Saving $ By Bringing Food

[cglaura]

No offence, but I would save up for another year before I did this! There is no way I would have to treck back to eat every meal when I was already engaged in another activity. There is also no way I would be dealing with any of this in a regular hotel room. A condo would be a different story but I would grocery stop, no way I would risk any level of food poisening when on vacation. Sorry but I jsut don't get bringing your own food beyond things like easy mac, oatmeal, pre packaged snacks, and maybe cold cereal.

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.

 

[Mom21]

I am going to cook chicken before we leave. Dice it up, freeze it, and then pack it in a cooler. Or, you could get some Ziploc Steam bags and cook it in the microwave at the hotel. Then, I'll add lettuce, mandarin oranges, some fried wontons (fried prior to leaving home), and some Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame dressing. My "meat and potatoes" DH LOVES THIS and it is easy to make!

Well I just added something to my menu for this week and I'm at home....LOL-wish I were at Disney. Sounds yummy. I am sure dd and I will love this. How do you fry the wontons? Do you buy them or make them homemade? Isn't that the best dressing ever?

 

[gracielou]

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've never heard someone express my feelings so perfectly!

 

[Mom21]

I don't understand the nastiness on this thread. I'm not spending my last dollars on a trip. I don't need to scrimp and save although a dollar saved is a dollar I can spend at Disney. For me it is about convenience. I hate, really really really hate having to get dressed in the morning and trek out for breakfast. I like to take about an hour in the morning to take a nice shower and get ready. My dd has to eat. She eats breakfast as soon as she gets up.

We travel a lot. She is a competitive athlete so for 4 months out of the year seems we are in hotels often. I've always thrown some chips, cereal/protein bars and dry cereal in our suitcases. Most of the time I have a cooler so throw some milk and juice and water (oh yeah beer but that's for Mommy---HAHA) in there. What is the big deal? Now I can't say I would pack a toaster. I'm lazy that way, but so what?? I really don't care if someone else does. That way she always has a snack (girl gotta eat and I'm not hunting down food for her at 10 at night)

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Debates always seem to surface whenever anyone brooks the subject of preparing meals in their rooms.

First of all, let's try to keep in mind that for some people, the only way that they can afford to make a Disney vacation happen for their family is to trim the food budget as best they can. While returning to the room mid-day may not be my cup of tea, I wouldn't discourage someone from doing it other than to point out that it will take a considerable chunk of time out of your day to accomplish this. That's valuable park-touring time that you've already paid for with your ticket. So while you might be saving money on food, you're wasting your ticket. A better option would be to pack a picnic lunch and stash the cooler in a locker at your park of the day.

Secondly, the argument against bringing cooking appliances into the hotel room is a valid one. College dorms have similar rules that bar things like crockpots, electric skillets and hot plates. As a guest of the hotel, we have a responsibility to other guests to observe the rules so that their comfort and safety is not compromised. Please check with your hotel before bringing any cooking appliances. If they're okay with it, then fine. If they say no, then leave the slow cooker at home.

Finally, some members have no problem with preparing meals in advance for their vacations. Some do it because of to dietary needs. Others consider the money that they save to be worthy of the effort. And there are those who feel it's too great an effort to get enough value from it. We all make choices on how we cut costs and just because it's not something you would or wouldn't personally do, that doesn't make it the wrong choice for someone else.

Since the OP has elected to do all meals by utilizing the kitchenette in her resort room, let's try to focus on helping her with easy, satisfying meals that can be prepared with a minimal effort and the appliances that she has at her disposal.

 

[dizlover71]

My husband recently lost his job (in the automotive industry) and wrestled with whether or not to cancel our trip to Disney at the end of September. We've decided to still go since we were driving rather than flying, and using my familie's DVC points to stay at OKW; but that also meant no free Disney dining. I appreciate seeing all the food ideas here and am feeling better about just planning our meals this way instead. I think my kids won't care where or what we eat, so long as I splurge on a mickey mouse ice cream bar or two. This should allow us to splurge and go to the Halloween party.

 

[Lucky4me]

FYI Ice packs are not allowed throught security.

Our airport security must be lax, because I've brought an ice pack through a half dozen times over the past year in an insulated lunch bag. No one said anything about it.

ita with cglaura.
I've always thought of most sit down meals in WDW as wasting my park time.
I can go out to a nice table service restaurant in my city any time, but can only go to Disney once every couple of years.

