Self Catering Holiday - How can I do it on the cheap

tee_pee_2 · 21 March 2006 at 10:36PM

Hello

Next week me OH and DD are going to center parcs for a few days. :j I have looked through the welcome pack and the prices of food on site looks extrotionate. :mad:

So I need some useful hints and tips about what to take with me to keep the cost down. I have never done this type of holiday before so I don't know where to start.

any help welcome

pollys · 21 March 2006 at 10:50PM

Hi
When self catering I take as much as room in the car will allow.

Tea, coffee,sugar.
Favourite cereal.
Squash/juice (and sports bottles to fill and take out)
Bacon, eggs, tomatoes etc in cool box for a filling breakfast (and milk)
Homemade bread
baked beans/spaghetti
tuna etc (for sandwiches)
biscuits

and anything else I can think of. I once took a frozen lasagne, it had defrosted in time to put in the oven for tea.

HTH

tee_pee_2 · 21 March 2006 at 11:01PM

I like the idea of a frozen lasagne - straight in the oven when you get there. great. Thanks Polly a least I have a start now. :T

Rebob · 21 March 2006 at 11:09PM

When we go camping I take hm bolognese that I have frozen and some dried pasta.
Packet of sausages, tinned veg, some gravy granuals and some smash. Couple of pot noodles or 5 minute noodles. Sandwich stuff ie jar of jam.
Hope that this helps.

pavlovs_dog · 21 March 2006 at 11:10PM

you could also freeze a carton of milk (2/4 pinter, depending on how much you and OH will get through in a week) to

1) serve as a cool pack for any perishables you will take up with you
2) avoid buyng their overpriced milk for as long as possible!

it may be worth taking hot water bottles and a flask, espcially if this cold weather is going to continue.

pasta will travel well, as will anything in a jar/tin. why not take some tinned fruit to make a desert out of.

also, snacky type things to take the edge of your hunger, so you dont find yourself nipping to their shop just because you are peckish. packet of crackers, some fruit, cereal bars, cake etc choice is yours.

jacket potatoes - you're bound to have an oven and/or microwave to cook them in

loaf of bread with a long date, to last through the week.

all i can think of off the top of my head, will come back if i think of more :beer:

filigree_2 · 21 March 2006 at 11:10PM

Toilet roll! When we arrived at Centerparcs years ago the loo only had a little bit of paper left and there wasn't enough for six people who had just been for a long drive

The shop only sold pricey name brands at a huge markup. You'll need to take your own washing up liquid too.

The site shop is hugely expensive, and eating out is expensive too. We were used to London prices and even we were horrified. I didn't think the restaurants were that nice, either. You could save your money to spend on activities instead.

If I went again I would stop off at a big supermarket in the nearest town and stock up on the cheap. As a concession to the holidays I would get some easy-cook meals, partly to have a break from cooking and partly because the kitchens only have basic equipment.

You could take some tupperwares and drink containers for picnic lunches, cheaper than burgers at lunchtime.

streetgirl74 · 21 March 2006 at 11:11PM

If you have got a slow cook then take that with you and you can make easy cheap meals with that and also it takes the hassle out of sorting tea out when you get in, just remember to put it on in the morning :rotfl:

tee_pee_2 · 21 March 2006 at 11:14PM

pavlovs_dog wrote:

you could also freeze a carton of milk (2/4 pinter, depending on how much you and OH will get through in a week) to

1) serve as a cool pack for any perishables you will take up with you
2) avoid buyng their overpriced milk for as long as possible!

it may be worth taking hot water bottles and a flask, espcially if this cold weather is going to continue.

pasta will travel well, as will anything in a jar/tin. why not take some tinned fruit to make a desert out of.

also, snacky type things to take the edge of your hunger, so you dont find yourself nipping to their shop just because you are peckish. packet of crackers, some fruit, cereal bars, cake etc choice is yours.

jacket potatoes - you're bound to have an oven and/or microwave to cook them in

loaf of bread with a long date, to last through the week.

all i can think of off the top of my head, will come back if i think of more :beer:

I have never frozen milk before. Is there anything particular I need to do when freezing it? ( apart from stick it in the freezer!!)

Eagle_1 · 21 March 2006 at 11:16PM

Dont forget dish cloth, washing up liquid and tea towel because if you have to buy things like this on site they can be very expensive.

We normally take : Tea, Sugar, coffee, cream crackers, bickies, crisps, tins of beans, hotdogs, bread etc. In the cool box we take bacon, sausage, butter, eggs, milk and things like that because again its very expensive on site.

pavlovs_dog · 21 March 2006 at 11:24PM

tee_pee wrote:

I have never frozen milk before. Is there anything particular I need to do when freezing it? ( apart from stick it in the freezer!!)

haven't got a clue, cos in all honesty, i've never done it myself.

im told its very simple though - loads of the old stylers do it, i'll see if ican find you a link to a thread

Mrsbojangles_2 · 21 March 2006 at 11:25PM

Don't forget things like brown sauce and ketchup, vinegar, salad cream etc, all the things that you would want but don't want to buy a full bottle of, whilst there. Another tip, do a Tesco shop online before you go and get them to deliver it to your Centreparc accomodation. We always do this now when holidaying in self catering cottages etc, you will find it very convenient and you won't have to waste your leisure time shopping nor saying *how much* at the site shops.

Have a good holiday x

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Self Catering Holiday - How can I do it on the cheap

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