I’m a self-proclaimed foodie and I really enjoy trying different cuisines during my travels. Although eating out is fun, vacations are about relaxing. In order to completely unwind, sometimes it’s best to consider eating in when you’re out of town. This weekend, I’ll be heading to Grand Cayman with my husband and two other couples for the ultimate couples’ weekend. This will likely be our last trip before my husband’s basketball season commences and I begin my internship, so I’m really looking forward to a laid back, romantic, long weekend. So that we could really relax, we decided to utilize our condo’s full kitchen and outdoor grill and prepare meals at home instead of eating out every night. I’ve just put the final touches on our menu and grocery list for the weekend, so I’m sharing all about how you can meal plan for your upcoming trip.
How to Meal Plan for Your Vacation
Consider your resources and amenities: If you’re considering cooking during your trip, I’m going to assume that you’ll be staying somewhere that has a kitchen. It’s also important to find out if there’s a grill that you may have access to and ask what the residence supplies in terms of pots, pans, and other cooking utensils.
Ask your guests about their food preferences: It’s super important to find out if the rest of your party has any allergies or strong food preferences. I also always ask if anyone has any special recipes. Sometimes it can be fun to balance out the cooking and let different people prepare their specialities each day.
Plan how many meals you will prepare: After you find our if your travel party has any preferences, determine exactly how many meals you will prepare. Will you prepare breakfast in the morning’s or just opt for cereal? Will you prepare both lunch and dinner? Will you prepare dinner each evening or eat out some nights? Determine exactly how many meals you’re going to cook during your trip.
Set your menu: Now that you know how many meals you’re preparing and have taken into account everyone’s preferences, it’s time to set your menu for each day. I like to mix things up so that we don’t end up eating the same types of things two days and a row. Also consider that you might want do prepare lighter lunches on the days when you’re planning for heavier dinners. Utilize this free vacation meal planning printable to organize your menu.
Don’t forget about snack and drinks: You definitely need to add snacks and drinks to your grocery list! If you’re going on a beach trip, keep in mind that the sun has a way of draining you and making you pretty snacky. Also remember essentials like water. If you’re cocktail lovers like we are, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients for alcoholic beverages as well.
Make your grocery list: Once you have all of your meals laid out, make your grocery list including the things that you need for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and any drinks. Take a look at any recipes you’ll be using to ensure that you don’t forget any ingredients. Also, be sure to keep in mind things that we often take in granted, like seasonings, that may or may not already be stocked int he kitchen. It’s a good idea to double check with the rest of your travel party as well to make sure there’s nothing that they would like to add to the list.
How do you usually meal plan for your vacations? Be sure to print out your free vacation meal planning printable so that you have it when you’re preparing for your next trip!
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