Kosher Vacation Planning 101: Food, Food, Food! Effective Meal Planning for a Stress-Free Family Vacation – A Guide by Naomi Rowner.
Good or bad, experience is the best teacher.
Before we knew how to do it right, the above picture is an actual photo of us re-heating a chinese take-out meal, atop an upside down clothes iron (!) in our hotel room in the Florida keys.
Yes, that picture is real, and that trip was great, but I digress.
Still and all, we’ve learned to plan our vacation meals a whole lot better over the years – and you get to benefit from our experience!
So you’re going away with your family or friends, and need to bring along your own food.
Overwhelmed?
Not to worry, after planning the food portion of tens of family vacations and getaways, planning expert Naomi Rowner is here to help break it all down for you, and share her insights, ideas, and tips.
This article will focus on family getaways to hotel rooms, rental vacation homes, rental cabins or similar.
Future articles are planned to iy”H cover camping, couples and Shabbos-getaway planning.
The above our picture is of an authentic log cabin we rented in New Hampshire one summer from Homeaway – You can do the same, too. (click this link)
Ready to plan the food?
Here goes!
Keeping Things Cool: Fridge or Cooler?
Let’s start with the basics.
If you are staying in a rental vacation home, cabin or hotel room (kosher or not,) – call ahead to ensure that that there is a fridge/freezer, as it makes things much easier. [*1]
If that isn’t an option, this wheeled cooler is easily transportable between your room and the car, and is space efficient as well, (or any other decent-sized one will work as well).
Most hotels have ice machines, and you can fill up a few plastic bags worth as often as you need. On the road, many gas stations, Walmarts and convenience stores sell bagged ice, as well, so not to worry as ice melts.
Click on the image to see details from Amazon.com
Common items that you can buy almost anywhere:
Unless you are makpid on Pas Yisroel, don’t bother bringing along bread [*2], cereals [*2], eggs, or fruits and vegetables.
NOTE: Save the cooler space for more important perishables like meats, poultry, cheeses, dairy or other items not easily found on the road.
Tip: One exception to the above rule is if you’ll be in the car a while, leave a bit of room on the top of the cooler to keep drinks cold for the road – you’ll thank me later.
Remember that you’re on vacation and want to keep it simple.
As far as meal menus go, I find it easier to break it down into breakfast, lunch and supper.
In our many years of vacations, we have also found that while on vacation schedule, breakfast will often merge into a bigger brunch, necessitating one less meal to prepare for in the day to prepare.
If your family of early risers always awakens with the chickens regardless, then do what works best for them.
Breakfasts / Brunches:
For a simple breakfast, go for cold cereal and milk, or instant oatmeal packets. Most hotels have hot water available, or you can uses the coffee maker in your room to heat up plain water.
You can go a bit more elaborate with this portable indoor griddle/grill
to make eggs, grilled cheese, and pancakes, like this PAREVE Bisquik pancake mix in this convenient box for a super easy hot breakfast – there is a gluten free option as well. To ensure its Pareve, look out for the box that says “Classic” in grocery stores.
Lunches:
Lunch ideas for staying in could be grilled cheese on the griddle/grill, instant soups, macaroni (if you have a stove-top in your lodging), or simple sandwiches such as peanut butter and jelly, tuna or egg salad, if you can make or bring it along.
A portable outdoor BBQ, like this highly-rated Weber Go-Anywhere Grill is also an option you can bring along..
We’ve found that this type of bring-along chopper is great for making chopped vegetable salads, as well as tuna or egg salads effortlessly on the go. Bonus – the kids love to help with this fun tool, too!
Feel free to supplement this list with your family’s own food preferences.
Suppers:
A great thing to bring along is a simple crockpot,
in which you can put up a chulent, soup or chicken and rice/pot in the morning, head out for a day of fun, and it’s all ready when you walk in the door hungry for supper. [*1]
A simple George Foreman type indoor Grill like this
is great to have for making hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken or even grilled veggies.
Tip: If you’ll be in a hotel room with an indoor grill, watch out for the smoke detector, and place the grill on the opposite side of the room, or better yet, a porch if you have one.
You probably don’t want the whole hotel to be evacuated on your account as the fire alarms are usually connected to every room…
Cold cuts are also a great option (and as a bonus, are great to bring along for an on-the-go supper!) Pickles, canned corn, baked beans etc. are also great easy sides you can pick up just about anywhere.
We round out our menu with local produce, especially in the summer. The local grown fruits & veggies, while not necessarily cheap, are as fresh as it gets, and nearly always worth paying for.
In the above picture from 2012, our children enjoy incredible nectarines, from a local farm stand, near Shenandoah National Park, in Virginia.
Tip: Some Trader Joe’s and Costcos now carry Glatt Kosher meats and poultry. Many Costcos carry cholov yisroel cheeses as well, though not all – Hint: Ask the locals.
