Saving $ By Bringing Food

[PinkRhombus]

The thing with applicances is if there is an exposed element. That's why no hot plates, toasters, etc. My RA in college said it this way: "If you can use it to light a cigarette, it's not allowed".

Toasters have some spring mechanism that, when faulty, have turned on by themselves and caused fires. Things are better than they used to be, but I still keep mine unplugged when not in use.

Here is one example recently: http://reports-by-consumers.blogcarnival.com/archives/2005/03/toaster_recalle.html


I'm all for taking breakfast items though. Something to get your metabolism going until you're in the parks and ready for a snack.

It's perfectly fine to do as you are planning, but PLEASE remember that your time has value, too. I'd, personally, try to scrape up a little more money and get the Quick Service plan.

 

[jlindemer]

Just a thought for the OP---have you thought about renting a condo? If flying, you would have to rent a car, but it might be cheaper than staying at Disney. You can pack fewer clothes because you can easily do laundry every night. I found one 10 minutes away from the entrance to Disney--2 bedroom, $65 a night (including taxes) and an additional $60 cleaning fee. There is a communal pool, tennis courts, workout room, etc. That rate was for Christmas week too! So, it might be a little less if you go on a non-peak week. It has great reviews, and the owner is easy to get in contact with.

 

[bookgirl]

Cream cheese in a suit case! How do you plan to keep it chilled and unspoiled?

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Cream cheese bars that comes wrapped up in foil is shelf stable until you open it, then it needs to be refridgerated. Cream cheese in tubs....not shelf stable and has to be cold the whole time.

 

[bookgirl]

For many, it has nothing to do with having to save up for anything, and everything to do with spending wisely. Food is one of my biggest peeves to spend money on. Seriously, and not to be too gross. But if someone told you you had to flush either a $5 or a $20 down the toilet, which would you do? Because the next day, that is what you are doing anyway and if you aren't viewing your food as entertainment and purely as a eat to live, not live to eat mindset, then why spend more if you don't have to.

I do agree that you should be very careful about storage and any sort of appliances though.

LOL, I totally get this concept. I rarely eat for entertainment, and I'm food fussy to boot. I tend to like simple foods even when traveling, (I'm the queen of chicken fingers, it's the one meal that is pretty much the same no matter where you get it). And truth be told I've never understood the concept of a 10 dollar salad, it's mostly lettuce people.

We tend to have a big breakfast, have snacks in the day and then an early dinner. Mostly counter service type food. However if it was just me or even mom and me (usually with parents or friends who are not as simple fooded as I am) I could totally eat cereal/pb&j in the room for breakfast, pack a sandwich for lunch, then some quick easy dinner from the microwave or counter. It's not how I eat everyday but I could totally do it for a vacation.

 

[wdwfan16]

Cream cheese bars that comes wrapped up in foil is shelf stable until you open it, then it needs to be refridgerated. Cream cheese in tubs....not shelf stable and has to be cold the whole time.

All the stores around here have the fold one refridgerated. The foil is not a vacuum package.

 

[patsal]

All the stores around here have the fold one refridgerated. The foil is not a vacuum package.

Same with mine. Says keep refrigerated.

If is is shelf stable then that would make DS's day, he usually has to wait until I can do the grocery stop for his bagel and cream cheese breakfast!

 

[tamlav]

Op here, checking in.
I'm not a big cook and dont plan on making huge meals. I think I'll stick to mostly stuff you can heat up in a microwave.

I was thinking I saw Aunt Jemina, already made pancakes in the freezor section, that you heat up in the microwave.
I also found microwable pop tarts.
Also, I was going to bring some Pasta Roni.
Maybe some go-gurt, and soup.
Kroger sells pudding cups that dont need to be refrigerated.
Red Baron has mini pizza you can cook in the microwave.
Of course, some turkey or roast beef and maybe make some sub sandwich's. Those are just some of the ideas I'm bouncing around in my head.

I love the steamfresh idea someone posted! I love all the ideas. Keep 'em coming!

 

[cglaura]

Did the OP ever come back?

I was going to suggest she bring lunch food with her to the park instead of heading back to ther hotel for lunch breaks. That would be a total waste of time. Those tuna lunch kits would be good, or string cheese, or even canned fruit (a lot of them have pop-tops now).

I'd also suggest being flexible about eating meals at the park on vacation. I think the adult CS meals are pretty large and can easily be split betwen 2 people who aren't big eaters.

To the person who equated eating meals in the park as the equivalent of "flushing" a $20 as opposed to a $5: for me it would not be such a straight, money-only comparison. Sometimes, the restaurant experience is worth some money, or trying foods I wouldn't eat at home, or having meals I don't often indulge in. I could probably feed myself for less than $5 a day if I wanted to stick to a can of corn, a few slices of baloney and some white bread, but the emotional misery of that cancels out any financial savings. And, if my straits are so dire that I needed to watch every single penny, I personally wouildn't be planning a vacation but YMMV, of course.

