https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 27 May 2026 04:51:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727456 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 11:59:19 +0000 LuLu Mom 2727456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've done this exact thing the last 5 years: </p> <p>Lunches we always do sandwiches, hot dogs, and then have pasta salad, potato salad, chips, fruit, veggies as sides. </p> <p>Breakfast: I always make egg casseroles one morning, we do pancakes/bacon/eggs another, cinnamon rolls/muffins/fruit, and the last day before we leave is always donuts and leftover fruit. </p> <p>Dinners: hamburgers/hot dogs/steaks, taco night, sloppy joes, chicken foil packs, with the same sides from lunch - veggies, chips, dips, pasta salad, etc. </p> <p>Dessert - always smores :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727333 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 09:44:28 +0000 looch 2727333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mommy Finger: If you're driving, and have the space for crockpots, I'd bring at least a good knife, a cutting board, 2-3 large serving/prep bowls, a big stockpot, a small saucepan and some foil baking dishes, plus aluminum foil and an assortment of lidded containers, ziplock bags, manual can opener, wine corkscrew. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727320 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 09:32:10 +0000 mrskansas 2727320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is great! We are doing a family vacation on the beach in 2 months and I'm saving these ideas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727317 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 09:31:45 +0000 Mommy Finger 2727317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rocker2014: This sounds perfect! I think we'll want to grill as much as possible. And I need to remember to bring marshmallows and all the makings for s'mores. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727309 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 09:27:08 +0000 Rocker2014 2727309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do this with a bunch of friends every year (less drama, but more food allergies!). We do a hot breakfast for anyone who is up when it is served (usually around 10am), usually a crock pot casserole one day, eggs/bacon another, etc. Cereal, fruit and assorted breads are available before and after. We have one family manage breakfasts, and they aren't responsible for any other cooking on the trip.</p> <p>Lunches are always what we call "MOM": stands for "make own meal." We have bread, cold cuts, cheeses, salads/cut veggies, chips and any leftovers available. Every family is responsible for managing their own family's needs from what is available (each comes prepared with empty tupperware/ziplocs for packing if necessary).</p> <p>Dinners are generally all grilled items: hamburgers/hotdogs one night, grilled chicken the next, bratwurst and steak tips. Sides include grilled veggies, baked beans, salads, corn.</p> <p>The key to making this work for us is loads of snack foods available for between meals - chips/crackers/cookies/marshmallows for toasting/breakfast bars. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727294 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 09:06:50 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2727294@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would make ahead a batch of waffles that can be frozen and brought to the house. Heat in a toaster or microwave for a quick and easy breakfast. </p> <p>At christmas with our family we love steel cut overnight oats in the crock pot (use a liner if you can for easy clean up). We do it with some apple juice and then everyone adds toppings in the morning to their liking. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727288 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 08:59:58 +0000 Mamaof2 2727288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mommy Finger: DH' side has a big reunion every other year - 36 people</p> <p>Breakfast is on your own - we have cereal, bagels, toast, muffins, oatmeal, yogurt, etc</p> <p>Lunch is also on your own - leftovers from dinner or sandwiches</p> <p>Dinners were easy to prepare, a few I remember were: tacos and sides, baked spaghetti with salad and bread, burgers and hot dogs with sides</p> <p>We also had snack foods and lots of fruit available </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727265 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 08:18:55 +0000 caterw 2727265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cole: oh yes healthy snack options!!! I like to get a bunch of random bars (LaraBars, Kashi nut butter bars, Kind bars), little bags of nuts, squeeze applesauce for the kiddos, drinkable yogurts, and fruit that doesn't get smushed like apples, . My family gets super hangry if I don't feed them enough lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727262 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 08:15:22 +0000 caterw 2727262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we do a big family vacation, we try to keep it suuuuuuper simple so no one has to slave away at meals (the mommies need to enjoy themselves too!)</p> <p>Breakfast- cold cereal or individual yogurt cups served with fruit.</p> <p>Lunch- variety of cold cuts, fancy breads and crackers, a veggie tray with ranch and hummus, salad mixes (like Asian, southwest, etc) and easy fruit sides like mandarins, bananas, apples. If we are out and about during the day I don't even make sandwiches- I just bring a pack or two of lunch meat/ cheese, a loaf of bread, and fruits and veggies and people can make their own on the go hahaha. No need to waste the morning making 20 sammies. </p> <p>Dinner- Spaghetti with garlic bread and salad, Rotisserie chicken from the store with rice (you could sub cauliflower rice for GF) and veggies, grill out (usually burgers) with corn/ salad/ grilled asparagus, Beef roast in the oven with potatoes and veggies, tacos. A lot of these you could cook multiple in the oven at once on disposable trays if the kitchen is not well equipped. