Share your vacation recipes here!

[javamoma]

For those of you who stay off site at condos or on property at DVC and have a kitchen....what do you cook? We often stay at Air BNB type places when traveling and not just at Disney. I’m always looking for ideas of easy recipes that don’t require me bringing or buying a million different spices or items per recipe. For those of you who have access to a kitchen on vacation and choose to cook, please share your recipe/meal ideas. This saves so much money for us when traveling.
Thanks!

 

[kymom99]

Last Vacation at a condo we bought convenience type stuff. Rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, salad, fruit, chicken tenders, buffalo bites, deli meats, cheese, eggs, and things like that. We ate well with little trouble.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I always have a "use it up" brunch of a french toast late in the trip. Before my dairy allergy, we used to do whatever glazed donuts didn't get eaten, sliced in half, in a custard of eggs/milk/sugar and cooked in butter...and top with fresh macerated berries (whatever we had left)...

Now, I always pack ginger and vanilla tea with me. And we tend to pick up hormel fried apples (b/c they have no dairy) as an easy dinner side (but we always have 1 uneaten near the end of the trip), so I make a french toast custard with the ginger/sugar/vanilla almond milk (my normal milk)/eggs/some of the hormel syrup...and then I cook the french toast in my plant-based butter and top with the hormel apples and some fresh berries (whatever is left)...

If I have bacon, I also serve that on the side every time...

No syrup needed...either recipe, with the sugar added to the custard, is perfect...

I never make french toast at home, so the kids love it...and it cooks up very fast and eliminates all the waste...and it doesn't matter on "measuring" - just crack a few eggs, add milk, add a few spoonfuls of sugar, and shake in some spice, whisk it up...and dip and cook bread...

I mean, my kids comment that the breakfast would be $10/each at a restaurant...and they aren't wrong...

EDIT TO ADD: On Day 1, after grocery shopping, I precook 3lbs of bacon (for 6 of us) - I use it for breakfasts, BLTs, club sandwiches, wedge salads, etc...it's just the perfect "on vacation" food to pull out of the fridge...

 

[bluehen]

Simple chicken and salsa

saute chicken then add jars of salsa and simmer a couple minutes.....serve over rice


easy low fat and very good

I also pre grill chicken and either have chicken sandwiches or even better chicken salad with spring mix and avocado.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Barilla fully cooked pasta that just needs heated in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Top it with fully cooked chicken or steak strips that just need heated in the microwave and a jar of pasta sauce . Served with bagged salad.
A bag of bertolli frozen black pepper fettuccine that I top with the remaining chicken or steak that I used for the pasta meal from the night before and leftover salad.
Breakfast for dinner. Jimmy Dean frozen bag of ham, potatoe, onions cooked in a skillet and I pour egg beaters into the skillet as well. Served with croissants

 

[Ksquared]

You can easily make chicken quesidillas, I use the bag of frozen purdue chicken, then you heat the flour tortillas, add the chicken, cheese, green onions etc. flip in half and in minutes they are ready. I serve with side of tortilla chips, salsa, guac and they can munch while i'm making them. You can make them with bacon or sausage and scrambled eggs in the morning as well for breakfast quesadillas

 

[Heluvsme]

We love the take-and-bake style pizzas, that and a bagged salad with a jar of dressing and my family is happy!

The frozen Stouffer's lasagna is easy!

Same goes for the large macaroni and cheese.

Bagged salad and pre-cooked fajita chicken strips makes a good chicken salad.

 

[StarB]

When we stay off property and have a kitchen, we eat homemade salads with a few fixings (cheese, chicken strips, etc). For meat we'll have grilled shrimp, steaks and ground beef for spaghetti. Other than salt and pepper, we usually only need butter. We also load up on water since it's way cheaper than purchasing in the parks.

 

[5Tulips]

Taco kits
spaghetti (pasta, jar sauce & beef)
chicken, rice a roni & mozzarella bake
Turkey burgers (pan fry)
Hot dog bites
Broiled salmon

I pack Montreal steak seasoning for when needed...
...and there’s always Publix subs

 

[StarB]

Taco kits
spaghetti (pasta, jar sauce & beef)
chicken, rice a roni & mozzarella bake
Turkey burgers (pan fry)
Hot dog bites
Broiled salmon

I pack Montreal steak seasoning for when needed...
...and there’s always Publix subs

Exactly, Publix is my best friend when I'm off property.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Bags of the flavored rice that you microwave for two mins and add a can of chicken.

Besides being cheap its super easy. We did it in the room that did not have a full kitchen.

 

[AndreaDM]

I don't have recipes, but a spice tip to share! Use one of those 7 day pill organizers to put small amounts of spices in!

 

[javamoma]

That’s a great idea!

 

[javamoma]

These are great ideas. Please keep them coming.

 

[TwoMisfits]

For what I really cook (other than the bacon)...it's the vacation stuff we avoid in the themeparks - burgers, hot dogs, and TONS of sandwiches with smoothies (which now use plant based ice cream and juice/plant-based milk vs our dairy binge of old with all the fresh fruit and bananas and PB I buy)...

