Creative Hotel Meals: Save Money and the Stress
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If you have followed any of our other posts you will know that we love to travel as a family. But as a family of 4 it is expensive to travel and we look for cost savings wherever we can. Eating meals in your hotel room is one way to save money. Though it can be a bit challenging because most hotels don’t have a full kitchen, it can still be done.
We are going to provide you with easy and practical meal ideas for the whole family to enjoy.
Packing
As you pack for your hotel adventure planning for your hotel meals means making sure you have what you need. Some small appliances will be helpful to keeping variety in your meals.
Top on our list are:
Slow Cooker:https://amzn.to/4oimQBY
Microwave Safe Containers: https://amzn.to/4oKUXSV
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When buying food is a good idea to grab items that don’t go bad quickly. Create a bit of a menu so you know what to bring.
Tip!! Bring a cooler for items needing to be kept cool and a large tote for pantry type items. They pack easier in the car and are easy to bring into the room.
Easy Breakfast
Breakfast doesn’t have to be fancy and it doesn’t have to be hard. It is easy to plan some no cook options or simple breakfasts that you can simply warm up in the microwave. Here are a few to try:
- Overnight oats, Yogurt parfaits, fruits and nuts
- Microwavable options: scrambled eggs, oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches
- Smoothies- bring a portable blender and packaged fruits
Lunch Solutions
These lunches may be dependent on what your plans are- if you are out and about it may be different. If you will be in the room around lunch the warm up options may be the best idea to feel more like home. If you will be out and about enjoying yourself then the packaged grab and go options are a good go to. Some of the best to try are:
- Microwavable lunches: soups and stews
- Jarred salads with dressing on the side
- sandwiches and wraps- choose one type of meat for easy packing (ham is the go to for our family)
Salads, sandwiches and wraps can easily be thrown into a cooler with a few ice packs if you are out and about. Cut up some fruit and vegetables to go with it.
Creative Dinners
Just because you are in a hotel doesn’t mean your meals have to be boring. If you plan a few options and prepare ahead of time you can have your family eating healthy meals while you are away. A few options are:
- pre-made sheet pan dinners portioned into containers to warm up in the room (chicken and potatoes, sausage and veggies)
- DIY Pizzas- pre bought pizza crusts and bring pizza toppings in the room
- Slow cooker pastas- using sauces, pre cooked meats and froze vegetables.
In your packing make sure to throw in a few dish cloths and some dish soap to make clean up a bit easier.
Snacks and Treats
I don’t know about your kids, but my kids seem to eat all the time. Snacks are a must and healthy snacks are important to have on hand. Sure it is great to have a bag of chips or a chocolate bar- but that can’t be the only snacks you enjoy while vacationing. Some other healthier options to try are:
- Hummus and pita chips or cut up veggies
- Fruit platter with yogurt dips
- Homemade granola bars or bites
- Easy Made microwavable hotel smores
Last Thoughts
You can enjoy healthy meals as a family while away at a hotel. If you are staying in a hotel room with limited space and no table that can make it tricky to eating meals. If you end up having to eat on the bed bringing some towels and a tray might be a good idea to help with and spills. I like to bring our own towels because hotel towels are always white and I feel bad when we spill on white towels!
For more travel tips and ideas be sure to check out our other posts at Blog – Together We Can Travel.