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727249 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 08:02:25 +0000 Cole 2727249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just had a trip like this and my mil did the meal planning and it was a train wreck. Dinners were fine but it was critical to have healthy snack options like chips with guac and salsa to munch on while dinner was being prepped because everyone was starving and the kids were fried. Sit down breakfast was hard because everyone got up at such different times, way to grab options like bagels or croissants were a godsend. It's worth the time to chop up fruit and stick it in the fridge ready to go- we wound up with probably $30 worth of fruit going to waste because we all kept assuming my ml was saving it for something so no one ate a lot of it. </p> <p>We did quick home breakfast followed by a bigger breakfast/brunch out on two days and it was a great way to go out with little ones and it meant lunch those days was much lighter/easier. Things like cheese and crackers with fruit and hummus and veggies were perfect to hold everyone over until they got home for a snack and dinner. </p> <p>Roll up type sandwiches are way easier for the beach than bread sandwiches, no squishing involved! Tuna salad is the worst idea ever for a picnic lunch... Ask me how I know. Definitely buy kid friendly staples like pbj, nuggets and Mac and cheese, someone is going to be miserable and want that stuff at least one night! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2727225 Fri, 21 Apr 2017 07:36:11 +0000 looch 2727225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a whole weeks worth of meals that I use, it's nothing fancy, but I've noticed that what ends up happening is that I am usually missing the "extras" that you have in a fully stocked kitchen...that's what makes it complicated. And then there is the subject of planning and repeating so you don't have leftovers.</p> <p>I basically did a spreadsheet and planned out, say using 6 eggs and half a package of bacon for scrambled eggs on one day, and 6 eggs the rest of the bacon for dinner for spaghetti carbonara a little later in the week. I planned specifically so I didn't need a ton of condiments and what not, and also in case I didn't have good utensils to prep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726990 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:15:53 +0000 Mommy Finger 2726990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: Great point about the fridge filling up! We've talked about the families picking a night but that was vetoed.</p> <p>Also, there's some family drama that I'm trying to avoid. I have one high maintenance SIL that I could write a novel about. Even though her kids are in junior high and she works barely part time, she decided to dump all of the food planning on my younger SIL who works a demanding FT job and has 2 babies under 2. I took it over so as that's not fair. Plus, I sort of like this stuff. :) </p> <p>Family vacations can be so much work! I just try to keep the peace for my parents sake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726986 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:06:41 +0000 petitenoisette 2726986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do a similar family vaca every summer and also one with friends. For both vacations we assign each family a dinner (or two) that they are responsible for (including doing the shopping too). If you are on beach or boat all day, you can have one family a night plan to head back early to prepare dinner. -Keep in mind that even the easiest dinners for that many people will take a surprising amount of time to make. - We also supplement with a couple easy BBQ, pizza or take out nights as well but our trips are a little longer.</p> <p>Just something to think about, groceries for that many people even just for 3 nights could easily fill up a fridge so you might want to break up the grocery orders. </p> <p>For breakfast and lunch people kind of just make their own but we have eggs, bread, bacon around and deli meats for lunch plus leftovers from dinners. Also usually a family will break off and go out to breakfast or lunch once or twice solo. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726985 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:04:50 +0000 Mommy Finger 2726985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Good point. I"ll just have to talk to my SIL about a good alternative for my niece. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726981 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:58:49 +0000 gingerbebe 2726981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mommy Finger: If that's the case I would either make giant hoagies on those big grocery store French bread loaves hollowed out and sliced into portions or make everyone make their own sandwich and pack it - we've done both. Just bring a cooler with condiments and sides. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726977 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:52:43 +0000 Mommy Finger 2726977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My big struggle is that we plan on being on a boat or at the beach for most of the day so meals that take a lot of prep or time won't cut it. Nor do I want to spend my vacation cooking. I do enough of that at home normally. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726972 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:47:09 +0000 jhd 2726972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we do this we usually do a big breakfast or brunch around 11 and dinner in the evening. If people are hungry at other times we have lots of snacks (fruit, nuts, crackers and cheese, cereal, etc.)</p> <p>For breakfast we usually alternate between pancakes and waffles served with eggs and either bacon or sausage. Then maybe a breakfast casserole one morning.