Homemade Meals for the Room

[JenDisneylandlver]

I'm sorry, the food at Disneyland isn't that great. Yes there a some really good places to eat, but eating Breakfast, Lunch AND Dinner for a family of 4 can really REALLY drive up the budget. A bowl of cereal and a tuna sandwich and a banana so easy to take with you and can save tons of money. I can see eating one really nice meal as a treat but all 3 meals+ snacks is too much. Vacation or not

Which is why we eat outside of the parks for the most part (and keep small things like fruit, and muffins in the room). There are just so many options, you don't ever have to eat IN DL if you don't want to. But hey, if you want to spend your vacation time making meals inside of the motel, more power to ya! We usually go only once or twice a year, so I plan our food budget so that I can spend my time relaxing. On vacation I like someone to serve me for a change, even if it's a Subway sandwich! I do enough cooking big meals at home! LOL

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I know these places are there:

Bubbu Gump
Cheesecake Factory
PF Changs

Any other's that I am missing?

Do any of them have a happy hour? Good food/reasonable prices is what I'm hoping for.


Sorry, I meant to make this a new thread.

 

[munchkinsmom]

We've brought things similar to previous posters:

Package of tortillas and shredded cheese to make microwaved quesadillas
Packets of oatmeal/cream of wheat and heated hot water for breakfast
Bagels and Cream Cheese
Muffins
Cereal (good for on-the go snacks as well)
Single cartons of OJ and milk
Yogurt (Gogurts for the kids)
Chicken dinosaurs (when my DS would eat only this)
Applesauce cups
Easy Mac (and Cheese...these are in a bowl and just add hot water)
Fruit and fruit trays (or bagged them in ziplocs to put in the fridge)
Baby Carrots/cut up veggies bagged in ziplocs
TV Dinners or other microwaveable meals to heat in the microwave
Our French Press to make coffee in the AM (coffee maker in hotels are not my favorite)
Tuna Packs (the all-in-one meal)

We've also saved money by eating at a restaurant and taking our leftovers back to the hotel and eat the rest the next day (i.e., Old Spaghetti Factory, Outback, Rainforest Cafe, Brennen's Jazz Kitchen serve big portions).

HTH!

 

[Cindy B Good]

Wow, thanks for all the ideas. Food is such a personal choice, each to his own & this thread shows how we're all diverse.

Since we're going at Christmas , for a week's time, I'm looking for all kinds of ways to keep us healthy , "regular" & in good moods . Holiday foods are rich to begin with & park foods are rich as well. My family can really only handle one rich food item a day & definitely not for a week's time.

I was primarily looking for breakfast/lunch ideas. I think I'll stick with the fresh fruit, veggies, crackers, some wraps, & assorted cereals to be delivered. Then hope for a cool Christmas dinner out somewhere. I really like the Pizza Hut pasta idea. Pizza & pj's Christmas Eve sounds sweet!

Just curious, did Disneyland change their rules about bringing coolers or water in? We went May '07 & you couldn't bring in coolers. I thought I remembered them not letting in opened water bottles either? (I could be wrong)

Keep all the ideas coming. So far, I know I'll be packing a toaster & Coffee Press!

 

[50sjayne]

I
But to bring a crock pot, George Foreman grill, skillet, whatever and actually COOK in the room? That I don't get. Especially when there are cheap-ish options outside the park. I mean, would a person really save that much money cooking a burger on the George Foreman grill compared to getting one from McDonalds? I can't imagine you'd save more than a buck or two.

Well. The only fast food restaurant I have eaten at in 10 years at least has been Burgerville a few times a year in Portland. Which pays their employees health insurance, and the food is really good, and locally grown. I certainly haven't stepped foot in Mc Donalds since I saw Supersize Me. A very informative film if you have an hour or 2 to spare. And yes you save more than a buck or 2 for something you buy on sale, (with the employee discount) angus beef that will actually decompose at some point. You put a wet paper towel on the foreman after you turn it off and it cleans itself. Plus the McDonalds there doesn't even have a cheap menu from what I have read here and is more expensive. I suppose you could find cheap stuff at a Walmart around there too, but I havent stepped foot in Walmart for at least 5 years. You couldn't drag me through their door. Nothing personal just principal at work.

 

[50sjayne]

I ordered food from Albertson's delivery like fruit and milk and water and other basic needs and had it delivered when my daughter was napping to our hotel room. I found the lunch food at the stands less than desirable so we brought lunch into the park most days and also brought snacks and water. It really saved a lot. That made the sit down character meals that much better! I think its great the delivery of healthy food to your room. so I didn't need to get a cab and waist time shopping when I could be playing in Disneyland!

Yes ! It makes the meals you do have there so much more special. We have found by cutting back on entertainment and eating out this year (and travelling less since we are going to Disneyland) it makes the times we do go out so much--more.

I guess we are also just much more choosy, like I don't see movies as much anymore but am in love with the ones we do go see like Wall E. And Batman. RIP Heath.

 

[TheParsec]

I always cook up Barbaque Chicken before we leave then take it with us to have for dinner the first night. (We live in San diego, 1 1/2 hour drive).. We always bring our own drinks in an ice chest, and all the snacks for the room...

TheParsec!