16 day road trip... Help with food please!

[rnorwo1]

We are going on a road trip in a little less than two months. I got a lot of advice on the trip itself here (thank you thank you!), and I found wonderful homes and condos for all of our stops with full kitchens. We will stay in 7 different states, with most stays being 2-3 nights... The last stop will be the longest for 4 nights. The first night will be the only one in a regular hotel.

For both money and health reasons, we are going to limit the eating out to a few meals at places that are very unique. We eat fairly healthy at home, but I'm not opposed to eating less healthy options on vacation for both convenience and the "special treat" factor on vacations. For ex, my kids know that powdered sugar donuts are a vacation only food! With us being gone for 16 days, however, I don't know how to prepare food in advance, and I'm totally against spending more than 30 min "cooking" on vacation. I also have a thing about eating food that's older than a few days (5 or so for certain foods only). When we go to the beach, I usually prepare and freeze a few things like lasagna or something that I can just pop in the oven. But that will only work for the first few days of the trip, unless I bring a huge ice chest, which we may not have the room for. I can freeze a few things like spaghetti in ziplocks that won't take up much room, but can't think of many things like that. I will have some chicken and stuff already marinated that we can throw on the grill for our first stop, but not sure if that's doable all the way through the trip without a huge ice chest.


So I'm looking for ideas of things that can be frozen ahead of time for quick cooking or reheating that won't take up much space, as well as ideas of things that I can buy on the road and cook with little prep. We will probably be stopping at a few grocery stores, but I don't want to spen d a lot of time wandering around coming up with ideas. I thought, for that last stay of 4 nights, we could buy those frozen burgers for one night, for ex... Any other ideas for something inexpensive that can be cooked quickly? We will have sandwiches and easy stuff like that for lunches, but DH will want something heartier for dinner. Thanks for any ideas!

 

[kymom99]

First of all, I would pack a crock pot. Then I would shop for fresh items along the way. It would be simple to pick up a package of boneless pork chops or chicken breast or a chuck roast and make an easy meal. Buy a sack of potatoes and some vegetables and you will have lots of options. I like to make baked potatoes and put in extras so there are left overs for another meal. Having a crock pot will enable you to do your thing all day and have something ready to eat when you get back.

Do some research and find out what grocery options are in each area. Check the sale ads and plan some easy meals, then when you go to the stores, you know exactly what you are looking for. We went to California for 10 days. That is the farthest and longest I have ever been from home. I figured out Von's was a grocery store that was common enough to be able to find so I planned to shop there. Even without a full kitchen, I bought milk, sandwich items and breakfast foods to save us from eating out for every meal. I also bought fresh fruit, which was a life saver. Just get to know the areas and see what the resources are.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We've found that all the meals for such a trip pre-cooked eats up too much cooler space. That said, you could pre cook some steaks and BBQ burgers and space them out during the trip.

 

[ateam79828592]

1) Rice, Black beans with can of Rotel, and grilled chicken

2) Spaghetti

3) Mexican Salad (lettuce, beans, cheese, meat, salsa, we like fresh cilantro in ours as well)

4) Loaded (healthy) baked potatoes - we top ours with black beans, grilled chicken, salsa and a bit of cheese.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We like to use deli roasted chickens a lot. If you remove the skin and try to use mostly the white meat it's not too bad for you. Most grocery stores have them.Sam's have the biggest and best prices if you will encounter some of these on the ways. They can be paired with steamed veggies, or ready to eat sides you can purchase at the food store, they make great sandwiches, wraps, taco, chicken salad and a ton of other things. Many delis have salad bars where you can load up on fresh veggies to pair with a grilled item or roasted chicken. Bagged frozen meat balls can be used in pasta dishes or on subs. We don't count subway as eating out and it is cheap, can be healthy and sooooo easy.

 

[MrsPete]

We did a driving trip of the western national parks a few years ago, though we didn't have a kitchen at most of our stops. Here's how we handled our food:

- We flew across country and then rented an SUV, so we couldn't take any food along with us.

- After checking into our first hotel, our first stop was at a Walmart SuperStore to buy a large cooler. In addition to sandwich materials, we always had drinks, yogurt, cheese and fruit in the cooler. We also had a large cardboard box, and we used it to keep our bread and chips from being crushed. At the end of our trip we abandoned the cooler in our final hotel room, and I hope someone from the cleaning crew took it home and used it. Even though we only owned it for three weeks, it was well worth the cost. If you just look at the cost for drinks, it was worth the cost.

