Packing food?

[la79al]

The current plan is for us to pack as much food as we can for our Disney trip. I need ideas. Breakfast and snacks are pretty easy. Lunch and dinner are the tricky ones. We will have 7 park days but will be staying with family for a few days before check in so will be able to hit the grocery store, etc. We are generally RD to close people but we can't live on cold cut sandwiches (not to mention I don't think the cold cuts will last a whole week). Any ideas or suggestions? We will be doing 3 or 4 QS throughout the week. Also, any suggestions on how to drop these groceries off when we drop luggage and then head straight to a park?

 

[siren0119]

We usually pack sandwiches and wraps (I get PB&J for the kids, lunch meat and lettuce for hubby and I), individual bags of chips/pretzels, fruit snacks and granola bars. Plus some portable fruit and veggies (I have snack size ziplocs and get baby carrots, apples, grapes, etc to put in the bags for snacks or lunch sides).

The rules for grocery orders changed from the last time I was staying onsite, I believe they charge to bring the groceries to your room if you don't meet the delivery person yourself. Hopefully someone who's been recently can verify.

 

[kymom99]

Depending on where you are staying most food courts have microwaves. Not sure how you feel about canned or frozen foods but that would be an option. You could also do things like hummus, etc with veggies. You could also get meals from the deli where you shop and reheat those.

 

[Darcy03231]

Unless things have changed since I was there last the room refrigerators are pretty small. If you need to keep a lot of groceries cold, I'd make sure to bring a big cooler.

For hot foods, I agree with a PP that you're going to have to do canned or frozen and use the microwave in the food court. If you have a car you could go off property and get rotisserie chicken, potato and/or macaroni salad and bagged tossed salad. You could also bring frozen pre-cooked shredded chicken, beef, taco meat, etc. and do tacos.

 

[kaytieeldr]

(not to mention I don't think the cold cuts will last a whole week)

Your onsite room will have a refrigerator, but not a freezer. Eat the perishables toward the beginning of your stay, and save the meals out for the end whenever possible.

Also, any suggestions on how to drop these groceries off when we drop luggage and then head straight to a park?

being the groceries to Bell Services along with your luggage. Package items needing refrigeration separately from non-perishables. Tell Bell Services which bag/must be kept cold.

I believe they charge to bring the groceries to your room if you don't meet the delivery person yourself.

Doesn't apply here. OP isn't having groceries delivered.

 

[siren0119]

Doesn't apply here. OP isn't having groceries delivered.

Ah I misunderstood when the OP mentioned how to handle groceries when they drop bags at bell services and go straight to the parks. I wouldn't count on BS being able to keep cold items for you all day, but any non perishables would be kept with your luggage. They have SMALL fridges to manage cold deliveries for the entire hotel and there'd be no guarantee of room for a week's worth of stuff for you.

If my room wasn't going to be ready until the afternoon but I'd be dropping bags and heading to the parks on check in day, I'd either arrange for grocery delivery of cold items or figure out how to manage that first day and do a grocery run the next day.

 

[MrsPete]

Random thoughts:

- I'd look into ordering groceries ahead (so you just pull up to the store, and the groceries come trotting out to you). OR have them delivered to your room; this is worth a couple dollars on vacation.
- I'd give up on the idea of bell services managing your groceries. With a whole week of park time ahead, I'd take time to go to the room /get set up first; otherwise you're just stretching your options too thin /risking your food being stored inappropriately, which could be an expensive problem.
- With limited refrigerator space, I'd consider getting a couple days' worth of groceries, then have a second delivery. You can plan /pay for the groceries from home so you don't waste any time ordering on vacation.
- You sound like you're driving? Bring a cooler. Or two. Use the refrigerator for cold cuts, etc., and keep things like drinks and cheese in the coolers.
- Something I learned about managing food on a cross-country driving trip: Keep a box for your bread, chips, etc. -- or they'll be squished. And bring a cutting board and sharp knife.
- Start saving up small mayo, mustard, etc. packets from fast food now.
- Consider that tuna and peanut butter won't go bad /don't need refrigeration. Jarred roasted red peppers are a good stand-in for tomatoes. Yogurt and bagged salads are also good choices. Likewise, canned ravioli is a decent quick meal.
- I wouldn't be satisfied with a "real meal" only every other day. Sandwiches are okay, but I'd get awfully tired of them. Consider kids' meals for everyone in the parks; they're relatively inexpensive. Pizza delivery or a bucket of chicken is easy to have delivered to the hotel room without breaking the budget. If you have a microwave, you can cook hot dogs or baked potatoes. Last thought for a cheap meal: go by the grocery's deli -- more expensive than sandwiches, but also more filling.

