Cooking on vacation

[TwoMisfits]

If you want a pasta dish for everyone, try whole wheat pasta (works better for a diabetic) with a protein based sauce (works for the veg and the diabetic) - here's a diabetic friendly, vegetarian recipe that you could serve as is or with practically any other fish or meat on the side in an Italian style. You could do this with salad...

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/bow-ties-with-walnut-herb-pesto/
PS - If you don't want to make pesto, buy one with a heavy nut/cheese focus with no added sugars...and stick to the whole wheat pasta (which will mean you also want a "strong" sauce, b/c some folks do rebel more on whole wheat pasta)...

 

[MrsPete]

If you want a pasta dish for everyone, try whole wheat pasta (works better for a diabetic) with a protein based sauce (works for the veg and the diabetic) ...

PS - If you don't want to make pesto ...

Eh, no. Whole wheat pasta contains just as many carbs as white-wheat based pasta, so no difference for a diabetic. Same fiber too. The whole wheat may digest a bit slower, but it's not "better".

Diabetes' nutrition is difficult to grasp because it doesn't always line up with "healthy eating" that we've learned since elementary school. Diabetic nutrition is a specific subset of healthy eating.

Dreamfields Pasta markets itself as low-carb, but it's still pretty high in carbs.
Barilla's new line of Protein + Pasta is better than basic pasta.

But the bottom line is, diabetics know they must limit ANY pasta to a small serving.

We tend to go with zucchini "zoodles" or broccoli instead of noodles.

The best "win" for a diabetic: Eat a large salad + a small serving of pasta. Diabetics don't need ZERO carbs; rather, they need a balance of carbs. A pasta meal IS possible, but it's probably the meal that requires most planning for diabetics.

Pesto: we like Classico brand, and it's a scant 4 carbs per serving; admittedly, servings are small.

Sauce: Alfredo is lower in carbs than Marinara, and jarred sauces vary widely -- and the one marked "no added sugar" is NOT the lowest carb choice. Read the back of the label, not the front.

If you're making homemade sauce, try this one -- SO GOOD:

Healthy Alfredo Sauce
Blend together with an immersion blender in a saucepan: 1 cup milk, 1 cup cottage cheese, 2 oz cream cheese.
Add to saucepan and heat just until warm: 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp each S&P and 1/2 tsp basil.

We like Alfredo with Blackened Chicken Strips -- and for our vegetarian, we cook the sauce in one pan and the chicken in a separate pan.

​

 

[nolatravelgirl]

Vacation meals are all about convenience. I would buy a couple of pre-cooked rotisserie chickens for one or two meals from Costco. Leftovers can be picked off the bone and either used to either make some sort of chicken casserole or make chicken salad sandwiches. I would ask the vegetarian what quick and easy meals they enjoy such as things like Boca burgers. I would also look for easy snacks that you can pull out as soon as you get back to the room to calm the hungry masses, examples include baby carrots with ranch, chips and salsa, cut up fruit, cheese cubes, pepperoni/salami slices.

Breakfast I would just focus on things that everyone can just prepare themselves and that the late sleepers could potentially just take as a to go breakfast while riding to the parks: cereal, bagels and cream cheese, toaster waffles, pre-made breakfast sandwiches from the frozen section, crack open a tube a biscuits and throw them in the oven, pre-cooked microwave sausage/bacon (veggie options too!), yogurt and granola cups, hard boil eggs the night before makes an easy protein breakfast option. If you want to get fancy you could pre-make breakfast tacos/burritos the night before and wrap them in parchment paper then just zap for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Since I assume you will doing either grocery delivery or grocery run don't forget to add disposable plates, silverware and aluminum foil, etc to your shopping list! If you do plan on getting a bit more fancy with cooking and won't be driving down I would pre-mix whatever dry spices you may want/need and put them in labeled ziploc baggies that you can just dump into the pot and not have to buy expensive spices. There is no law about packing groceries in luggage so consider packing some of the lighter non-perishables like granola bars, nuts, fruit roll ups.

 

[MrsPete]

It's hard to beat the convenience of rotisserie chicken. I can make a better roasted chicken, but I cannot make a cheaper roasted chicken.

Consider announcing to the group that you'll have two big family breakfasts together -- and the rest of the week it'll be "self serve".