- Because we went through our food fast and we had limited storage space, we had to shop every 2-3 days. This was a hassle, but it was necessary.

- On a typical day, we ate breakfast in our hotel (we purposefully bid for 2.5 star properties on Priceline because they almost always give you breakfast, so most of our breakfasts were provided), lunch was usually a picnic lunch from the cooler -- sometimes eaten by the roadside, sometimes carried on a hike, and dinner was usually a meal out. Sometimes we ate out for lunch and had sandwiches for dinner. All snacks came from the cooler and the cardboard box.



Since you're looking to cook more meals in a kitchen, I'd consider commercial frozen meals. A large Stouffer's lasagna (or mac-and-cheese, or enchiladas) is only $10-12, and it's a whole meal. Your homemade version might have more vegetables and no preservatives, but this is a budget choice and a few weeks of this type of food won't ruin a lifetime of good nutrition.

Other good options:

- Premade salads
- Pre-chopped fruit
- Deli pizzas
- Deli fried chicken

I'd suggest you give yourself a break and don't beat yourself up over either cost or nutrition. Instead, look for foods that are a good balance between convenience, cost, and health.

 

[rnorwo1]

Thanks for the ideas, there are several things that I didn't think about here that would work. No, I definitely will not stress about money or nutrition, it is definitely about fun on vacations! We will be eating out when it's convenient or when there is a place we want to try, but we do not enjoy sitting in restaurants a lot with our extremely active little one, and after a few days eating out just gets old. I am hoping between what I can get into a cooler from home and eating out, we will only have to go to the store once for the last leg of the trip. I will definitely plan on a chicken and a couple of things like that, that's a really good idea. And I know that our condo in Lancaster county is within walking distance to a produce stand, so that'll be a fun place to get a few fresh side dishes. Thanks again!!

 

[sheetz]

Now this will obviously depend on local prices, but oftentimes a fully cooked bone-in ham will be more economical than rotisserie chickens.

 

[Sagginit]

i try to bring snacks when on the road as im GF and it makes life easier. one thing to definitely buy/bring if you eat it is those peanut butter cups. i have packed those before even on plane trips and then when i get there i buy crackers and apples to go with them.

years ago when i stayed in a codo with my family in FL we would go to the foodstore and spend a bit more than normal for things like meat/veggies or shrimp on kabobs. the extra $ is worth the time saved. you can either season and just brush with oil or buy dressing for a quick marinade. with that we would have a salad, veggies, and then those mashed potato sides you find in the deli or meat section. breakfast was often fruit salad with yogurt, cereal, and even eggs (you can buy a half dozen at many food stores these days).

one thing you may want to consider packing in your car is dishes. i stayed at an extended stay last year on a vacation, but did not want to use other peoples dishes. i had plastic tumblers, bowls, plates, and for sliverwear. i brought a few of the real deal as i have a cheap set in my apt that is easily replaced. i also packed a paring knife that comes with one of those covers (they are under $10 usually but both of the ones i own i got on sale, including one last week at target for less than $3). i also packed a role of paper towels and dish soap (what i did to lighten the load was i bought the smallest size possible and emptied 3/4 of it out into the almost empty big bottle in the kitchen).

don't forget those frequent shopper cards either. on a road trip with a friend i insisted on getting one at the store, the 5 min i spent filling out the paper form knocked at least 30% off the total as we picked up sale items.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

The crockpot idea is great. You can put everything in the crockpot before you start your day. Then at the end of the day you can come back to a meal that is ready or nearly ready to eat.

 

[seus-mouse]

On long, several day road trips we always have a case of water, flavor/energy packets for the water, canned and jar foods. Comfort canned soups like New England clam chowder, lobster bisque...etc. A canned DAK brand ham, cubed small mixed with two drained cans of asparagus and a jar of Alfredo sauce is a very good main dish. Cowboy beans, quick cornbread and bacon is a fun lunch. The spray can pancakes and some maple syrup and maybe some blueberries are a quick breakfast. Bagels and a few choices of the Philadelphia cream cheeses fulfills the craving for fat, protein, carbs and flavor,(We like the salmon one, the pineapple is good too, the chive one goes good on Triscuit crackers,(garlic flavor is tasty) .
Check out all the different nut butters, the almond pairs great with peach or orange marmalade, and boy how they go well on buttered, toasted English muffins. The muffins really last when stored in the car too.
French bread pizzas can be fancied up a lot as well, I get the 3 cheese ones and add olives and turkey sausage for mine, DD #1 loves anchovies, sun dried tomatoes and capers like her DD, DD#2 loves a can of mushrooms on hers.