 

[Justsyd2]

You might look into bringing Tuna Kits and foil packed meats with you so that you won't have to worrying about spoilage. They seem like they would be great for traveling, and they do not need to be heated, so there is no cooking involved.

Depending on how many people are in your family, it may be cheaper to use the QSDP where you each get two CS meals and two snacks per day, plus a refillable resort mug, then you'd only need to bring breakfast items - - I know that groceries can be awfully expensive -- and you could spend more time on vacation, rather than traveling to your room.

Also, check with the hotel, I'm not sure where you're staying, but most of the small fridges do not have freezer compartments.

 

[jlindemer]

I totally get fruit, breakfast foods, things like easy mac and PB&J. I really do not understand the precooking meals like chicken, that is all I am saying.
I don't really care what others do so long as the choices they make have no impact on me. Just saying that personally all that would not be a vacation for me

I will be staying in a condo, so I was going to shred the pre-seasoned chicken (taco seasoning) and then freeze it so that I can warm it up (on the stove or in a microwave). And, I am driving so I will have a cooler in the trunk and I will be able to make sure everything stays cold.

If you can't say something nice, don't say it at all. The OP asked for suggestions not put downs. I would rather eat cheap (come on--it's just food!) and go to Disney more often than eat out and spend $1000+ on food.

 

[jlindemer]

Well I just added something to my menu for this week and I'm at home....LOL-wish I were at Disney. Sounds yummy. I am sure dd and I will love this. How do you fry the wontons? Do you buy them or make them homemade? Isn't that the best dressing ever?

I buy the wontons in the produce section. Then, I cut them into strips, heat oil (in a dutch oven, electric skillet, or deep fryer), and drop them in. They only take a few minutes, and they really add a lot to the dish!

 

[love2teach]

Someone mentioned staying away from Goodings--yes, yes, yes! I have never seen a grocery store so expensive lol. I made a mistake of going in there to buy cereal, milk and breakfast bars. All I got was a bottle of Dr. Pepper.

 

[mom2twinz3]

Oh my yes, Goodings is horrible!!! A true tourist trap with their prices. I went to the Winn-Dixie which is right up the road a bit from it.

What we did for one evening's meal when all we had was a microwave and fridge, was to buy hot dogs and buns, bagged salad and dressing, tortillas and salsa. It was just for one evening when staying at Nick Hotel and it was a budget meal that filled their bellies.

With a condo, you will be able to do so much better but I just threw that out there for others because I know many stay at hotels for their first night in Orlando.

 

[patsal]

I will be staying in a condo, so I was going to shred the pre-seasoned chicken (taco seasoning) and then freeze it so that I can warm it up (on the stove or in a microwave). And, I am driving so I will have a cooler in the trunk and I will be able to make sure everything stays cold.

If you can't say something nice, don't say it at all. The OP asked for suggestions not put downs. I would rather eat cheap (come on--it's just food!) and go to Disney more often than eat out and spend $1000+ on food.

I wasn't putting anyone down. I simply said I do not understand the precooking of meals to take down with people. In your post you explained it better and it made sense. I see that, but taking all that extra on a plane is something I just can't wrap my head around--you never know if there will be a delay, etc. Really nothing I said was meant to be an argument just MHO. I really don't care how others do their vacations or what value they put on food. I was mostly referring to the idea of staying healthy while on vacation (the proper temps of food are very important) and not losing too much park time.

 

[Veronica Lodge]

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.

 

[jlindemer]

I wasn't putting anyone down. I simply said I do not understand the precooking of meals to take down with people. In your post you explained it better and it made sense. I see that, but taking all that extra on a plane is something I just can't wrap my head around--you never know if there will be a delay, etc. Really nothing I said was meant to be an argument just MHO. I really don't care how others do their vacations or what value they put on food. I was mostly referring to the idea of staying healthy while on vacation (the proper temps of food are very important) and not losing too much park time.

I see. I'm just so used to someone asking a question and then getting flamed. My family knows that a break during the day is the most beneficial to us, and by having the food back at the condo we are "forced" to go back to eat and take that break. We will eat a light lunch, swim, nap, have dinner, and then go back to the park for the night. Now, if we were going during a time where the park hours were short (not 9-10 PM) I might reconsider going out for the break.

I say "forced" but really, it's guilt. We bought all of that food, and it will go to waste, so we need to go back to eat.

 

[Dax]

Hi Dax-
Is the Target near Pop Century? If so, can you please tell me how to get there?
Thanks!!!

For those who are interested..