Instead of a grocery run, consider ordering ahead. I don't do it at home, but it would save time during vacation.

Yes to disposable plates, etc. -- or, better yet, assign someone to bring all those things.

Yes, I like to pre-measure my spices for vacation cooking.

 

[RUDisney]

One of my "go to" easy meals is mock eggplant parm. You can adjust quantities to your crowd.

Dice eggplants and start to saute in olive oil with onions and garlic. I add water to the pot to steam the eggplant with the lid on the pot. It cooks faster.

When that is sweated into blissful comfort, add a can or two of your favorite 28 oz. tomatoes. Add some basil and cook until the flavors are melded. Add some ricotta cheese and stir it all together. Add salt and pepper to your taste. You can serve this straight over pasta with some nice grated cheese. It's delicious and satisfying. You'll have dinner in less than 1/2 hour.
******
You can make a big pasta salad, too. I buy the cheese tortellini from Sam's Club and mix that with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, etc., to your liking. I toss it with an Italian dressing that has no high fructose corn syrup in it. My vegetarian also doesn't eat HF corn syrup. You can add diced ham to it for the meat eaters.
******
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a good option, too. Fast, simple and delicious.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

Anything you can make in a crockpot, or disposable tray and bake will be your friend.
-Taco Bar- because people can dress it any way they like, some ppl will make a taco salad, or a rice bowl
-Subs- the size of the roll will determine if they are for lunch or dinner - get a good mix of deli meats, chz, toppings and ppl can dress them however they like
- If you are going to be near a Publix, call in a large order of their fried chicken, really anything from Publix is going to be great
-

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Not exciting, but to avoid spending a lot of time in the kitchen, I’d do a Costco run and buy things that are already prepared, like their lasagna + a salad and baguette, bagels, fruit, etc. whatever they have.

We did this but I had instacart deliver it. You do not have to have a membership to order on IC. We got water bottles, fruitsnacks, breakfast bars as well.
They will deliver the hot rottissary chickens they are $5 each and salad mixes.

We also used IC to deliver fried chicken and sides from publix

 

[TCRAIG]

One of our favorites is to bake a casserole using cut up ham and Better Crocker Scalloped or AuGratin Potatoes

 

[_19disnA]

I would make sure all of the adults discuss BEFORE the vacation how the meals will work. Unless you want to end up spending much of your vacation being a short-order-cook, good to have agreements ahead of time for sharing the work as well as the cost. In some families, I am sure everyone will want to pitch in. However, I can also see the situation where some will try to take advantage of those doing meal prep while they are out & about enjoying their vacation.

 

[unrequited23]

Nothing new to add besides remember you are on vacation and try not to be too ambitious. This is the time to splurge on the pre-cut fruit and veggies trays and not fight with a dull knife in your villa. I would be thinking deli tray, pasta salad, fruit salad, veggie tray, cheese and crackers, mixed nuts, if you are feeling fancy deviled eggs or just hard boil a dozen.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Definitely "assign" guests to help for meals whether it's prep, setting a table, clean up etc. In the past, we've ended up in a GV (our treat) essentially being servants. We no longer invite those folks no matter how often they pester us.

 

[MrsPete]

You can make a big pasta salad, too. I buy the cheese tortellini from Sam's Club and mix that with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, etc., to your liking.
******
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a good option, too. Fast, simple and delicious.

Yum to the pasta salad -- that is just to my taste, even if I can only eat a small bit.
Love grilled cheese and tomato soup, but it says "winter" to me, not Florida trip. You know you can bake grilled cheese sandwiches instead of frying them individually?

Anything you can make in a crockpot, or disposable tray and bake will be your friend.
-Taco Bar- because people can dress it any way they like, some ppl will make a taco salad, or a rice bowl

Don't skimp on the lettuce. As a low-carb eater, I like to go for a taco salad /use the chips more like a condiment than a base.

I would make sure all of the adults discuss BEFORE the vacation how the meals will work.

Yes, it sounds like you're the leader of the group, but if you want everyone to get along /agree with their choices, they deserve input too -- they may have specific meal goals in mind; for example, the Brits in our family enjoy the several British pubs in Orlando, whereas I am wont to forget them. Someone may want to do a character meal as a family, or someone may be anxious to share a new grilling hobby.
But, yes, all adults should get input.

