Vacation- cooking/grocery ideas

[anaj06]

My FIL has given us a beachfront timeshare for a week in December in south Florida that includes a "full" kitchen. I am not sure what "full" means exactly. We are looking forward to it but need to be frugal with our dining/eating. My DH and I have a 3 year old and 4 year old boys to feed for the week.

I need help coming up with easy ways to eat at the timeshare using the kitchen but still feel like we are having a vacation. I plan on taking groceries and a full cooler with us so we don't even have to grocery shop there. Any ideas for easy meals so I feel like I am on vacation to and we can still eat for cheap at the timeshare? It is really dinner I am having a hard time keeping simple!

Ideas so far:

• Plan on taking my crockpot, griddle (cooks 8 sandwiches at a time) and our toaster.
• Paper plates, cups, napkins and utensils - I am on vacation too:)
• Sandwiches and grapes/chips for lunches --keep it simple. Any other lunch ideas that would be easy?
• Cereal/pop tarts/bagels, etc for breakfast
• Pizza one night for dinner
• Already having the ground beef browned before leaving and using my crockpot for a few dinner recipes (lasagna comes to mind right off because there is no outside cooking except browning the meat).
• Baking some cookies, brownies, and muffins ahead to take with us.

Any other thoughts, esp on dinner?

[blossomed]

If you boys arent foodies - maybe take some of your regular kid foods - mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and a can veggie - and then plan a nicer meal for you and DH. While it is nice to sit at the dinner table together - sometimes it nice to have a quiet dinner for 2 while the kids enjoy a video.

How about spaghetti and meatballs? You could make the sauce ahead (or use a jar) and they will have a pot to boil.

We rent a beachhouse in the summer and are planning one for the holidays (just decided yesterday, I'm sooo excited) and here are some things you might not think to pack. The kitchen is usually stocked but they usually dont have kitchen towels.

[mom2lucas]

This blog is a wonderful resource for easy meals, and she even has a post about vacation meals that take literally minutes to prepare. We've used this blog several times for vacation because we always stay in homes or condos with full kitchens. The food is GOOD and EASY. My kids, also 3 and 4, will eat most things we make from this website.

[anaj06]

Thanks!

[taylordvd]

I like to do manwich when I am cooking on vacation. I would try to make things that use few ingredients. Hamburgers and hot dogs are easy. Grilled Cheese sandwiches are always a hit. I second the spaghetti idea. Breakfast for dinner - pancakes or waffles. The kids will think it is vacation is make things that they normally would not get for dinner but beg you for all the time. Tacos are always a hit in my house and are easy to do. Have fun!!