I know my suggestions are leaning more toward snacking, but I find that when you snack on rich/flavor popping things the ideas for dinner can come easier and peiple can wait longer for it to be made.

My families fave quick dinner, if you have an oven, is in a baking pan make a BIG envelope of foil, add ANY cut of beef,(or pork), a family sized can of cream of mushroom soup, a packet of Knorr French Onion soup mix, two cups of water, some small potatoes, a few big carrots,(or parsnips...) and cook for 2 hours at 400...viola! you have a nice, fork tender roast with gravy and veggies. All you need is bread and butter.

Hope some of it helps,
Have fun,

Holly

 

[scrapquitler]

We are going on a road trip in a little less than two months. I got a lot of advice on the trip itself here (thank you thank you!), and I found wonderful homes and condos for all of our stops with full kitchens. We will stay in 7 different states, with most stays being 2-3 nights... The last stop will be the longest for 4 nights. The first night will be the only one in a regular hotel.

For both money and health reasons, we are going to limit the eating out to a few meals at places that are very unique. We eat fairly healthy at home, but I'm not opposed to eating less healthy options on vacation for both convenience and the "special treat" factor on vacations. For ex, my kids know that powdered sugar donuts are a vacation only food! With us being gone for 16 days, however, I don't know how to prepare food in advance, and I'm totally against spending more than 30 min "cooking" on vacation. I also have a thing about eating food that's older than a few days (5 or so for certain foods only). When we go to the beach, I usually prepare and freeze a few things like lasagna or something that I can just pop in the oven. But that will only work for the first few days of the trip, unless I bring a huge ice chest, which we may not have the room for. I can freeze a few things like spaghetti in ziplocks that won't take up much room, but can't think of many things like that. I will have some chicken and stuff already marinated that we can throw on the grill for our first stop, but not sure if that's doable all the way through the trip without a huge ice chest.


So I'm looking for ideas of things that can be frozen ahead of time for quick cooking or reheating that won't take up much space, as well as ideas of things that I can buy on the road and cook with little prep. We will probably be stopping at a few grocery stores, but I don't want to spen d a lot of time wandering around coming up with ideas. I thought, for that last stay of 4 nights, we could buy those frozen burgers for one night, for ex... Any other ideas for something inexpensive that can be cooked quickly? We will have sandwiches and easy stuff like that for lunches, but DH will want something heartier for dinner. Thanks for any ideas!

I would plan a menu ahead of time, and to save a bunch of money and make it easier, I would pack all the spices and 'extras' that you will need to make the meals in individual ziploc bags labeled with the meal name. Keep all of those in something like shoe box or a similar size tupperware type container. That will save a TON of aggravation and money.

I would also consider bringing my crock pot with me and using it to make meals when you in places for more than one day (and I would concentrate on crock pot meals that I could use for two separate meals).

Some ideas to consider:
pasta/sauce (you could use jar sauce or make home made in the crock pot)
pot roast with veggies (easy all inone meal in the crock pot, leftovers for the next day as well).
breakfast for dinner (french toast, fruit and sausages)
tacos
hamburgers/hot dogs (some of the places you are staying might have grills available)
hot roast beef open face sandwiches (meat from the deli, served over toast with gravy -- add veggies and mashed potatoes), you could do turkey or chicken if you like that better, or if you plan to make one of those in the crock pot this could be done with the leftovers the second night
take out pizza, frozen pizza or english muffin pizzas

edit to add: I almost forgot to mention: the last time we went to Disney and stayed in a condo, one of the smartest things I did was buy a prepared veggie platter in the deli department of a grocery store that came with a container of dip. I just kept that in the fridge all week and we had fresh prepared veggies ready to go all week and it was easier than having to worry about prepping veggies with the dinner every night. My family eats a lot more veggies this way than if I cook them with the meal, and it was very convenient for snacks as well.

 

[rnorwo1]

Thanks, lots more great ideas! I did kind of make a very tentative menu and think I can bring two prepared dishes and some marinated meats to grill for our first stop of 3 nights. Love the idea of a veg tray and bag salad to take care of the sides for those. We should have leftovers for the next stop of two nights. Then the next stop ill be able to use some of these ideas to make just a few purchases to supplement. And we are totally good with snacking and breakfast for dinner! I imagine with the few meals we eat out, we will be bringing leftovers back also to fill in. The tips on the spices is great too, I always forget about those types of things!