Nothing new to add besides remember you are on vacation and try not to be too ambitious. This is the time to splurge on the pre-cut fruit and veggies trays and not fight with a dull knife in your villa. I would be thinking deli tray, pasta salad, fruit salad, veggie tray, cheese and crackers, mixed nuts, if you are feeling fancy deviled eggs or just hard boil a dozen.

Totally agree.
Warning about deviled eggs: NO to buying pre-boiled eggs. We did it once on a road trip, and they are not good.

Definitely "assign" guests to help for meals whether it's prep, setting a table, clean up etc. In the past, we've ended up in a GV (our treat) essentially being servants. We no longer invite those folks no matter how often they pester us.

Kids and teens can be assigned table setting /clean-up duties too.
Pick up some disposable aluminum pans from the Dollar Store and plenty of paper plates.

Going back to pasta meals, have you tried that Feta-Cheese-and-Pasta that's all over Pinterest? We changed the recipe a bit (it uses cherry tomatoes and no onion), but we LOVE IT:

Place in a 9x13" pan: block of Feta cheese (no substitutions), one diced onion, 4-5 rough chopped Roma tomatoes and basil, a pinch of red pepper, salt and pepper (feel free to swap out the spices). Splash these items well with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
While the dish is piping hot, break up the block of Feta and stir it will with the tomatoes.
Stir in 8 oz cooked pasta -- I like curly noodles, but my husband prefers bow-ties.

I promise you, this is EASY and DELICOUS, and it lends itself to substitutions; for example, you could stir in broccoli or chopped spinach. Kinda like a more grown-up mac-and-cheese. I'll gladly forego carbs all day so I can have a good serving of this for dinner.

 

[HeatherC]

We just got back from a vacation with 10 people. One night I made a NY Strip roast....so easy and was delicious. I seasoned it with olive oil and Montreal Steak seasoning and chucked it in the oven for about an hour and a half. Made some baked potatoes with it and a bagged Cesar salad and Kings Hawaiian rolls. It was delicious. We even had enough leftover for steak and eggs and sandwiches the next day. It was a splurge meal but saved us a ton of money versus eating out.

To order that meal out for everyone would have cost hundreds.....the roast cost me about $60 and was worth every penny and took basically no effort.

 

[snowwite]

We are taking an extended family vacation of ten people ranging in age from 1 to 88. Staying in a villa. I'm thinking we will be eating in the room for a lot of meals. Does anyone have any ideas for easy to put together dinners to feed a crowd?

Most villas are well stocked as far as cookery and appliances. We are going to be off site next month in a villa.
My plan is to go to Publix the day we arrive because we can’t check in right away anyway.
I buy water jugs to refill our bottles because the water always smells like bleach. I get some lemonade and other Crystal lite sticks, tea bags for hot and iced, iced coffee and half and half, olive oil, butter and bring spices from home. We. Grab some condiments from fast food area in park or airport. I carry small Franks red hot in my purse.
Eggs, deli ham, sliced cheese, rolls from bakery, 3 lb hamburger, elbow pasta, chopped tomatoes with garlic in cans (I get pull tab just in case), tortillas , salsa, small sour cream, scallions, fresh fruit, yogurt, lemon lettuce,cucumber, tomato, green pepper,onion and avocado. I use this to make
breakfast/ snack
breakfast sandwiches, omelettes ,burrito, yogurt and fruit, eggs in purgatory

lunch or dinner
sandwiches
burgers topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato
tacos
american chop suey
quesadillas
taco salad

We also get meals from Cracker Barrel, Tijuana flats, First Watch, Japanese food and go for an ice cream.

I also pack paper plates and zip lock bags.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Yum to the pasta salad -- that is just to my taste, even if I can only eat a small bit.
Love grilled cheese and tomato soup, but it says "winter" to me, not Florida trip. You know you can bake grilled cheese sandwiches instead of frying them individually?
Don't skimp on the lettuce. As a low-carb eater, I like to go for a taco salad /use the chips more like a condiment than a base.
Yes, it sounds like you're the leader of the group, but if you want everyone to get along /agree with their choices, they deserve input too -- they may have specific meal goals in mind; for example, the Brits in our family enjoy the several British pubs in Orlando, whereas I am wont to forget them. Someone may want to do a character meal as a family, or someone may be anxious to share a new grilling hobby.
But, yes, all adults should get input.
Totally agree.
Warning about deviled eggs: NO to buying pre-boiled eggs. We did it once on a road trip, and they are not good.
Kids and teens can be assigned table setting /clean-up duties too.
Pick up some disposable aluminum pans from the Dollar Store and plenty of paper plates.

