For anyone who travels, whether it be frequent or infrequent, there is always a dilemma that crops up at some point. What do we do about food? The first thought is always that you can just go out to eat, but with the ever-rising costs, it’s not the most practical solution. Furthermore, if you are traveling for an extended period of time, there is only so much fast food one can eat. And with kids, you want to at least make an attempt and provide them with something a little bit healthy when you can.
That brings up a new issue though. Cooking in a hotel room with kids isn’t exactly ideal. Most hotels aren’t exactly equipped for actual cooking. Sure there are lots of extended-stay options that exist. These are studio-style rooms with a fridge and a cooktop. That being said, they aren’t always within budget nor are they readily available. That means that when it comes time to figure out your meals, you are going to be stuck with the tools you are given. In this case, that is a microwave and a mini-fridge. You can choose to run out and get frozen TV dinners, but there are some alternatives that are fun and easy.
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Travel Kitchen Essentials
When traveling to a hotel, there are a variety of things you will need to make this whole idea work. This is because a basic hotel that doesn’t feature the amenities of an “extended stay” style will be lacking some of the necessities that are going to make this come together. Here are a few things we found that should be in your hotel cooking travel kit.
Dish Soap
This one is easily overlooked. That is until you go to clean your dishes. Most hotels that are not studio-style are not going to provide you with dish soap. Keeping a travel size on hand is a great solution that will not hold up a lot of space in your luggage. Pro-tip: Make sure you put the dish soap in a zipper-top bag before packing it. That way, if it happens to accidentally open in transit you won’t find yourself cleaning dish soap out of your suitcase.
Dish Rack
Hotel sinks are small. And in most cases, you will more than likely find yourself doing your dishes in the bathroom sink. That means you are going to need a place to set the dishes to dry. Luckily there is a solution. There are lots of compact travel dish racks in the market that you can use to dry the dishes that won’t take up a lot of space in your luggage.
Cups, Plates, Utensils
Some hotels will have some of this available if they offer a complimentary breakfast. That being said, these items will not be around later in the day. Also using disposable can be pretty wasteful. We have found that there are lots of travel sets available to meet all of these needs. Pro-tip: Make sure if you purchase these items, you check and see that they are microwave safe. This makes it easier when you are cooking the food.
Disinfectant Wipes
In this post-covid world, most people have disinfectant wipes on hand. For this case though, these are to clean off your eating surface before and after you eat. Younger children tend to be extra messy and you don’t want the hotel room desk covered in the remains of the day’s meal.
Picnic Blanket
This one is about fun and practicality. Most hotel rooms feature a small desk that is available to eat on. But if this is family travel, that desk is not going to cut it. A picnic blanket is an ideal solution. You can take it outside for a traditional picnic or use it on the floor in the room if there is enough space. If the floor isn’t large enough, you can toss it on the bed to help shield it from crumbs and spills. No one wants to sleep in a bed full of food.
Food storage containers (microwave safe)
This is twofold. They can be used to store your food or leftovers but they can also act as vessels for your food preparation.
Child cups
Kids need cups. Hotels will generally provide some sort of drinking cup or glass but when you are dealing with your kids these options may not work well. First, if they are glass, that is just asking for the cup to get broken. Second, these cups do not have lids, so that means the dreaded spills are bound to happen. That is while it is key that you bring yourself some quality kids cups with lids to avoid those issues before they arise.
Hot beverage cups
Most hotel rooms have a couple of styrofoam or hot cups available. We think it’s better to bring your own reusable ones. Plus if you get the insulated ones, they will keep your beverage hot in case you can’t drink it right away.
Does your Hotel offer breakfast? Take just a little extra.
This is a quick parenting hack for hotels. If the hotel offers some sort of breakfast option, it does not hurt to take a little extra of some of the items you can use throughout the day, as long as you aren’t going to let them go to waste. Some of the items that we would recommend grabbing would be things like bread, cereal, yogurt, fruit, etc. This is all stuff that will come in handy later and save you the time and money of grabbing all of that stuff at the store. You may still need to purchase some of those things, however, we recommend you make the best use of your resources.
No Hotel breakfast? Or Need more than just a little extra?