 

[TwoMisfits]

If I were taking the trip, the items I would keep in the cooler would be ketchup, mustard, mayo, BBQ sauce (if you like it), salt/pepper, salad dressing, and butter/oil. If you have those items (and don't continually have to rebuy them in every city), you can easily pick up very quick, very vacation friendly entrees to make each night...I'd plan salads, fresh fruit, and chips as the sides to each dinner (don't vary the sides too much b/c you don't want to toss a lot at the end of each city - pick the sale fruit items, salad items, and chips/snack foods in each city and just run with it). That way, you have ZERO prep except the entree which should be very little...

Some easy, vacation friendly entrees...
Burgers/Cheeseburgers
Hot Dogs
Grilled chicken/steak
Sandwiches (of all types) -(okay, I know you're husband doesn't think they are hearty, but they can be with plenty of meat and cheese and a beautiful roll, not just 2 scrawny pieces of white bread heck, a different meat/cheese per day and you could just do this for dinners every night for at least a week - turkey, ham and cheese, roast beef, corned beef, tuna salad, grilled chicken (and then chicken salad with the leftovers, egg salad, grilled cheese, meatball, etc - use the salad lettuce/tomato/onion and you're all set!

If you keep all dinners in the same theme per city, you'll also have less to buy and less to transport to a new city or toss. So, I wouldn't do a pasta dish and a sandwich dish and a rotisserie chicken in one place b/c you're buying 3 types of supplies for the one city. If you did sandwiches in one city, you can stock up on rolls, lunchmeat, cheese, veggies, fruits, and some chips (and fluids) and be out of the store...

I have taken many beach vacations where sandwiches were our main meal (with the referenced sides and a sweet for dessert) - having almost zero dishes and zero clean up and zero prep makes them SO vacation friendly!

 

[pjlla]

I haven't read all of the replies yet, so forgive me if I am repeating any suggestions.......

First of all... if you are concerned about time, remember that a restaurant meal can easily take an hour.... whereas you could buy enough food for several days in that one hour. So even though grocery shopping on vacation is lousy, it isn't a total time killer. Heck, I can buy enough food for a meal in just a few minutes during a "potty break" if we stop at the right place!

Second.... cut yourself some slack regarding health issues. We eat very healthy here as well, but when vacationing sometimes I need to just look the other way!

I know I saw the recommendation of a crockpot and I would definitely second that suggestion! If you are going to be somewhere for a few days, a crockpot could provide two meals a day! I make steel cut oats and a few other breakfast dishes in my crockpot. When breakfast is done, then toss in the dinner ingredients, turn it on, and head out for fun!

I would absolutely MAKE ROOM in the car for at least a medium sized cooler to save money! Drinks and snacks at drive-thru/convenience store are SO expensive!

I would try to be flexible about meals. If breakfast one day has to be sugary cereal, so be it. If your "big" meal of the day is sandwiches and chips, oh well. Sometimes when we take road trips a "meal" consists of pretzels and hummus, cheese sticks, and apples eaten in the car.

Bring along refillable water bottles.... so many places provide water bottle filling stations next to water fountains now.

Pack up spices and other condiments in small containers to bring along.... no sense in having to buy an entire container of salt or pepper or cinnamon every time!

Think in terms of ONE POT meals and dinners.... crockpot meals, stir-fries, casseroles. It will be quicker overall (usually) and keep you from being chained to the sink after the meal!

Check out the convenience areas of most big chain grocery stores.... they often have ready-to-cook veggies like sliced onions and peppers for a stir-fry, chopped salad supplies, pre-marinated meats, things like that.

One quick meal would be a pot roast. Buy a pot roast, a can of beef stock (and possibly red wine), baby carrots, small new potatoes, and bag of onions. Sear the pot roast on all sides in a skillet with a bit of vegetable oil. While it is searing, peel and chop your onions into quarters. Once the meat is seared all over, put it in the crockpot surrounded by the veggies (I often also use celery and parsnips, but if you want to be quicker, this could be skipped). Deglace the skillet with some beef stock, red wine, or even just a bit of water. Dump the pan liquid into the crockpot and top it off with a bit more stock or even a can of tomato juice. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread. Literally a delicious hearty dinner for about 15 minutes of your hands-on time!