We buy high end lunch meat, rotisserie chicken, tons of bacon, tons of cheese (shredded and sliced), lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, ketchup, mustard, and pickles...and peanut butter, honey, all fruit preserves, plant-based butter, and dairy-free hazelnut spread...and eggs and sausage...and some high end rolls and loaves of white bread...

You'd be amazed how many different types of sandwiches you can make and make well if you just have a good stash. And the sandwich stuff easily tops dogs and burgers, too...and most rolls into breakfast options...

If you have that kind of stash, add in tons of fruit (both fresh and prepared), a few prepared sides (coleslaw/baked beans for me and mac and cheese for the kids) and some salty snacks (plain potato chips are my fave - they can also top sandwiches)...you don't need much more than alcohol, milk, and coffee (and the aforementioned ice cream)...and some cereal boxes for kids...

And if you pour the kids their smoothies early...and then add vodka or rum to the grown ups ones...yeah, I've never done that...smoothies and sandwiches is a great vacation)...

I already mentioned my "use it up" french toast...I also have "use it up" smoothies by the end that are PB/banana/chocolate...and use it up burgers with whatever toppings we have left (do those last and have the sandwiches 1st)...

EDIT TO ADD: When we eat our one meal out, we tend to avoid the sandwich/burger concept, even in theme parks...most of my kids now use the chance for a dairy load meal, while I tend to get a veg or hot protein meal. Last year in Busch Gardens, I shared a rib/sausage/chicken plate (made with the dairy free sausage) with german potato salad and a regular salad with my 2nd daughter, who also got herself a side of mac and cheese for our meal out lunch, while my other kids got pizza and ribs with mac and cheese...

 

[barkley]

I don't have recipes, but a spice tip to share! Use one of those 7 day pill organizers to put small amounts of spices in!

i use the half sandwich size ziplock bags and premeasure dry spices for individual recipes. ziplock them and label.

if there's going to be an available crockpot- yummly's stuffed pepper or taco soup.

take and bake pizza

large frozen lasagna/garlic bread

frozen fries/canned chili/cheese


for the most part it's super easy convenience type foods-it's vacation after all so i don't want to have to do a bunch of prep work and meal planning.

 

[kymom99]

I also like to have Tostitos with Mexican blend cheese melted on top. Serve with salsa. Yummy for lunch or a snack. We don’t always have formal meal times in vacation.

We also buy or bring things like pickles, cubed cheese, potato salad.... have those with a nice sandwich and everyone is happy.

 

[barkley]

if there were a costco in close proximity to where i was staying our household would happily dine on a selection of their prepared items-street tacos, pinwheel sandwiches, korean bbq, stuffed bellpeppers.

 

[LovesTimone]

Grilled cheese sandwiches are a favorite of my family with a green salad... super simple

Egg noodles with butter - you can add in shrimp, or chicken strips... you can even add in fresh broccoli, or green garden peas... simple yet filling

BBQ sandwiches, sides

Sloppy joe's are another vacation favorite, and a bag of frozen fries... and we are good to go...

I always try to get plan ahead so we use up everything... I prefer to buy lettuce (not the bags) for use in salads, then I have lettuce for sandwiches, and burgers, taco's or even lettuce wraps... Ranch dressing for salad and you can use it for chips or fresh veggie dipping...

This is a old shopping list, when we last went to the mountains...
Normally we have breakfast in every morning, and it's pretty hearty meal...
One meal out normally lunch, like around 2 ish ... the rest of the time was just whatever you felt like having...

Plus if we are going to do something like tube or plan on picnicking at one of the national or state parks... I have everything that I need... If you are planning on the water park this might help...

BBQ pork or beef (pre-made in the containers) Lloyd's is the brand we have used a couple time's... and we have been really happy with it...
Pre-made sides - potato salad, coleslaw, pasta salad, lots of choices here
Boxed mac and cheese, or the Pasta in a box
Bread, buns
Deli meats
Cheese - (sliced, shredded and block)
Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower - fresh in the microwaveable bags
Yogurt, and fruit, pancake mix and syrup
Lettuce and other salad fixin'
Egg's, bacon and sausage.
Boxed muffins, granola or breakfast bar
Pickles, Olives
Crackers, Chips, Cookies
Dips - standard things like onion or ranch, we add in things like humus and guacamole
Banana's, apples, berries, halo oranges
Pound cake or some other dessert out the bakery...
Milk, Juice, Soda, bottled water, and adult beverages...

Pizza, Chinese, Subs, KFC pick up on the way back...
Olive Garden order a pan of lasagna, it comes with salad and bread sticks ( Ask for a large side of sauce, it never has enough sauce)...
Macaroni Grill is another favorite spot...

 

[SCCNJ]

This thread has so many great ideas! My family of 5 is going to Disney for the first time and I admit I have sticker shock on Disney restaurant prices! We are Canadian too so add a nice chunk more. My one lonely tip is for Canadians...if you have the space, buy as much here as you can fit in your vehicle. I'm bringing everything except produce, meat and dairy.