Not every hotel has breakfast or has all the items you need to get through the day without having to get some things elsewhere. While the breakfast hack does save time and money you will still have to run to a store at some point. We generally head to somewhere like Target as the prices are cheaper than a regular grocery store. Alternatively, you can head to somewhere like Walmart or Aldi as they are also inexpensive. If you are really lucky, you can locate a discount grocery store, like Grocery Outlet, as you can find some really great deals at a place like that.
We recommend if you are going to the store, your best bet is to try and focus on shelf-stable foods that require limited refrigeration. These are going to save you fridge space and are easy to take home if you don’t use all of them. Of course, you will have to get some things that require refrigeration but anything you can do to not over stuff that minifridge is going to be helpful.
Breakfast in a Hotel Room
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day as the saying goes. That being said there are a couple of ways one can go for breakfast choices. Of course, if the hotel has breakfast, that is easier, but if not there are still some things you can do. Here are a few of the things we like to do for morning breakfast.
Scrambled Eggs with fruit
First thing first. Did you know that you can make scrambled eggs in the microwave? They are fast, easy, and convenient. They don’t even taste bad. Pair that with some fruit and you have yourself a well-balanced breakfast.
Apples and Peanut Butter
Apples are a shelf-stable choice. Serve them with some peanut butter, which is also shelf-stable, and you have yourself a great little breakfast. Our kids love to dip the apples in peanut butter so this is fun and nutritious.
Oatmeal with fruit
Packets of oatmeal are a great microwave item. If you get a pint of blueberries and/or strawberries in your store run, you can throw them in the oatmeal before you cook it and you will have a delightful breakfast meal in a matter of minutes.
“Toast” with fruit
Grabbing bread and toasting it at a hotel breakfast is easy and easy to transport back to the room. Furthermore, toast is pretty versatile because you can change the toppings and end up with a different meal every morning. Some options include peanut butter, butter, jelly, cream cheese, or whatever else you might want to try. Combine that with some fruit and you have a nicely balanced breakfast.
Cereal with milk and fruit
Hotels with breakfast usually offer fruit and cereal with milk, but if you do have to buy it, a box of cereal can last the majority of a week. This is of course dependent on the age of your kids and their appetites.
Bagels with cream cheese and jam
Bagels can be bought in a pack and are easy to store. This is another item that is quick and easy and provides a good breakfast option. Also for hotels with breakfast, this is usually a staple item they keep on hand.
Lunch in a Hotel Room
Lunch can be pretty basic. There are a few easy options available though to make it simple. We have found there are lots of quick and easy options that most kids will love. And if the hotel offers breakfast, there is a chance that a little planning will help with some of the supplies for lunch. Either way, lunch doesn’t have to be too elaborate.
Peanut butter and Jelly with chips and peas
Peanut butter and Jelly is an easy go-to for almost any situation. If the hotel has a breakfast option you can grab extra slices of bread there. If not you can get a nice loaf of bread at the store and that will provide multiple meals. Also, only the jelly will need refrigerated so that saves on that minifridge room. Pair that with some peas and you are ready to go. We prefer frozen peas, however, you can also go with canned if you like. Those are easier to store since they are shelf-stable, just a matter of preference.
Mac n Cheese with peas
Many manufacturers now offer “on-the-go” macaroni and cheese options. A lot of them come in their own bowls but even if not, you can use one of your own bowls. Just add the water and the peas and you are ready to go.
Dinner in a Hotel Room
Dinner will seem to be a lot more daunting than the other meals as most people have more elaborate dinners than other meals. Have no fear however as there are lots of options to create some interesting and fun meals that are also inexpensive and can be healthy. These items are interchangeable with lunch if need be or to add variety.
Pasta and Red Sauce
There are lots of options available now for packaged kits that are microwavable to create delicious pasta dishes. There is also an option to buy packaged noodles that are essentially pre-cooked and just add your own sauce. Either way, this is a nice meal choice. Also, spaghetti sauce is a great source of vegetables so this is an all-around good option.
Ramen with added Peas
Ramen is a little less healthy than the other options on the list. That said it is delicious and with added peas (or other vegetables) you can jazz it up and make it a little healthier. Pro-tip: to cut down on the sodium of the pre-packaged ramen only use half the flavor pack.
Sweet Potatoes with Brown Rice
Sweet potatoes only take a few minutes in the microwave. Pair that with some instant brown rice (which comes in microwavable packs) and you have yourself a nice and healthy meal.
Baked Potato with Cheddar (or Velveeta!)
