https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:58:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917794 Wed, 29 Jul 2020 07:31:18 +0000 hilary 2917794@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I tend to prep and freeze ahead of time to bring with on these types of trips so I don't feel stressed about cooking. Here's some of my normal ideas:<br /> Marinated chicken frozen (so only have to grill, bagged salad, frozen oven fries)<br /> spaghetti and meat sauce (meat sauce premade and only has to be heated)<br /> pulled pork and slaw (pork is cooked and shredded so only needs heated)<br /> tacos<br /> Anything I make ahead is frozen in those foil disposable pans so I can just pop in oven to warm up and then throw away when done.<br /> Have a great trip! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917788 Tue, 28 Jul 2020 20:26:57 +0000 LemonJack 2917788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bees_knees, @muffinsmuffins, @MrsSRS:</p> <p>Thanks for the great suggestions! I think the two nights we’re in charge we’ll do homemade pizza and a grilling night. We’ll be there longer than they are, so I think I’ll use some of your other suggestions just for us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917777 Tue, 28 Jul 2020 17:16:47 +0000 MrsSRS 2917777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DIY pizza night toward the end. Dough from Trader Joe's or just the Pillsbury dough in a can and some sauce and cheese then people can toss on any leftover meats or veggies that sound fun </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917752 Tue, 28 Jul 2020 00:12:21 +0000 bees_knees 2917752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’d prep as much as you can while you’re at home—it’s always such a downer to have to cook/clean up when you’re on vacation! Cook and freeze your meats and you’ll be that far ahead!</p> <p>Def pulled pork or chicken...you can use leftovers for salads the next day.<br /> Taco (or nacho) bar (leftover taco meat also works good for a taco salad!)<br /> Burgers<br /> Some sort of pasta bar? Meatballs freeze really well, jars of sauce take no prep<br /> I freeze pancakes for breakfast all the time :)<br /> Lasagna (Costco has premade ones that are good!)<br /> Costco also has those delicious hams<br /> Normally I’d say chili but it’s kinda hot for that 😂 </p> <p>And I’d plan a “leftovers” night—whenever we have family reunions we always have soooo much food left over, even after using leftovers for lunches! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917743 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 21:26:00 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2917743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are sharing a cottage with close friends in a couple weeks (annual tradition) and our menu is:<br /> Pulled pork and coleslaw<br /> Breakfast for dinner (bacon, pancakes, eggs)<br /> Taco night<br /> Spaghetti and garlic bread<br /> Mac and cheese<br /> Burgers and hot dogs<br /> Frozen pizza </p> <p>I’m bringing my insta pot and like you, will be buying it all beforehand. We like to do frozen pizza the first night with all the unpacking and excitement. Pulled pork and Mac and cheese<br /> will be made in the insta pot, and I’ll be cooking the ground beef for spaghetti and tacos before we leave and freezing it so we just have to heat it up. Should be pretty easy. We usually do snack plates and leftovers for lunches and toast and cereal for breakfasts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917736 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 18:02:48 +0000 erinbaderin 2917736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LemonJack: In theory I do boneless for both. In practice, about 50% of the time I buy the wrong package and have to fish the bones out. :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917717 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:43:41 +0000 LemonJack 2917717@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: Ohh, we love sweet corn. We’ll definitely add it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917716 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:42:36 +0000 LemonJack 2917716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: Great idea! We usually do chicken tacos in the crock pot, but I like the idea of doing something different, but just as easy. Do you use boneless or bone in thighs? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917714 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 13:22:46 +0000 karenbme 2917714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we go to my family’s cabin we usually bring a giant bowl of pasta salad that can be a stand alone lunch or a side, lots of green salad fixings, veggies that require minimal cooking (ex. green beans), and loads of corn (no joke when I was a kid my dad would bring a bushel of corn for our annual 2 weeks at the lake), and then grillable proteins. You’re going to want to be outside as much as possible, and cooking inside—especially when it’s hot—is just a drag. Just about anything that can be steamed can be cooked in a foil pack on the grill, too. </p> <p>One thing I always looked forward to as a kid was the end of vacation clam bake aka grilled clams and all the things we needed to finish out of the fridge. As an adult this seems weird, but it was something we only did at camp and my dad made a big deal about it, which made it special. And it cleared out the fridge on the last night. When DH and I have gone on friends trips we’ve used dinner nachos in the same way. Got a little bit of random meats, random veggies, etc? Throw it all on chips, add cheese and bake—boom dinner and an empty fridge. Not the healthiest option, but a crowd pleaser for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917712 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 12:59:36 +0000 erinbaderin 2917712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do pulled chicken one night - a bunch of chicken (I like to mix breasts and thighs) in the crockpot with a bottle of barbeque sauce, and then buns and coleslaw. Negligible work so that you can spend more time having fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917707 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 11:27:16 +0000 LemonJack 2917707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mommy Finger: Thank you! This week up north is usually with more people, but is just our two families due to everything going on. I’m used to planning for big meals, but am drawing a blank. We often do a taco night and/or a grilling night, so we might stick with those staples. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917705 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 11:17:43 +0000 Mommy Finger 2917705@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do a long weekend away with my entire family every year (not this year :crying: ) and each family takes a night to prepare dinner. We usually have someone coordinate a really big grocery delivery but I have tended to make my meal in advance so it cuts down the time in the kitchen. The same family is in charge of cooking and clean up. :) We usually bring an instant pot or two to help with everything too. I will say, we're cooking for 20 so that changes things a bit. Here's what's gone well:</p> <p>-burgers and dogs. It's standard.<br /> -marinated chicken and/or steak<br /> -taco night with shredded pork and chicken made in the crockpot in advance<br /> -spaghetti and meatballs with the meatballs made in advance. Meatballs reheated in the sauce and pasta cooked on site.<br /> - pulled pork sandwiches - pork made in advance<br /> - baked ziti or other baked pasta dishes that can be made/frozen in advance and popped into the oven</p> <p>Side dishes will depend on the main dish but vary from rice and beans, all kinds of salads, grilled veggies. mac n cheese (made in the instant pot), chips and dip/salsa, garlic bread, fresh fruit, baked potatoes etc.</p> <p>We always plan for leftovers so that can take care of lunches for the next day. And really, the more you can do in advance, the less you'll spend in the kitchen and it will feel like a vacation! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/meal-ideas#post-2917704 Mon, 27 Jul 2020 11:07:54 +0000 LemonJack 2917704@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We’re spending next week with my sister’s family at our parents’ cabin. I’m super excited. My kids adore their cousins, but we haven’t been able to see them. Both of our families are self isolating at the moment, to make it as safe as possible. We also are planning our meals ahead of time and bringing up all of our food so we don’t have to to go to the grocery store.</p> <p>Give me some of your best meal ideas, please! We’ll have 10 people, although the youngest is a baby so he doesn’t eat much. No dietary restrictions, and we can grill. </p>