Preparing meals for beach vacay

[MomNeedsVacay]

We going to the Outerbanks of North Carolina during the last week of June--we have a great house rental and I want to try to prepare a few meals ahead of time and freeze to bring with us...I want to minimize grocery shopping down at the beach... could any of you share your best make-ahead meal ideas (I'm trying to think outside of the typical lasagna...) Thanks!

 

[Mary•Poppins]

I make this chicken casserole that I freeze and then cook.

This is made from my memory ... so I am guessing at the exact measurements:

Cut up about 6 boneless chicken breasts and cook in frying pan with a little bit of olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Once the chicken is cooked, place on the bottom of a 9x13 oven proof pan (I buy disposable ones when we go to the beach).

Cut up fresh broccoli and place on top of the chicken.

Then mix one can of cream of chicken soup with 1/2 can of water, add 1/2 cup of mayo. and juice from one lemon. Mix all ingredients and place over the chicken and broccoli. (The mixture should be creamy ... if I am making a large amount, I will sometimes double this.)

Top with shredded cheedar cheese ... as much as your family would like. Then sprinkle on top with bread crumbs.

When thawed, cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes ... until the sauce is bubbling and fully cooked in the middle. Serve over white rice.

We have gone to the Outer Banks with friends of ours and this is the meal we cook for everyone. It is easy and a big hit. Enjoy if you use it.

 

[Iri920]

I freeze this one all the time and it's yummy.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/

 

[shortbun]

You are way more industrious that I am. I make a list of must haves not findable at the beach-ie, Trader Joe's Party salsa and I buy groceries when I get there and am waiting for my house to be ready. We divide the list in three parts and everyone goes for their list. It's fast, easy and fun to see who finishes first. The grocery store is a madhouse but that's part of our vacation. We even have a discount card from Food Lion after all these years. We know where things are by now too. If they ever remodel, I'll be irritated, !

 

[1stluvispooh]

First of all can I come with??? Love the outer banks!!! You can always make marinade in a zip bag and put your meat in it and freeze it, then be able to grill! Nothing like grilling at the beach. Like the PP I'm not that organized. I usually have a loose idea of what we are having a couple of days. We also traditionally order pizza the night we arrive, have steak the next night and then in the middle of the week get a steamer pot YUM!

 

[golfgal]

Why put in all that work for a vacation

Fry up some hamburger and freeze it in 1 lb packages and then you will have some ready for tacos, spaghetti, etc.

Bring along frozen meat to grill.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Cereal, pastries, fruit, sandwiches, salads, grilled hamburger/hot dogs/vegetables. Who wants heavy meals at the beach? I like lighter food when it's hot.

 

[PatsGirl]

We do alot of beach vacations and I like to be well-prepared so there's little cooking other than on the grill. We always bring frozen scrambled beef for tacos, frozen cubed cooked chicken for tacos, caesar salad or to make into chicken salad. Make up a large macaroni salad the day before and it'll last well into the week. I make up two, one with tuna and peas and the other with shrimp and peas. Precook ribs and chicken drumsticks, add the marinade or BBQ right to the meat in a zip-lock and freeze that way. Do the same with steak tips but don't precook them obviously. A large bag of frozen shrimp (I like 31-40) that can be used for tacos, shrimp cocktail, added to caesar salad, or put on skewers and grilled with chili powder and lime juice. Of course, a box of decent frozen burgers and a package of dogs, bratwurst or sausage? Corn on the cob, deli meat and bulky rolls with chips... I could go on and on and now I'm getting really hungry

 

[Katy Belle]

I make bar-b-que braised beef, shred it and freeze it. Super on buns or topping a baked potato. I've made chicken fried rice freezer recipe that is really nice. Runzas, meat and cabbage pies freeze really well, and would travel well. If you want any of the recipes I can post them later.

 

[trip]

I make bar-b-que braised beef, shred it and freeze it. Super on buns or topping a baked potato. I've made chicken fried rice freezer recipe that is really nice. Runzas, meat and cabbage pies freeze really well, and would travel well. If you want any of the recipes I can post them later.

Are you from Nebraska?

 

[Ohiodislover]

I usually keep it light

Sloppy Joes
Shredded pork for sandwiches
fixings for pizzas
hamburgers/dogs/chicken for grilling

 

[OceanAnnie]

I've never thought to freeze meals ahead for vacation!

One of our favorite meals is a cheese tray with fruit, pepperoni, and crackers. Easy and quick to put together. We eat wrap sandwiches, salads, hamburgers, hot dogs. One night I might make spaghetti and with the leftovers we'll have a spaghetti bake for another meal. I've brought a spiral ham to the beach and used it for sandwiches, quiches, and to snack on. It's a must for us to do a surf and turf night. We grill steaks, and buy shrimp to prepare. It's a lot of fun for us all to pitch in and make the meal. We've made a gumbo with the leftover shrimp one year. That was really good!

Those are some of the things we like. We also like pizza, we might have PBJs or tuna sandwiches for lunch or dinner one night. After being outdoors all day sometimes you don't feel like a lot. Tacos are fun to put together too.

 

[MrsPete]

How about making it easy for yourself? Make a trip to Dream Dinners (or a similar place), where someone else will do the shopping and clean up afterward? You'll just put together your meals, and you'll have your whole week's worth of meals done in about two hours.

 

[shortbun]

Where are you guys storing all this frozen stuff on your drive to the beach? You do know that there are regular grocery stores down there-right? Why work so hard that you NEED a vacation just getting ready?

 

[PatsGirl]

Where are you guys storing all this frozen stuff on your drive to the beach? You do know that there are regular grocery stores down there-right? Why work so hard that you NEED a vacation just getting ready?

I keep everything in a cooler and it stays frozen for the drive and when we are camping, can stay frozen for several days. I hate shopping and preparing meals on vacation, not to mention it's double the dishes/pots/pans. Generally, I spend about three hours getting everything ready, purchased to packed Dinners then take about 20 minutes each night and there is little clean up. As my kids get older, we eat out alot more but when they were younger and we camped alot, the only nights we ate out were fast food (fried fish stands, that short of thing), pizza, and often did clambakes to go.