When we first moved to Dubai, we spent a month in a hotel apartment while getting settled and finding permanent housing. The kitchen situation was… minimal. We’re talking two burners, one pot, and a fridge that looked like it was on a diet. What was my secret weapon against daily takeout and cooking despair? Canned goods and pantry treasures! They weren’t just food; they were my kitchen superheroes.😄
🍔 From Delivery to Disaster
My husband and daughter, who arrived a week ahead of me, spent their time ordering burgers and poke bowls through popular Dubai food delivery services. They were delicious, and my daughter loved them, but the cost for three people quickly became unsustainable.
They decided it was time to cook. They first tried pasta, but a trip to a smaller local store resulted in a disaster: tiny insects floated up while boiling the pasta.😱 My daughter was so traumatized she swore off pasta!
When I arrived, I approached cooking differently. I avoided the generic brand sold in a plastic bag..I had a hunch that packaging might be less secure..and instead bought a trusted boxed pasta brand, like the Barilla brand I knew from Germany. Thankfully, this alternative was perfectly fine. This experience highlighted the importance of choosing reliable packaging and finding dependable stores when settling into a new city.
🍳 A Tiny Kitchen Fix
Although the hotel apartment had a small kitchen, we only had one pot for two burners. I couldn’t even stir-fry, so buying a frying pan was my first purchase upon arrival. The refrigerator was also quite small, leaving no room to stock many fresh ingredients. This is why canned foods became such a reliable lifeline.
🐟 Tuna to the Rescue
I was happy to find the same brand of canned tuna I used to buy in Germany. Adding tuna to a salad instantly adds richness, and in the Dubai heat, no-cook salads were ideal. It’s also easy and delicious mixed into scrambled eggs, boosting satisfaction. It’s a truly versatile food!
A pleasant surprise was seeing Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise readily available in all the supermarkets. Having tuna and mayonnaise allowed us to recreate a familiar taste, offering a comforting sense of normalcy in a new place.❤️
🫛 Easy Green Bean & Pea Sides
Canned green beans and peas were also incredibly convenient. Since they are pre-cooked, you just drain them and quickly sauté them in a pan for a proper side dish. (This was a favorite hack from my time in Germany.) They are perfect for when you need “just one more dish” and are short on time. Sautéing them with butter or combining them with luncheon meat creates a simple yet satisfying meal component.
🥗 Chickpeas, Ready for Anything
Drained chickpeas are another excellent item that’s ready to use. Tossed with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice, they make a simple, healthy salad. They also worked well sautéed with chicken or turkey bacon, where their hearty texture became a great accent to the dish.
🍗 Chicken Luncheon Meat Win
I typically enjoy Spam, but pork products are generally unavailable in Dubai. I tried the chicken luncheon meat, which had a mild flavor and was very easy to use in stir-fries and egg dishes. In fact, the local deli meats (mostly chicken, beef, and turkey) are healthy and tasty, so the adjustment was less inconvenient than I expected.😋
💡 More Everyday Essentials
We also frequently relied on canned corn🌽 and smoked salmon. Having ingredients that are simple to use on their own provides huge relief when cooking in the heat or in an unfamiliar setting. Vegetables that require minimal preparation, like cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and avocados, were also staples for no-heat, nutritious meals.🥒🍅🥑
🌟 Small Wins, Big Laughs
Following the traumatizing pasta incident, even the simplest canned food dishes carried incredible value. For my husband and daughter, it wasn’t just a meal; it was the return of normalcy and the safety of knowing, “Nothing strange is coming out of this pot!” 🤣This deep sense of relief is what I believe condensed into my husband’s frequent comment: “Maman nous a sauvés. Maman est très forte.” (“Mom saved us. Mom is so capable!”) This simple phrase really stuck with me.😅
They seemed genuinely impressed that I could make anything at all in that limited space. I suppose this is just one of those family roles we fall into. Although I wasn’t doing anything complicated, I was certainly happy that my efforts (and my small kitchen hacks!) were so genuinely appreciated. 😊
💖 Canned Foods for Everyday Life
Cooking with these limited tools every day made me realize just how useful canned and preserved foods are for anyone with a busy lifestyle or who lives alone. Having items that are ready-to-use gives you mental breathing room and helps keep food expenses down.
In Japan, we stock non-perishables for earthquake readiness, but my experience in Dubai reinforced that canned goods are highly practical for everyday life, not just emergencies. They are not only “crisis helpers” but also reliable allies for busy daily routines.😊
P.S. If you’re looking for an easy, no-cook recipe perfect for busy days, I shared a simple salad using canned chickpeas on this blog:👉 
10-Minute Chickpea and Tuna Salad