Totally get your point! But you kind of missed mine. That was the whole thing to my post. I get zero entertainment value out of most restaurants or food (we like those with a show, etc). I just eat to stay from being hungry and so I don't die. I don't spend less because my straits are dire. I spend less because I feel it is a waste to spend more. I could eat 3 TS meals a day if I chose to.

Also...I meant $5 per meal....$5 per day, that would be tough! So when I say $5 per meal, I mean, we'd each have a children's meal. Or we'd split an adult cs meal...therefore being less than $5 per person for the meal...and we do have our certain wdw things we only get there...funnel cakes, mickey bars, dole whips, we aren't huge meal eaters, I'm not like some fun robbing food nazi. No TS for you! LOL To us wdw is about the parks. To many it is about the dining and parks. Everyone is different, how boring would the world be if not!

My mom, total opposite of me. She and my stepdad go out a few times a week, the love to dine out, it is something "they do". She has no idea how she could have raised such a non foodie

For the op: one of our favorites that can be either a snack or a lunch...giant cheeze-its with peanut butter. Easily portable in your backpack if you get those small pb cups or tubes. Then just buy a piece of fruit (usually $1-$2). Good if you decide to stay in the park for lunch.

 

[PatriciaH]

Yes, Goodings is very expensive- one of the reasons why all but one or two went out of business. Actually I think most of you will have a heart attack if you buy your groceries here We can often eat out with a discount or coupon for MUCH cheaper than buying groceries here in Florida. I have never spent as much on food as I have living here. The produce (veggies and fruit) and meat are awful too. Just FYI!

 

[gracielou]

I was going to suggest she bring lunch food with her to the park instead of heading back to ther hotel for lunch breaks. That would be a total waste of time. Those tuna lunch kits would be good, or string cheese, or even canned fruit (a lot of them have pop-tops now). I'd also suggest being flexible about eating meals at the park on vacation. I think the adult CS meals are pretty large and can easily be split betwen 2 people who aren't big eaters.

I agree with this 100%!

To the person who equated eating meals in the park as the equivalent of "flushing" a $20 as opposed to a $5: for me it would not be such a straight, money-only comparison. Sometimes, the restaurant experience is worth some money, or trying foods I wouldn't eat at home, or having meals I don't often indulge in. I could probably feed myself for less than $5 a day if I wanted to stick to a can of corn, a few slices of baloney and some white bread, but the emotional misery of that cancels out any financial savings. And, if my straits are so dire that I needed to watch every single penny, I personally wouildn't be planning a vacation but YMMV, of course.

This, however, not so much. I am of the school where a penny saved is a penny earned. We can well afford cash for our annual vacations to the World so no, it's not a "money-only comparison"; however, we are not ones to eat out every night and usually prefer to go into the fridge and pull out our favorites anyway. The one thing I dislike about vacations is not having the comforts of home, not being able to go into my own kitchen and pull out anything I want. Sometimes bologna and white bread is a comfort craving, not a dire strait (although for me personally it would be cheese and bread, not bolgna)! WDW meals, be they CS or TS, are just way too much food for us. So buying meals 2 or 3 times a day is just a waste. We're 2 adults, no kids, but for comfort's sake, taking snacks and having 1 "meal" in the parks per day is as much as we can take.

 

[gracielou]

Also...I meant $5 per meal....$5 per day, that would be tough! So when I say $5 per meal, I mean, we'd each have a children's meal. Or we'd split an adult cs meal...therefore being less then $5 per person for the meal...and we do have our certain wdw things we only get there...funnel cakes, mickey bars, dole whips, we aren't huge meal eaters, I'm not like some fun robbing food nazi. No TS for you! LOL To us wdw is about the parks. To many it is about the dining and parks. Everyone is different, how boring would the world be if not!

Again, I feel like you're reading my mind! Granted, DH and I drive, so we have a lot more options than those who fly, but we bring snacks and grocery shop at Publix for a lot of fresh food (can't live without my cheese!). We have 4 TS ADRs for our annual October trip this year and I'm already itching to cancel. I just prefer the flexibilty of waking up in the morning and deciding which park(s) I feel like going to and dealing with food when the urge strikes. And I want to be able to give into the random turkey leg/Dole Whip craving! Plus we go during F&W every year so the food booths occupy much of our time and appetite!

 

[bookgirl]

Same with mine. Says keep refrigerated.

If is is shelf stable then that would make DS's day, he usually has to wait until I can do the grocery stop for his bagel and cream cheese breakfast!

Okay shelf stable was probably the wrong word. From what I've been told, before you open the foil packed cream cheese it's ususally safe at room tempeture for a few hours, not at extreme tempetures and not for days but long enough to pack and fly with over the course of a day. Though technically I haven't flown with it but I have traveled with it. Once you open it however its got to be kept cold since it's a "fresh" cheese.

During the holidays they often stack boxes of the foil packages outside of the refridgerated area and sell them straight from the box. I was told by the grocery manager that they were safe without refridgeration until they were opened, but again I have never left it unrefridgerated for more than a few hours. They do not do this with the tubs of cream cheese, at least I've never seen them that way.