To get to Target from Pop, you need to get on the major road behind Pop, which is Osceola Parkway. Get on it, and follow it all the way toward AK Lodge. There is a traffic light JUST b4 the Lodge, at that light, make a left. This is Sherbeth Rd(or something to that effect). Follow it to the light, which is 192. At the light, turn right. Stay on 192 for about 5 min or so, and you will see a Target on the left, and a Publix on the right.

I also sent a PM to you Hazy

 

[minnie_michelle]

Debates always seem to surface whenever anyone brooks the subject of preparing meals in their rooms.

First of all, let's try to keep in mind that for some people, the only way that they can afford to make a Disney vacation happen for their family is to trim the food budget as best they can. While returning to the room mid-day may not be my cup of tea, I wouldn't discourage someone from doing it other than to point out that it will take a considerable chunk of time out of your day to accomplish this. That's valuable park-touring time that you've already paid for with your ticket. So while you might be saving money on food, you're wasting your ticket. A better option would be to pack a picnic lunch and stash the cooler in a locker at your park of the day.

Secondly, the argument against bringing cooking appliances into the hotel room is a valid one. College dorms have similar rules that bar things like crockpots, electric skillets and hot plates. As a guest of the hotel, we have a responsibility to other guests to observe the rules so that their comfort and safety is not compromised. Please check with your hotel before bringing any cooking appliances. If they're okay with it, then fine. If they say no, then leave the slow cooker at home.

Finally, some members have no problem with preparing meals in advance for their vacations. Some do it because of to dietary needs. Others consider the money that they save to be worthy of the effort. And there are those who feel it's too great an effort to get enough value from it. We all make choices on how we cut costs and just because it's not something you would or wouldn't personally do, that doesn't make it the wrong choice for someone else.

Since the OP has elected to do all meals by utilizing the kitchenette in her resort room, let's try to focus on helping her with easy, satisfying meals that can be prepared with a minimal effort and the appliances that she has at her disposal.

This is very well written and I completely agree. It is each hotel patron's responsibility to adhere to the rules of the hotel and keep other patron's safe. I do believe I read somewhere (in the fine print of my room reservation?? I really can't remember) that small appliances were not allowed and were considered a fire hazard. Comparing the rule to college dorms is an excellent comparison.

I am all for saving money but please choose foods that will not spoil easily, can be reheated or cooked using what the hotel already provides and that are somewhat nutrious for your children. Prepackaged meals are full of salt and perservatives and it really isn't healthy to just eat that for an entire week wether you are saving money or not.

Also, try to choose at least 1 meal (perhaps dinner on the last night) to take your kids out to eat. It will be a nice treat and there are plenty of budget friendly places around Disney . . .or maybe use the coupon that comes with the room package for Planet Hollywood.

Have a great vacation.

 

[kaliope]

I think it's a great idea, for both cost and time saving to eat some meals that you bring yourself. I will be traveling with a 4 yr old boy, and we are planning on purchasing bananas, apples, bread, pb&j, cheese sticks, carrot sticks and celery sticks as well as a couple of yogurts and cereal. I am pregnant and will need multiple snacks to keep going throughout the day, and large meals aren't appealing to me in the heat. This saves us time and money, and it not a big issue to keep and prepare in room. We do plan on eating a decent meal each day, whether the schedule works out best for us at lunch or dinner or a character breakfast, we feel this is easiest for us. Every family knows what works best for them and their time and their budgets!

 

[JustcallmeHappy]

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.

Agree!

 

[disneymom3]

The cream cheese and anything else cold, I will carry on in a soft sided cooler with ice packs, or even check them with ice packs, we'll see. We'll get there in two hours by plane so no worries there. Also, cream cheese doesn't spoil too quick if it's unopened.
I always pack a bottle of booze and water bottles in my checked suitcase. I put them in ziplock bags between the clothes. Haven't had an accident yet.
I can pack clothes for a week in one carry on, so between dd and I, I'm not worried about luggage charges, we'll be fine and well under the 50 pound limit for each of our bags.

I know the comment about the ice packs has been made as well as someone posting that their airport doesn't ban them. (They are supposed to btw.) However, you wouldn't be able to take cream cheese, jelly or pnut butter in a carryon at least in a container. I have seen people have those taken out of their carryons at more than one airport. Just FYI. Who knows you may get through with them, but I wouldn't want you to be surprised if you don't. I take an injectable medication in prefilled syringes and the way it is treated at various airports varies even though, again, there is supposed to be a standard procedure.