 

[5kidsmommy]

There are lockers outside of the parks. You can pack a small soft sided cooler with perishables and have food ready for you to go out and have a nice little meal. We've packed wraps and small bags of chips before, plus cut up fruit. When my kids were little I would use little plastic containers and fill them with things like goldfish and pretzels. Granola bars can also hold kids over until they have something more substantial.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ah I misunderstood when the OP mentioned how to handle groceries when they drop bags at bell services and go straight to the parks.

Yep. Very easy to do, with multiple conversations at once

 

[la79al]

OP here--Thanks for the help guys. You've given me some stuff to think about. We are flying to florida but getting a rental car and staying nearish for a few days first. I plan to get the groceries then as well as a styrofoam cooler and a smaller lunchbox size cooler. I dont expect bell services to keep our food cold. I was hoping they wouldn't think I am too weird if I drop a cooler off amidst our suitcases. We will have a stroller so I have no problem throwing the smaller cooler under that. I need to sit down and start looking at menus to see exactly how many meals will fit into our budget. We would have no problem doing canned or frozen and I could even prep and freeze at the house before we arrive. I guess my big hurdle now is coming up with more shelf stable foods to take into the parks. 2/3 of my kids will not do peanut butter so that makes things challenging. Debating whether it makes more sense to pack more snacks and then use the budget for hot snacks/sides to share. My kids are water kids and dont mind if its room temp so beverages aren't even an issue beyond i need to grab a case of water.

 

[5kidsmommy]

OP here--Thanks for the help guys. You've given me some stuff to think about. We are flying to florida but getting a rental car and staying nearish for a few days first. I plan to get the groceries then as well as a styrofoam cooler and a smaller lunchbox size cooler. I dont expect bell services to keep our food cold. I was hoping they wouldn't think I am too weird if I drop a cooler off amidst our suitcases. We will have a stroller so I have no problem throwing the smaller cooler under that. I need to sit down and start looking at menus to see exactly how many meals will fit into our budget. We would have no problem doing canned or frozen and I could even prep and freeze at the house before we arrive. I guess my big hurdle now is coming up with more shelf stable foods to take into the parks. 2/3 of my kids will not do peanut butter so that makes things challenging. Debating whether it makes more sense to pack more snacks and then use the budget for hot snacks/sides to share. My kids are water kids and dont mind if its room temp so beverages aren't even an issue beyond i need to grab a case of water.

Another option to look at is splitting meals.Back when my kids were young and our budget was tight we'd get regular meals and split them instead of doing multiple kids meals. You can look through the quick service menus and see which meals seem the largest.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

The first time we bought a crock pot for 19.00 we made meals every day to eat when we got back to the room...the last time we drove so we brought the instantpot. We had a kitchen in our room last time, but the last thing i wanted to ws cook when i got back.
We made a a few recipes i found with canned chicken, some canned stews etc

 

[KayaWildfire]

Don't lug a water around for everyone. Water is free at all quick service places, no need to buy anything. Save the valuable cooler space for something else.

 

[Darcy03231]

One thing you can do for a hot meal is frozen meatballs and pasta sauce heated in the food court microwave. You can do meatball subs or bring precooked pasta with you and heat that in the microwave too.

 

[KMarston]

I agree with sharing QS meals. If we eat QS my husband and I always share because it’s too much food for one of us. Depending on your children’s ages two adult meals should feed the five of you. Fruit and yogurt for breakfast. The coffee pot for hot water for instant oatmeal. I’ve seen dorm room YouTube videos of kids making grilled cheese with aluminum foil and an iron! My family won’t eat canned stews but if yours does a small fondue sized crockpot would heat those up and be relatively inexpensive to buy. I really think the easiest thing to is to share quick service meals for at least one meal per day.

 

[kymom99]

You could pack in side stuff for the parks. Fruit, chips, etc. Then buy entrees to share. Chicken nuggets or tenders, things like that. You can request those things without the sides for a reduced price. You could also pack nuts, cheese, and such for a filling snack and just eat one main meal.

 

[tiggerluver12]

The current plan is for us to pack as much food as we can for our Disney trip. I need ideas. Breakfast and snacks are pretty easy. Lunch and dinner are the tricky ones. We will have 7 park days but will be staying with family for a few days before check in so will be able to hit the grocery store, etc. We are generally RD to close people but we can't live on cold cut sandwiches (not to mention I don't think the cold cuts will last a whole week). Any ideas or suggestions? We will be doing 3 or 4 QS throughout the week. Also, any suggestions on how to drop these groceries off when we drop luggage and then head straight to a park?

When is your WDW trip? I have some Disney Rewards $ that I would like to gift your family.