Ideas on what to eat on a SC holiday

mmmsnow

I'm very lucky to be going away for a week and I'm looking for easy recipes that I can cook in a very basic kitchenette. There's a microwave, fridge (no freezer) and hob plus pots and pans etc.

I'm lactose intolerant and allergic to both dairy and soya so I'm planning on packing my rice milk and buying some cereal for breakfasts. I'm also thinking of taking dried rice and pasta but I'm at a loss on what to make.

The last time I was self catering, I ended up spending ages cooking and, well, this time around, I want to be able to take it easy! Any ideas for fast, cheap and tasty meals for two?

Dustyblinds

I usually prep a few meals before I go, freeze them then take them along with me. They keep no problem in the fridge once you get there. I usually do a bolognese and a chilli and last time also took meatballs in a tomato sauce. I just take boil in the bag rice and a bag of spaghetti. You could maybe make a curry as well.
Enjoy your holiday

spendingmad

My first thoughts would be to make stuff ahead put in freezer and then keep in fridge when you get there so it takes a few days to defrost. Things like bolognese/chilli so you only need to cook rice and pasta. Soup would work well too. One pot dishes such as stew. Could you take a slow cooker with you then you can bung everything in and forget about it.

jackyann

I also have frozen meals and taken them in a cold bag - you usually have 3 days from removing them from the freezer (that is assuming you're not flying?)
But depending on where you are, I would definitely plan to buy some local goodies. I would pack a few basic spices / herbs, oil, lemon and my own 'universal' Worcestershire sauce. Our standard sc meal is local fish or meat marinaded in whatever seems good, quickly pan-fried or grilled, with salad & fresh bread. That, thankfully, doesn't takes ages.

Islandmaid

I agree with the above 2 and would add that you can 'grab' an easy meal from the supermarket - a cooked chicken, salad and some good bread is a great meal, or olives, deli meats again with good bread is another.

It's a poor holiday if you are 'galley slave' for the week - have an lovely time x

mmmsnow

Sorry, I forgot to say that I am flying (to the Canary islands) and that's the main reason I'm trying to cut costs. When we booked, it was before the £ collapsed and looked like a cheap holiday and now, well, not so much.

monnagran

Remembering that you won't have a stock cupboard there, you need to make food as simple as possible. Now is the time to forget old style and go for convenience. It's OK, the sky won't fall if you buy the odd pizza, quiche or whatever is available. Pasta mixed with a tin of tuna and some mayonnaise is good with salad. Local bread with some sausages and tomatoes. Eggs cooked any way. Deli meat.

You won't starve, and the local fruit should be cheap and gorgeous.

Have a lovely week.

x

jackyann

In which case our ideas about freezing are redundant

but I would definitely take a small spice stock (well sealed, in your suitcase) as that's the kind of thing that can be expensive.
I don't know the Canaries, but I have camped all over Europe, and always find that the secret is to head for the stores local people use and eat what is popular with them.

Unless you are very sensitive to lactose, you should be fine with whatever the local sausage is. A meal I first learned to cook in France, but have eaten versions of it all over, is fried up onion & pepper, add a tin of tomatoes & boil up, then either stir in egg to scramble, or drop them in to poach - eat with bread and small amount of whatever cured meat is available. Comforting on a cold day here, but light & bright for a meal in the sunshine.

JIL

I visit the local supermarkets, when I go abroad. We have breakfast which is usually cereal, croissants, eggs, toast that sort of thing. Then I buy, meats, cheese, tuna, olives, tomatoes, crisps and we often have lunch on the balcony. In the evenings we eat out. This can be anything from a shared pizza to a three course meal, it's just how we do it.

If I were to eat in in the evening and was really restricted with money, I would do simple pasta dishes, omelette and salad or meat and baby potatoes and veg. Washed down with supermarket wine.

Have a good time, I'm going myself for a week next week. My family are forever asking if we have won the lottery or something as we go so often. But by making a few simple economies in how we do things such as the above, we can go more often for the same price as a yearly all inclusive.

Nomoonatall

Hi mmmsnow,

I probably won't be much help but years ago we (me and an ex) went self catering abroad in his delightful campervan. We took the basics...pasta, rice etc. We didn't expect the savoury food to taste so sweet...bread, tomatoes etc!

I struggled at the time, being vegetarian...it was unheard of! Get lots of their local fruit and veg, you'll be fine. Have a lovely holiday x

Nicki

I wouldn't bother taking rice and pasta with you as they should be cheap and easy to buy when you get there. I would though pack a sharp knife in your suitcase as you'll probably find the one provided will be terrible. I'd also pack a can opener and corkscrew to be in the safe side.

I'd buy fresh bread or cereal for breakfast and salads and meats for lunch. For dinner if not eating out, you could have omelette, jacket potatoes, pasta dishes, stir fry, pan fried fish all very easily. If you are able to tolerate cheese, that would also be a nice option along with any cold tapas you can pick up in local shops.