Going back to pasta meals, have you tried that Feta-Cheese-and-Pasta that's all over Pinterest? We changed the recipe a bit (it uses cherry tomatoes and no onion), but we LOVE IT:

Place in a 9x13" pan: block of Feta cheese (no substitutions), one diced onion, 4-5 rough chopped Roma tomatoes and basil, a pinch of red pepper, salt and pepper (feel free to swap out the spices). Splash these items well with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
While the dish is piping hot, break up the block of Feta and stir it will with the tomatoes.
Stir in 8 oz cooked pasta -- I like curly noodles, but my husband prefers bow-ties.

I promise you, this is EASY and DELICOUS, and it lends itself to substitutions; for example, you could stir in broccoli or chopped spinach. Kinda like a more grown-up mac-and-cheese. I'll gladly forego carbs all day so I can have a good serving of this for dinner.

Why don't you like pre boiled eggs? I love them and they taste the same as if I make them. I have a walgreens in my building at work (well we used to , haven't been there in a year, LOL) and I get a two pack every morning. They're fresh and good. Maybe you had some expired ones or some that dont get the turnover that I see. I've been know to make cubicle devilled eggs for lunch. mayo and mustard packs in my drawer, mix in a paper cup and salt and pepper. People would come to be with their two pack of eggs and ask me to turn them into devilled eggs LOLOLOL

 

[MrsPete]

Why don't you like pre boiled eggs? I love them and they taste the same as if I make them. I have a walgreens in my building at work (well we used to , haven't been there in a year, LOL) and I get a two pack every morning. They're fresh and good. Maybe you had some expired ones or some that dont get the turnover that I see. I've been know to make cubicle devilled eggs for lunch. mayo and mustard packs in my drawer, mix in a paper cup and salt and pepper. People would come to be with their two pack of eggs and ask me to turn them into devilled eggs LOLOLOL

I have only tried them once, so it's possible we had a bad package -- but since eggs aren't difficult to boil, I'm not just anxious to try again.

 

[McKelly]

Do you have a Costco membership? I'd hit up the closest Costco and buy some freezer meals (orange chicken, lasagna, etc.) and a few rotisserie chickens and chicken salad. Our Costco has great produce and cheap veggie trays. Bagels and muffins for the morning. This is assuming you have a car.

 

[BeeBopp717]

Bring a crockpot: chili / cheesy crockpot chicken / pulled pork or Turkey breast / veggie stew.
Taco night.
Italian night (spaghetti, breadsticks, salad, bagged meatballs).
Monkey bread for an easy dessert.

 

[justadreamaway77]

We typically drive when we stay in 1-2 bedroom villas because when we drive we are there for 7 nights or more. When we drive, we bring everything with us from home. I will freeze a gallon of milk, make taco meat and freeze it, pre-cook sausage links. We usually make bfast and resort day lunches in our room to save money. Here are my go-to's

Bfast
Egg, sausage, and hashbrown patties
Mickey waffles and sausage/bacon
pancakes and sausage/bacon
peanut butter and bacon sandwiches

Lunch
Quesadillas (using the pre-made taco meat)
Hot dogs and Mac n cheese
Grilled cheese and fries
Leftovers from our table service dinners
Rotisserie chicken salads or sammies

We easily save $200 just making bfast in our room and that is figuring each of us just gets a CHILD quick service meal of waffle/bacon/milk.

Speaking of milk, a lot of people don't realize this but you can freeze milk. We buy a gallon of milk at home shortly before we leave and freeze it. Pop it in the cooler with all of your other frozen/refrigerated foods and some additional ice and you are good to go. We live in Cincy and typically leave on a Friday around 4pm. We stop in Macon for the night and get to Disney they next day. That milk is still 75% frozen when we get to Disney the next day.....I usually have to put it in the sink to thaw out more before I put it away in the fridge.

 

[BeeBopp717]

Ramen. Lots of packs of beef ramen JK