Thinking of a very budget trip this fall...Please help.

[PhotobearSam]

We are thinking (it's soooo addictive) of going for 2 weeks in November and stay in a condo with full kitchen.

Here is the problem:

We want to eat a lot of dinners in the condo but don't want to cook much and clean up...We are trying to still make this a vacation.

We want ideas on easy to prepare, quick meals with not a lot of fuss.

We are driving so we can bring a lot of stuff with us.

Up till now we have thought of:

-Hamburger Helper with salad
-soup and sandwhiches
-grilled cheese
and Kraft Dinner Mac n Cheese


See my problem???We are not coming up with much...

It's just DH and Myself. We are going to do the Bagles and Oatmeal for breakfast thing and sandwhiches for some lunches but I need help...

Please help I would be very thankful because I am so clueless

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

 

[Doodlebug939]

What about bringing a crock pot with you. I have found that I can make so many things with it and just set it in the morning and come back to the house and the smells call you in and there is little work left to do but through in some rolls.

I usually look online and find recipes for free like at www.allrecipes.com

There is one there for Baby Back Ribs for hardly any work. It could be done on a day that you are in the condo for a few hours. It only requires Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce , Ribs and Foil. Very Easy and best of all No Clean up!

Hope it helps.

 

[swilshire]

We often take chile. We make a big batch ahead and freeze some of it, or you could use the crockpot. Eat it with crackers, with Fritoes, sour cream, cheese, and tomatoes, on top of nachos, or as a topper for baked potatoes.

We buy Stouffers frozen lasagna in the 96oz size and just add salad and french bread.

We make taco meat and reheat it for tacos or nachos for a couple of days.

We bring frozen chicken (bought on sale at home) and bake it with potatoes and carrots.

We also hit the closest Sams club and get some of the party type food that is fun to munch on. My favorite is the mni-quiches. The kids like pizza rolls and hot pockets.

I like Campbells Chunky soups for a quick meal. You can add a salad if you like. Or you can pick up a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket and add a frozen or canned veggie.

Just think of what you would make at home if you got in late from work. That will probably fill the bill.

Sheila

 

[psupple]

My DH made a chili one time and a spaghetti sauce with meatballs another. You can stretch both meals for a couple of days without much effort.

You can always get a big meal one night and have it for lunch the next day.

 

[DiznEeyore]

How about hitting one of the local grocery stores and buying a ready-made rotisserie chicken, a salad in a bag, and some heat-n-serve rolls?

We're not big eaters, and we could even stretch that bird into sandwiches the next day.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Good ideas already!

I think breakfast foods, like pancakes and bacon, one night is super easy and cheap. We eat that often =) You can do eggs, as well, if you want.

Any of those boxed meals, you already mentioned hamburger helper, there are several now to choose from.

Frozen pizzas (some are quite good!)

Tacos/Burritos - just have to brown some ground meat

No shame in frozen dinners

Those pasta Voila things are pretty good, too!

Hot Dogs and Frozen Fries

GOOD LUCK!

 

[luvindisneyworld]

How about corn dogs,frozen chicken patties for sandwiches,frozen hamburger patties,hotdogs,hot pockets,frozen fish for sandwiches.You can also get the packages of grilled chicken and have that on a salad with some garlic bread.The Digorno frozen pizzas are very good.I would make up some spaghetti sauce ahed of time and have spaghetti and salad.
Some of the frozen bagged meals like chicken alfredo and stuff like that are wonderful.

Misty

 

[Missamoncus]

Hi ! This is my VERY first post to the Dis boards ! I just had to chime in here. I love the idea of the crockpot. As a busy mom, my crockpot is really helpful! Here is one of our favorite meals:
Company Chicken
3-4 lbs. chicken parts , skinned if desired.
s&p to taste
2 10.5 oz cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 10.5 oz cans condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup flour
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 16 oz jar sm. whole onions or 1 med. onion seperated into
rings
salt and pepper chicken and place in crockpot.
combine all other ingrediants in bowl, stir well to blend
Pour over chicken
cook on lo for 8-10 hrs or Hi for 5-6 hrs.

If your kids won't eat onions, just sautee some on the side for you and DH or leave them off all together. I serve with side salad and canned or frozen veggies.
another cool crockpot meal is..
pot roast
1 can diced tomatos
1 package taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
cook in crockpot Lo 5-6 hrs high 8-10 hrs
add a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans the last hour serve over tortillas with any taco fixings you like.