Like sweet potatoes, regular potatoes can be cooked with ease in a short period of time in the microwave. Sprinkle some cheddar cheese, or our favorite Velveeta, on top and you have a tasty meal. This one is one of our favorites.
You can also take any of the items above and create your own combinations. Make it fun and be creative!
Hotel Snacks
So, we covered the major meal components, but anyone with kids knows that kids are constantly asking for food between meals. For that reason, it is important to have lots of healthy and convenient snack options at the ready for when the kids come begging for something else to eat because they are “so hungry.”
Goldfish
Goldfish are almost every parent’s go-to snack with kids. Most kids love them, and they are extremely portable and easy to eat. This is increasingly useful in a hotel room as space and convenience are both key factors.
Apples
Apples are an ideal hand fruit. They are easy and don’t require much effort or clean-up. They are also nice because if you buy them at the beginning of the trip, you can get away with not refrigerating them the entire time which frees up some of that super precious fridge space.
Bananas
Like apples, these are another great hand fruit that will not leave you with much muss or fuss. The only thing left at the end is the peel so that is pretty convenient. Also similar to apples is that they will not be taking up any of the mini-fridge space so that is another bonus.
Cheerios
Cheerios are another parental staple that most parents give their kids to placate them when they are asking for snacks. They are a healthy option that are easy to handle and that the kids will enjoy. If you are really fortunate, the hotel may have some out at breakfast that you can snag for later in the day.
Unsweetened Applesauce pouches
Depending on the age of your kids, you may already have a plentiful supply of applesauce pouches on hand. These are great fun snacks for kids. And the pouch design makes it safer for the kids to eat from a spill perspective. The last thing you want to be doing is cleaning up messes and this will help you avoid that. Plus if you go with the unsweetened, these are a really healthy snack option.
Microwavable Popcorn
You have the microwave so you might as well use it. Microwave popcorn is a great snack option that most kids really enjoy. It is easy and convenient and always delicious.
Pro-tip: make sure you read the package for the microwave popcorn and attempt to determine the wattage of the microwave. This information is usually found when you open the microwave door. You don’t want to burn the popcorn. This is especially true when you are working in the confined space of a hotel room because that smell may never get out of there.
Veggie Straws
Veggie Straws tend to be a favorite for kids and a win for parents. Instead of potato chips, veggie straws are made from vegetables and provide a slightly healthier choice while still tasting good. Our kids love the crunchy treats and eat them by the bowl full.
Drinks in a Hotel Room
Another easily overlooked part of your day are drinks. There are options if you forget about them, like vending machines or the hotel sundry area, but this is going to mean incurring a much higher cost than remembering to procure your own outside the hotel. Plus most hotels have an ice machine so you can easily have a cold drink whenever you want.
A couple of gallons of Springwater
Sure you can use tap water, but it is sometimes unclear about the quality of the water depending on where you are traveling. Additionally, water tastes different in some regions than in others and some kids may shoot that option down right away. Single serving bottles are expensive and a bit wasteful, so gallons provide a remedy to both of those issues. Using the hotel ice machine means the water can still be cold even if the gallon jug doesn’t fit in the fridge.
Small OJs
Orange juice is a healthy drink item that they sell in easy-to-transport bottles. These single-serving options may cost a little more but will still fit in the fridge. Plus some hotels offer them at breakfast, so grabbing a couple extra provides you with juice later in the day.
Small Milk
Like OJ, milk is a good healthy drink choice that can be purchased in smaller single-serving sizes. Additionally, there is also the same advantage that many hotels have small milk cartons available in the breakfast area so which can save a little bit of time and money.
Case of Soda (or favorite)
Cases of soda are easy to transport and a few cans at a time in the mini-fridge won’t take up too much space. Plus this is one of those things that you can get in the sundry area or the vending machine of the hotel but you will pay a hefty premium to get them. Additionally buying them one at a time, even at a convenience store, is less cost-effective than cases at a time.
Final Thoughts on Cooking in a Hotel Room with Kids
Traveling is expensive. From the hotel to the transportation and so on, there are lots of costs involved. One of those costs though that you can help control is the cost of food. This is why whenever we travel we try to find options for cooking in our hotel room. This isn’t to say that every meal has to be cooked in the room, but at least there are options to go either way. Hopefully, some of our tips can help you find ways to save money and eat healthily, all while having a fun time being away.
Check out our post here when road tripping with kids!
