Decide how many meals you will cook
Food can be one of the more flexible parts of a vacation budget. Before planning menus, decide how many meals you want to cook. A few common approaches:
- Cook most meals: best for a rental house, cabin, or campsite with a kitchen.
- Cook breakfasts and some lunches: these meals are often the easiest to make and the most expensive to buy out, so many families keep dinner out as a treat.
- Cook only a few dinners: a good fit for hotel stays with a small fridge or microwave.
Write down the number of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, then mark which ones will be restaurant meals, travel-day meals, or cooked at the rental. Plan only for the cooked ones.
Check the kitchen before you pack
Rental kitchens vary. If you can, ask the host or check the listing for:
- oven, stovetop, microwave, grill, or slow cooker
- pots, pans, baking sheets, knives, and a cutting board
- salt, pepper, oil, and other basic seasonings
- fridge and freezer size
- coffee maker, toaster, and dishwasher
Pack a few items from home if the kitchen is limited, such as a good knife, a sheet of foil, or a small bag of spices. Check the rules for the place you are staying, since some have restrictions on grills or cooking.
Meals that travel well
If you will be bringing food with you, choose items that hold up in a cooler or a box:
- pre-cooked and frozen meals, such as chili, meatballs, or pulled chicken, that double as ice packs
- marinated meat in freezer bags
- pancake or waffle mix in a container, ready to add water or milk
- dry pasta and a jar of sauce
- tortillas, peanut butter, bread, and cereal
- fruit that keeps well, such as apples and oranges
- snacks like popcorn, crackers, and nut-free granola bars
Keep perishable food cold and cooked foods hot or chilled, and follow safe food handling guidance. When in doubt, throw it out.
Easy vacation dinners
Dinner on vacation works best when the effort is low and everyone gets something they like. Build-your-own meals are popular for this reason:
- Taco, fajita, or burrito bar: meat or beans, tortillas, cheese, and toppings
- Burger or hot dog night: grill or pan, with simple sides
- Pasta night: pasta with sauce and a bagged salad
- Sheet pan nachos: chips, cheese, beans, and toppings
- Steak, corn, and a tomato salad on the grill
- Fish tacos or a seafood boil if you are near the coast and have a good source
- Breakfast for dinner: pancakes, eggs, and bacon
Plan the biggest or messiest meal for early in the trip, when you have the most energy and the freshest ingredients.
Breakfasts and lunches
Breakfast and lunch can be low-effort:
- Breakfast: pancakes (including a sheet pan version), biscuits, scrambled eggs, yogurt and fruit, oatmeal, cereal
- Lunch: sandwiches or BLTs, wraps, a cheese board with crackers and fruit, leftovers from dinner, salads with chicken or tuna
- Snacks: fruit, popcorn, trail mix, and a s’mores tray if you have a fire pit or grill
Planning lunch around dinner leftovers saves both money and cleanup time.
Packing a cooler and a pantry box
Use two containers if possible:
- Cooler: meat, dairy, eggs, and cooked meals. Freeze what you can ahead of time.
- Pantry box: dry goods, oil, spices, coffee, snacks, paper towels, trash bags, and storage containers.
Label the boxes and pack the first-night dinner on top so it is easy to find after a long drive.
Grocery plan on arrival
Rather than shopping before you leave for everything, consider a mix:
- Bring staples and items that are hard to find.
- Do one main grocery run soon after arrival for fresh produce, dairy, and meat.
- Keep a list on your phone and check which items the rental already has.
- Buy only enough for the days you will be there, so you are not leaving full jars and half-used packages behind.
Keeping vacation food affordable
- Cook breakfasts and lunches in, and keep restaurant meals to one or two special occasions.
- Choose a few dinners that share ingredients, such as tortillas and cheese.
- Bring leftovers or a frozen meal for travel days.
- Use grocery stores rather than convenience shops for snacks and drinks.
For more budget-friendly meal ideas to use before and after the trip, see our frugal family meal plan. If you are heading somewhere hot, our guide to cheap summertime meals has ideas that avoid the stove.
Frameworks: 3-3-3 and 5-4-3-2-1
Two shorthand rules sometimes come up in vacation planning:
- The 3-3-3 rule for meal prep is an informal idea, with several versions. It is generally about limiting the number of proteins, vegetables, and starches or meals you prepare, to keep the plan simple.
- The 5-4-3-2-1 rule for groceries (or eating plan) is also informal and defined differently by different sources. It is usually a quick formula for balancing categories of foods in your cart or across the day.
They are memory aids rather than official guidelines, so feel free to adjust them.
Frequently asked questions
What are some good family meals to take on vacation?
Build-your-own taco or fajita nights, pasta with sauce, pancakes, sandwiches, grilled meats with simple sides, and frozen meals that travel in a cooler.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for meal prep?
An informal rule that usually means keeping meal prep simple with a small set number of proteins, vegetables, and starches or dishes. Versions vary.
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 rule for groceries?
A loose formula for balancing food categories when shopping. Definitions differ, so check how a particular source uses it.
Should I cook every meal on vacation?
Not necessarily. Many families cook breakfast and lunch and eat out occasionally for dinner.