Many popular frum vacations spots, i.e. Lake George, New York, the Catskill Mountains and Lincoln, New Hampshire have Price Choppers or similar grocery stores that will stock up on glatt kosher and even cholov yisroel perishables for the high season.
Remember that you can pick up breads [*2], cereals, macaroni, rice, snacks like chips and pretzels, and canned goods (and a can opener, if you forgot yours!) in most local grocery stores anywhere, so don’t worry if you run out of those things.
Paper goods:
Should be picked up locally to save space, or if you have the space, (and the headspace), packed and brought along which can save you money.
The Important Stuff:
If you heading out to somewhere where you cannot purchase heimish food it is worthwhile to stock up before your trip. We suggest (on cholov yisroel products, if you are makpid), fleishigs, marshmallows, nosh (and most importantly, chocolate), as these items are harder to find in the boondocks.
While you certainly can’t rely on it – you really never know – as we once found cholov yisroel ice cream in Potato Creek State Park, in Liberty, Indiana!
That sure was a treat!!
Utensils to Bring Along:
General Appliance & Utensil List:
George Foreman type indoor Grill
BBQ Grill, Lighter, Propane & Utensils
1 milchig spatula
1 each milchig and fleishig spoon, fork, and sharp knife
(1 each peeler and can-opener)
Add to the above, if staying in a vacation home with a stove top:
1 each large milchig and fleishig Pot
1 each large milchig and fleishig Frying Pan
1 each milchig and fleishig ladle
1 macaroni strainer (if doing pasta)
So How Much to Buy and Pack?
After creating basic meal menus, figure out approximately how much your family actually eats and then bring along a little extra.
The above rule applies especially to items you can’t easily get while out on the road, as well anything your family can’t do without.
Don’t forget snacks – we find there is always a demand for them – particularity on long car rides.
Just remember to vary your menu a least a little-no one wants to eat peanut butter and jelly for a week!
Ready to vacate?
Get out and make some family memories!!
Need ideas? Check out our two phenomenal trip-planning websites:
Footnotes:
[*1] NOTE: This can be a problem in a hotel with non-Jewish workers as they have access to the room in your absence, so consult your Rav, as there a simple solutions.
[*2] If not makpid on pas yisroel.
[*3] Click HERE for a terrific Kosher Traveler’s Guide to Hotel Stays.
The Rowner family of nine loves to find great appropriate places to explore.
Among their other escapades, they’ve spent 28 days with an RV camper attached to their car through nine states with no plans (!), and acquired varying degrees of insanity, lots of experience, and two turtles to show for it.
They enjoy their noisy household, making great adventures and sharing their takeaways and stories with thousands of readers and followers on their websites GreatFrumTrips.com, and KosherVacationCentral.com, the world’s largest online Jewish travelers resources.
Great great awareness post as too what issues one runs in while vacationing.
The following are some comments, some better then others:
1. This site is the Lakewood Scoop. One would assume that although some are not ‘makpid’ on ‘pas yisroel’ ( as per shulchan aruch – i.e. the other bread is tastier etc.) when it comes to Cholov Yisroel all (In Lakewood) are or should be makpid – as per Reb Moishe’s suggestion for ‘Bnai Yeshiva’ and the availability of cholov yisroel.
2. In the old days someone came up with the idea of cooking hot dogs in the ‘mostly glass’ coffee pot since its only used for coffee. Little did they know that many many people – especially college students have been doing this for years. Not only was the ‘kosher’ hot dogs not so kosher anymore but the coffee brewed in the morning was no so kosher either (and thus should never be used).
Thus your great ‘chop’ of using the upside down iron may not be such as good practical idea because you don’t want to find out later that this iron is treif since some other guest also had this idea. Aside from the fact that it is pretty dangerous to abuse any iron in such a fashion.
3. Many hotels have specific rules AGAINST using grills, crockpots and/or warming plates in the guest rooms. Thus not only are you breaking the rules (yeh – rules are made to be broken) but the aroma from cooking usually penetrates into the hallways or will be observed by the chamber maids &/or cleaning crew thus causing a great chilull
HaShem. When dealing with chilull HaShem one MUST take the extra step and do all that is possible to avoid it.
4. Potable chopper is the greatest traveling idea that you posted here. It not only make life easier, it takes the whole vacation to another level. WOW.
5. Most hotels have rules against using the guest ice machine to fill coolers etc. thus should be avoided in order to distance yourself from possible chillul HaShem. Go out and buy the ice ( for a few dollars you buy olam habaah).
6. Urns. I myself have seen “Coffee” urns used for hot chocolate ( not cholov Yisroel even if its Kosher and some brands are not kosher to begin with. Its also used for hot apple cider (heated in treif pots) and once in a while used for soups.
Even the Kuerig machines should not be used since the traif soup companies do produce soups in k-cup form to be used on these machines – and they are quite popular.
In any case, enjoy your vacation and get rested up for the next stage in your lives.