Lots of great suggestions for rotisserie chicken as well. Serve with a premade salad or a quick cooking vegetable like summer squash or broccoli. Instead of a baked potato or rice that takes 45 minutes, try whole wheat couscous for a 5 minute side dish! Or debone the chicken and chop it up for salad toppings or chicken salad sandwiches or toss in with some whole wheat pasta and veggies.

How about this crockpot meal? Put boneless chicken breasts into a crockpot, top with a jar of salsa and/or a can of diced tomatoes, a drained can of corn (if you eat corn... we don't), and a can of (drained and rinsed) black beans. Let simmer all day and then at the last 30 minutes add cream cheese (we use half a block of reduced fat, but others usually use the whole block). Let the cream cheese melt and stir to combine, shredding the chicken as you stir. Serve over brown rice or in whole wheat tortillas (although we find it a bit sloppy for that). You can adjust the number of chicken breasts and the amount of salsa/tomatoes for your number of servings. I have also made this with pork loin/boneless pork chops (DS is allergic to chicken). You could have sour cream and/or shredded cheese on the side. Again, another hearty meal with minimal hands-on time!

Baked potato night is quick and easy and baked potatoes can be made in a crockpot. Serve with cheese sauce, steamed broccoli, chili, salsa, chopped meat (chicken or ham).... whatever your family would like.

Have a great trip!................P

 

[swilshire]

one thing you may want to consider packing in your car is dishes. i stayed at an extended stay last year on a vacation, but did not want to use other peoples dishes.

You never eat in restaurants? The extended stay places almost always have dishwashers. If you're not sure of the cleanliness, you can just load it all into the dishwasher and run it before you use the dishes. I'd be less concerned about those dishes than the ones in a restaurant, even though I understand the laws are different for the two regarding hygiene.

Sheila

 

[texasroni75]

Me and the kids could easily eat soup and sandwiches for days and be fine, but DH is like yours, and he needs something more - at least for dinners. Crockpot is a great idea.

We like to bring tortillas and make tacos and wraps with them. They travel better than regular bread, and stay fresh longer too. Plain flour tortillas can be used for both hot and cold meals. Wrap up cold chicken, deli meat, and lettuce/tomato in them and it's a cold sandwich wrap. Warm them on stovetop or microwave and you can put meat (they sell bacon pre-cooked that can travel without being refrigerated) and eggs for breakfast burritos, or hot chicken or beef in them for regular dinner tacos. Or, make quesadillas, either plain cheese ones, or add ham or chicken in them.

Also, bagels. Good for breakfast, but also good as lunch or dinner with tuna, chicken salad, and you could even make pizza bagels if you have access to an oven or toaster oven.

 

[thebeesknees]

Loving the ideas here! We are planning a 3-week road trip this summer and I am trying to cut down the food cost by packing as much as we can. My DH doesn't care for PB&J, although the kids love it and would eat it every day, so I am packing some canned chicken and those mayo packets that seem to multiply in the kitchen drawer, and we will make chicken salad sandwiches a few times (gotta remember the can opener, though!). A package of tortillas and a package of lunchmeat makes easy wraps. We've done those Jif peanut butter cups with pretzel sticks and apples, veggies with hummus, trail mix, etc for "snacky"-type lunches, especially on days we will be in a park or something and want a quick portable lunch to eat during shows. I usually buy a case or two of individual serving size milk boxes and juice bottles to use. Even though they can be expensive, they keep well at room temperature and I only put enough in the freezer every night to stay cold for the next day, and it's still cheaper than buying soft drinks while we are out. I am mainly trying to focus on lunches, as we typically like to try local cuisine for dinners.

 

[HeatherC]

On road trips we like cold fried chicken and coleslaw for lunch or dinner. A lot of supermarkets have it near the rotisserie chickens.

I also freeze cold cuts like turkey, ham, roast beef in ziploc bags. They will defrost slowly in your cooler and can be used for lunch or dinner.

Also...just order a pizza one night. No cooking and very cheap!

If I use a crockpot on vacation, I usually make chicken fajitas (seasoning packet, onions pepper and sliced chicken breast., as well as a veggie ratatouille....basically dump a ton of chopped veggies in with a jar of pasta sauce and italian seasoning. I love it with mushrooms, peppers, onions, asparagus, zucchini, squash, carrots. I sprinkle parmesan on top. Can serve over rice or tortillas or even pasta.

Have a great time.