</p> <p>Dinners we have done lasagna, tacos, spaghetti, grill (hot dogs, burgers, pork chops). Now I can't remember what else! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726969 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:40:13 +0000 Mommy Finger 2726969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Awesome suggestions! Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726967 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:38:52 +0000 gingerbebe 2726967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do theme nights for dinner.</p> <p>- Greek night is a nice variation of taco night (shredded crockpot Greek chicken, salad greens, olives, tomato and cucumber, feta cheese, pita bread or chips, hummus). People can make Greek salads or gyros. Get carrots and some alternate carb for niece (rice, potato, GF bread or cracker).</p> <p>- Spaghetti night with garlic bread and salad.</p> <p>- Grill night.</p> <p>Lunches are usually sandwiches and chips. Just have a large selection of meats and cheeses and bread and spreads. You can get a tub of macaroni salad or potato salad if you want. One day is going to be clean out the leftovers for lunch.</p> <p>Breakfast is simple. Cereal, yogurt and granola, muffins. For that many people it's impossible to cook in the morning. Just add milk and fruit and coffee and call it a day.</p> <p> I'd buy a huge sack of baby carrots and a tub of hummus, a bunch of salad greens, and some easy fruit like cuties, watermelon, apples, and grapes. They can be thrown on the side of anything to augment a meal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726962 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:32:00 +0000 yoursilverlining 2726962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We’ve done this with DH’s family a few summers in a row, although we have fewer people than you. </p> <p>We focused on protein + 2-3 sides per dinner, and then having/recycling those items as leftovers for lunch the next day(s).</p> <p>Some examples: </p> <p>Grilled salmon + chicken and side of pasta pesto salad and green salad. Next day make salmon cakes with any leftover salmon, shred leftover chicken and throw that and leftover pasta over greens for a big salad (with or without salmon cakes on the side) for lunch.</p> <p>Make-your-own tacos one night and just dump all the leftover toppings over lettuce the next day for taco salad for lunch.</p> <p>Use leftover grilled/roasted veggies from dinner mixed with eggs and baked for quiche or frittata for breakfast the next day.</p> <p>We also made a big batch of pasta and spaghetti sauce the first day and then the kids (or adults!) can always just have that for lunch or dinner if they don’t like/want what was available. That way no additional cooking is required day-of to accommodate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726939 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 15:11:33 +0000 Mrs D 2726939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did this for a family vacation we took for my moms 60th birthday. It was Her and her husband, her mother, me and my two sisters and our families (at the time each one kid). Here is what I did:</p> <p>Breakfasts: 2 days "hot", most days make your own. Hot was a breakfast casserole and coffee cake one morning, the other was french toast casserole and fruit salad. For the make your own...we had LOTS of eggs, breakfast meats, cereal and milk. </p> <p>Lunches: We kept these to mostly easy - but two days we did bigger lunches in place of a large dinner. Those days were ribs &amp; spaghetti. The easy days were sandwiches and salads - we got the fixings, people could assemble as they wish. My brother in law grilled up about 20 chicken breasts the first day we got there, and us ladies stood around and prepped a bunch of fruits/veggies for easy assembly down the road. We also made a bit container of pasta salad and potato salad.</p> <p>Dinners: we ate two three nights, ordered pizza one night, had a chef come in 1 night and cook for us, and did BBQ 2 nights. For BBQ we kept it simple - burgers/dogs, cheesey potatos, grilled corn, some veggies. The other BBQ night we did steaks, baked potatos and steamed broccoli.</p> <p>I made a few desserts throughout. People also went out on a big alcohol trip when we got there - to get their own preferences. We didnt have any strict dietary issues in my fam but we had enough food and variety on hand I think it would have been ok.</p> <p>I also got a LOT of snacks - I ordered from Jet.com and had them delivered before we arrived. We had leftovers and all just took some home with us.</p> <p>I think our grocery bill for the week was around $800 if I am remembering correctly? And the chef was $400 on top of that. It worked out well. Some families did bring specific items they are particular about - but that was ok too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/full-family-vacation-meal-plan-guidance#post-2726926 Thu, 20 Apr 2017 14:57:37 +0000 Mommy Finger 2726926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm going on a mini family vacation with my parents, siblings and their families in July. We are renting a house on a lake from Thursday night until Sunday morning. Our usual deal is that my parents pay for the house and the kids (me and my brothers) pay for the food. There will be a total of 19 people (10 adults and 9 kids ranging from 7 months to 14) so we won't go out for dinner. Peapod will deliver so we thought it best to just buy all of our groceries and have them delivered. What would you plan for meals? The one caveat is that my niece is DF and GF so there would need to be easy variations to accommodate her.</p> <p>I know we'll grill out some burgers and dogs at least one day either for lunch or dinner. One night will be taco night as I'm planning on making pork and chicken in advance and freezing. I'll bring my crockpots to reheat. Keep in mind that I don't know how well stocked the kitchen will be.</p> <p>What else would you suggest for easy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks? </p>