electric to run my propane furnace, I have a backup woodstove and my main stove is also propane as is my barbecue grill. In a time of climate change dual heating systems are critical to survival. My electric is fairly secure and I keep drinking water on site. Candles, flashlight and rechargeable lanterns fill out the emergency supplies along with a pantry of reheatable foods. I am considering getting one of these cookers just for the versatility of a cooker to keep in my vehicles in case of evacuation...

hunter

(38,264 posts)
4. In the good old days electric utilities did everything they could to avoid outages...
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 03:53 PM
Jul 2021

... and got the power back up as soon as they could, damn the expense.

These days it's like, "Can we increase next quarter's profits by neglecting infrastructure and and occasionally leaving customers in the dark for days at a time?"

The answer is "Of course we can! We own the government regulators!"


flotsam

(3,268 posts)
5. I'm very fortunate in that regard
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 04:06 PM
Jul 2021

It seems I have two advantages-first I live in a coop mobile home park-all homes have a quarter acre or more of land and buried all utilities including electric. Also we seem to be on the same powerline as the local emergency hospital. In a quarter of a century I don't believe power has been out for more than 6 hours.

hunter

(38,264 posts)
7. We live on the same electrical circuit as the local trauma center hospital.
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 04:39 PM
Jul 2021

On the darkest days of the Enron inspired California rolling blackouts our power wasn't cut.

Even so we've got neighbors who complain about the noise of medevac helicopters and ground ambulances.

 

Klaralven

(7,510 posts)
6. Or maybe just have food on hand that can be eaten cold?
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 04:18 PM
Jul 2021

Food that can just be heated, can usually be eaten at room temperature.

If the food has to actually be cooked, this may not be up to the job, depending on time, temperature and quantity to be cooked.

abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
8. I enjoy "cold meals" of many canned goods like pork 'n beans, various fruits and stewed
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 04:40 PM
Jul 2021

tomatoes. I haven't lost any weight yet due to a power outage.

JHB

(37,132 posts)
10. This sounds like a variant of the flameless ration heating packs used in military MREs
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 05:38 PM
Jul 2021

There's also a whole civilian spinoff market for use by everyone from hikers and capers to the "prepper" types. You can see some of those in the "related products" portion of the pages.

scipan

(2,296 posts)
13. I have an alcohol stove.
Mon Jul 19, 2021, 09:29 PM
Jul 2021

You can use it indoors- no bad fumes. However, you don't want to spill the alcohol or get it near anything flammable so not for those with dementia. Yours is safer. I think butane may be also fume free?

I also have a Zip Stove, which can take wood or just about anything. It's very small. It has a little fan and an outer chamber for the hot air. Kinda clever.

And a tiny grill about 14" diameter that prefers charcoal.

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