Have a great time at the world. I just joined because I am planning a big family blowout for my 40th in Dec. 05!

Melissa
DH Steve
DD Meigan (2)

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

We are going beginning of Sept.. This is an unexpected (read: make this the cheapest trip on record ) trip.

BUT, I don't want to eat frozen pizza the whole time either, because the meals are part of what I look forward to also, on vacation.

So, I decided to mix it up. One day I have us eating sandwiches/wraps at the condo. Then shopping at DTD. While there, we will have dessert at Rainforest Cafe. For dinner that day, we will have chili(that I already made at home,froze it, and packed in the cooler to take with us). I will buy tortilla chips, sour cream and cheese down there.

Another day............Chicken Eugene in the crock pot. Chicken breasts, dried chipped beef, sour cream, cream of chic. soup..... in the crock pot with some potatoes thrown in. I'll probably serve with green beans that I bought (frozen) down there.

Yet another day............Stouffers frozen lasagna (This brand is the best I have found when I'm not making home-made) with packaged salad, and GOOD crusty garlic bread.

On the first FULL day that we are there, we will need to go grocery shopping for some things. My list won't be very long, but I don't want to go into it hungry, because you know what they say about going grocery shopping hungry...........you buy everything in sight!! Soooooo.................I will have bagels for us for breakfast and then at lunch time we will go to Sweet Tomatoes. I've heard SO MUCH about this restaurant.....and ALL good. Lunch is only $6.99 for adults and it's a buffet of salads, pastas, soups, breads.............they even tell you what will be on the menu on their website. So we will fill up on that and then go shopping.

That night I plan on making some hamburgers back at the condo, but I will make enough for leftovers for lunches or something through out the week. (We always have to have one day to have a GOOD hamburger! )

There is also a place called NY China Buffet (they have a website also, I think it is just their name) that is only $6.50 for adults. I don't think we will have time for this one, and being that we are eating out already, I was trying to cut down. But if you want one night to eat out and you like Chinese..........there you go.

I use Allrecipes at home all of the time. That is where I got the Chicken Eugene recipe from. I just do it in the crockpot with out the bacon.

These are just some of my ideas.

 

[sweet maxine]

I love this stuff!

I got a lot of mileage out of my kitchen at the FW Cabins in June. We went to Costco and bought the rotisserie chickens and made one meal with them, then had sandwiches with the leftovers. They also have good premade pizzas to heat which are really yummy!

Don't forget--there is a coupon in several of the tourist magazines in Orlando for 10 percent off at the N Y China Buffet. We went there twice, and the food is very good there. Very reasonable prices!

You can really make a budget trip work with the kitchen for meals, but make sure and treat yourself too. Restaurant.com has some good prices lately on the gift certificates for meals. We also bought a couple of the Clear Channel certificates for Nascar Cafe when they were on the blowout price for $10 for 2 - $25 certificates. I also agree about the Sweet Tomatoes idea, and you may come upon some coupons for that place too. Someone here on the Dis Boards was kind enough to share some with me.

 

[PhotobearSam]

Missamoncus...Thanks for using your first post to answer little old me...This is the first time that someone answered me with their first post...I am honoured.

WELCOME to the DIS!!!!!




Keep the responses coming...I'm going to be there for 2 weeks so I need lots of ideas...

 

[Candleshoe]

We like stuffed chicken breasts as a meal starter and then add a veggie or two to complete. They're usually sold a box of two for $2.50-$4.00 depending on the store (avg $3). Me and DD like the Brocolli & Cheese stuffed, and DH likes the Chicken Kiev. That's our "upscale, expensive" meal

Hamburger helper hint: Buy a 5-10lb package, and then cook it ahead of time. I always divide it up to less then 1 lb (for the 5lb I get 8-9 pkgs out of it, my husband gets maybe 6pkgs out of it! different levels of frugality between us!) Drain and rinse really well to get the grease out, then put the meat in wax paper, and again in Foil. Freeze. You can then take out of the freezer, take off the foil, and use the microwave to defrost the cooked meat that's still in wax paper. voila! quick and easy HH.

This of course just assumed you're driving :/ You might be flying in which case ignore this!

There's all sorts of family sized frozen dinners too.

