5 Tips for Vacation Meal Planning
Summer is just around the corner and so are family vacations. I always look forward to traveling with my family and sharing new adventures. Even though I am officially on vacation when I travel, planning meals ahead of time plays a large part in a successful trip. I can actually enjoy myself more and feel less stressed when I plan out meals before we leave.
Nowadays, for family trips, we stay in rented condos or homes that have kitchens. So the ability to cook some of our meals helps to save money on dining out. The most important thing, when it comes to vacation meals, is having fast convenient food without sacrificing nutrition. Below are my 5 tips for vacation meal planning to ensure your family stays on track during your next trip and help you save a little money.
1. Create a plan
Grab your itinerary and your calendar so you can fill in days when you have activities planned. If you already know you will be away from your rental, you can plan to dine out or pack sandwiches. If there are restaurants you want to try, schedule that into your calendar so you don’t plan extra meals. You’re on vacation and part of the fun is definitely dining out. Don’t worry if your plan has you eating out more than eating in. The idea of the plan is to make sure you have recipes ready for meals when you need them.
2. Start with dinners
Once you have your calendar set with which days you need to make meals, start planning your dinners first. Dinner leftovers can be easily served for lunches or dinner on another night. Be sure to write in a planned leftover so you don’t end up organizing extra meals. When you have dinner and leftovers scheduled, fill in the rest of your meals and create your shopping list.
3. Plan meals that are easy to prepare and can make leftovers
Some good ideas are:
- Spaghetti
- Casseroles
- Slow cooker recipes (you may need to plan to bring your own slow cooker)
- Overnight oats
- Sandwiches
- One pot/pan recipes
Try to keep your recipes simple in terms of ingredients. You won’t want recipes that use a lot of ingredients or condiments. Plan recipes that can be prepared quickly, 30 minutes or less, so you aren’t spending your vacation time in the kitchen. One pan recipes are a great idea not only because they are fast but because you never know just how stocked that “well stocked” rental kitchen really is.
4. Take note of what you can bring from home
Your calendar is created, recipes are filled in, and shopping list is made. Now you can divide the shopping list into what you need to buy and what you need to bring. You will probably want to purchase most of the food on your list when you get there. But planning to bring items like condiments, seasonings, plastic bags, aluminum foil or containers for leftovers can help save money and ensure you have what you need.
5. Schedule a grocery delivery or curbside pick-up
This is such a great time saver! You can easily schedule your delivery or pick up to be ready when you get into town. You won’t waste time wandering around an unfamiliar grocery store. And you will save money by not impulse buying. Grocery delivery or pick will have you starting your vacation ASAP.
Meal planning for vacation may not seem much like vacation. But, trust me, taking a little time before you leave to organize your meal calendar, plan recipes and make that shopping list will end up giving you more time to enjoy while on your trip. Contact me for more travel meal inspiration or to help put together your next vacation meal plan.
Happy travels!
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