Spill the beans... self-catering on holiday tips

Former_MSE_Debs

Spill the beans... self-catering on holiday tips[IMGRIGHT]http://images.moneysavingexpert.com/images/spillthebeans2.gif[/IMGRIGHT]

Self-catering on holiday can slash your family food spend, so we'd love to know tips to max the savings. What equipment and food should you take, what easy recipe ideas are there, how can you come up with a meal plan.


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July1962

I always put a few packets of savoury rice into gaps in my case as all you need is a saucepan, water and a single-ring hob and you can make a cheap/quick meal (great if your running low on cash). Also a useful first night meal if you arrive late and can't be bothered to hunt out a local shop/restaurant.

rachhh

If you go to a touristy place, they usually have tourist supermarkets in central locations which charge premium prices... but if you ask at your hotel they can usually direct you to the supermarket/s that locals use... usually a bit further out but worth the time and maybe money for all the money you'll save stocking up on food for the duration!

Bob_the_Saver

What about tips for self catering in hotels? and I don't just mean a take your own and tea bags !!!

We had a big suite in a Macau casino hotel and made our own delicious genuine Indian meal from boil in the bags (bought in India) in their kettle - they're are very good actually.

Had to open the windows in the morning though!

vivatifosi

We self-cater whenever we go to the States. We know where the supermarkets are and even have a Winn-Dixie card for the local supermarket.

Generally we take a box of cereal with us because American cereals, even if you buy the same brands, contain more sugar. Plus, if you haven't got room in your case for a box of cereals on the way out, what hope have you got of bringing back souvenirs? If you're taking food into America or Australia you should declare it. I don't think you are supposed to take fruit, seeds, meat or dairy products either.

If you must have a certain "taste from home" such as tea, take it with you (providing it is allowed). In the supermarket in the US you can get Rich Tea biscuits, Tea, Cadbury's Choc, all sorts but at really high prices.

As where I stay only has a microwave, I buy a cheap tupperware style container at the start of my holiday that I can use to cook and heat food, then leave it over there.

Oh, and before you go shopping, check what the apartment/house has in the kitchen. If you need a tin opener, its best to know before you go shopping and come back starving with tinned food. All obvious stuff, but I've fallen foul of that one myself:o. ETA: something else I've done but shouldnt: don't buy a big tub of ice cream and come back and find out you don't have a freezer, just a fridge.. DOH!

Tarry

I self cater when I go over to Ireland, I tend to get some bits and bobs before I leave, ie, coffee, cereal, kitchen roll, that type of thing, and get a few things before we catch the ferry, like milk etc (one of these days it will be churned when we get over there but anyway) as by the time we get over there, it will be late and most things will be closed. And we get things as and when we need them. We tend to use the local supermarkets like supervalu.

Alye16

If I'm self catering in the UK I always try to do a online supermarket shop, a few weeks before leaving home.You have time to make sure you have everything you need.Fresh food especially bread can be frozen(if you have freezer) for use during the week.I normally manage with local shops then for any tops ups we need.I normally book a delivery time for after we are likely to arrive and within a few hours of arriving everything is unpacked and your ready to start the holiday.

stephw1

We self-cater when we go skiing (something passed down from my parents!) It's an expensive enough holiday as it is, the restaurants are by and large a rip-off, and most of the time we're too tired to bother going out for dinner (not much apres ski for me!), so we take lots of dried foodie bits and top it up with fresh meat and veg from the (also overpriced) supermarkets... this year we had:

Tinned salmon risotto (took a stock cube, tinned salmon, measured risotto rice, tinned peas...added fresh salad)

Macaroni cheese with hot dogs (took measured out pasta, a little pot of flour, tin of hot dogs... added some good French cheese)

Meat & bean stew (took a half size tin of butter beans, another stock cube, a carton of tomatoes... added veg and sausage, served with leftover baguette)

Gnocchi (took a packet of gnocchi, a carton of tomatoes, herbs and seasoning etc... added cheese)

Curry and rice (took a jar of curry sauce (risky in the suitcase though!), and a portion of rice... added meat and veg)

We also took various snacks, individually wrapped flapjacks and chocolate bars and things. And cereal. And little individual hot drinks sachets. It's a shame to do this too much if your holiday is about experiencing the culture and the local cuisine, of course. But it saves a lot of money!

I can't remember what else. Especially for skiing I think this works very well, as food tends to need to be pretty carb heavy in any case! I think the main thing is to plan, things like cheese sauce can't really be made without flour, and if you plan ahead you only need to take a tiny pot full, and then you don't have to waste money on an entire bag of the stuff when you get there! Similar with pasta, measure it out before you go, and then you'll have loads of space for the way home too!

andygb

We self cater quite a bit, when travelling to Europe. The things which we take with us - good picnic set, with proper cutlery, corkscrew, decent knives and sharpening steel. Fishing rod (telescopic) with decent reel, loaded with 8lb BS line and selection of wire traces and lures - this has never let me down, and provides some of the best fresh fish, from rivers and harbours/rocks. We also use local markets and supermarkets for the best meat, vegetables and of course - wine
Some of our best holidays have been the self catering ones.

gaily

We've done Scotland for the past 2 years, and are back off again this year. We've done a Tesco online shop in the week before travelling, and get it delivered to our Chalet for the afternoon we arrive (with the owners consent!).

It's lovely walking into a place where the food is waiting for you, the owners are nice enough to put the beer/milk/fresh stuff in the fridge, and the freezy stuff in the freezer!!

Then, a top up shop at the end of week one - OK, so you have to wait for that one to arrive, and it does cost £5, but for sheer lack of hassle, having your holiday out of the supermarket (where you can't find anything as it's organised different to your home shop / pricey because it's a local etc) - and you can update your list right up to the day before.

Anyone holidaying abroad - good luck! Last time I self-catered, I took a box of weetabix, packet noodles/pasta & powder sauces, marmite, and a tin opener - as the one in the aprtment is never quite good enough. Bought milk, meat, bread and juice locally. (But then again, I was holidaying solo without having had kids at that stage!)

CompBunny

Couscous is wonderful - just pour boiling water from the kettle onto it and leave covered for 5 minutes. You can make a meal by mixing in tinned kidney beans, tinned sweetcorn or even tinned tomatoes or if you have access to a fridge then fresh veggies like diced tomatos and onion. I mix in the beans or whatever I'm using before adding the boiling water and 5 minutes later theres a yummy lunch with zero effort and only one cooking bowl to wash up!

You can even get flavoured packet mixes pretty cheaply. I like a lemon and coriander one that Tesco do for about 30p per packet which serves 3 or 2 very generously. Alternatively a big bag of unflavoured wholewheat couscous is around 80p - £1 that will give several meals worth.