 

[JrsyDebs]

One of my favorite quick-and-easy meals is Sloppy Joes!! All you need is one lb. ground beef, one can of sauce, and rolls. Takes less than 10 minutes to fix.

 

[The Sweetness]

Something I do all the time at home~

I am a convenience food queen, and usually only *cook* (Starting with raw meat) once a week anymore. In the meat section, you can find fully cooked microwavable entrees~ pork roast, meat loaf, roast beef, or turkey, pot roast etc... These things are FAST to warm up and taste like home made, only better (tender EVERY time). Just use canned or frozen veggies, or boil in the bag rice with a pre done salad and some rolls, and you are home free

 

[Taja]

Watch your newspaper for manufacturers' coupons for about 3 or 4 weeks before you go. You can take advantage of them at WDW. I stay onsite and don't have a kitchen, but my thoughts would be to include:

Healthy Choice frozen entrees or meals (some of them are good!)
Grilled tuna & cheese sandwiches (could also do chicken, ham or turkey)
If you don't mind taking your crockpot, one or two favorite recipes and freeze the leftovers for later in your visit (same as at home!)
In same crockpot (or low oven overnight), slow cook (be sure you have enough water, wine or whatever liquid you want to use) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (brown in skillet first, bring seasoning premixed in zip top bag) early in your visit so you can freeze it in small batches and enjoy it periodically throughout your visit. Add sauces, use in sandwiches or salads, any way you like it!
Frozen veggies that you can fix quickly: Broccoli, beans, carrots, whatever you like.

You have time to plan and experiement!


__________________
Taja

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by JrsyDebs
One of my favorite quick-and-easy meals is Sloppy Joes!! All you need is one lb. ground beef, one can of sauce, and rolls. Takes less than 10 minutes to fix.

--------------------------

Also, drain a can of whole kernel corn to throw into the sloppy joe mix and you have your meal with a veggie as well! Yummy!!!!!! I use the French's sloppy joe envelope mix (which I believe calls for tomato paste rather than sauce) and it is SOOOOO good!

Another quickie is to buy the tri-color spiral pasta. Cook it up, add some pepperoni slices and 3/4's of a bottle of chilled Italian salad dressing (not the creamy kind though) and you have a yummy, cool salad for dinner..

Another favorite of mine is cream of mushroom soup over buttered toast.. Use only a half can of water rather than a full one so the soup is nice and thick.. Very filling and takes less than 10 minutes..

 

[Missamoncus]

Originally posted by PhotobearSam
[This is the first time that someone answered me with their first post...I am honoured.

WELCOME to the DIS!!!!!:


Thanks! In most groups, you introduce yourself first, but this board is SO big I don't think most people would see it.
Another idea that we do often is stir fry. You can get frozen or already cut up stir fry veggies and whatever meat you like along with a sauce or sauce packet from the ethnic foods section of the grocery store. Just make sure if you use a packet that you have everything ( Soy Sauce, Corn Starch, whatever) that it takes to do it. micro or Boil in bag rice and dinners done in 15 - 20 minutes with a minimum of pots and pans to clean up. You can do this in just a large frying pan so you wouldn't have to drag a wok around. Of course , our daughter was adopted from Hunan province China and we love chinese food.. I don't think we could go a week without it!


Melissa Meigan Marie Tao Jing and Steve

 

[PhotobearSam]

This is sooo cool...

another newbie answered me with their 1st post...

Welcome to the DiS...Candleshoe


Glad to see some new faces...

 

[Candleshoe]

OH Hey thanks!

I've been lurking a long long time

I'm trying to plan our next trip right now.

The "You can call me Candlebudgetshoe" cuz it's my middle name!" newbie.

 

[karemore]

Frozen ravioli is what I make when I don't want to "cook" or we are in a rush.

It only takes about ten minutes to boil the water and heat the ravioli, and I just pour sauce over top and serve with salad which you can buy already mixed in a bag and I pop a couple breadsticks or slices of garlic bread in the toaster oven.

Most grocery stores have hot foods reasonably prices. Chicken dinners, pot pies, pizzas etc.

I like frozen pierogies too for a quick meal. You can pour salsa or any of your favorite sauces over them.

If it were me we'd eat a lot of sandwiches. Grilled cheese, PB&J etc.

And we'd eat a lot of pizza. Cheap and easy!

Good luck and have fun!

Karen