If you were staying in a self-catering cottage would you buy home cooked ready meals?

[jemimapotts]

We have a house that we let out to holidaymakers. Recently I have thought it may be nice to offer home cooked ready meals. They would be frozen and I could deliver them on request in their frozen state. I was thinking a long the lines of £4 a portion for something like shepherd's pie.

Does this sound reasonable and for those of you who rent holiday cottages in the UK is this something you would take up if on offer?

Anymore meal ideas would be welcome.

TIA

[lionheart]

Yes, have stayed places where this is done and used the service. Good idea, for when you don't want to cook or after a day out.

[jemimapotts]

What kind of meals were they Lionheart? Did they provide vegetables/rice/ potatos or just the main dish ie a foil container of chilli etc?

[Pancakeflipper]

I have stayed in places where this is offered. I haven't used this service as I get the menu sent with the final booking details. I look at it and think "Nah."

I think in my case it's a mixture of cost, I like cooking, I like to find new food shops to try out different stuff, have a kid with a food intolerance and my eldest would protest if he wasn't allowed fish'n'chips at least 3 times on hols.

[ChippyMinton]

Have a look here for ideas and prices. My sister buys from here occasionally.

I think it's a good idea. DH usually makes a shepherds pie, chilli or lasagne to freeze and bring along for our first/second night away.

You could offer something simple and non-perishable accompaniments like frozen peas petits pois, ketchup, boil in the bag rice, potato wedges.

[castlesintheair]

I think it's a good idea when there are a lot of you. It's something we used to do in Scotland but sadly they don't deliver anymore.

[jemimapotts]

That's interesting Pancake. I was going to put a menu in the welcome info and there would be no obligation whatsoever.
Chippy, that website is very useful. Thankyou.

[Bunbaker]

I would consider it. We always go self catering and as it is a holiday I only cook simple meals that require the minimum of effort and washing up.

[Paschaelina]

Yes definitely. It would be a godsend. Probably not every night, maybe 2 or 3 over a week but great for first night/last night when you're busy sorting stuff.

Things like Spanish chicken, chilli, cannelloni, curry, fish cakes or fish pie, macaroni cheese, veggie lasagne, pasta bake, Moroccan lamb...

Also herby potatoes, mash, mediterranean veg, rice, fresh noodles, raw veg ready to steam,

All good quality ingredients of course.

[jemimapotts]

Do you think there'd be a market for cakes, puddings?

[WowOoo]

Yes for cakes and puddings too.

[tigercametotea]

Its a nice option, but can anyone give me an idea of the portion sizes? Would it be similar to supermarket ready meal portions or mid-range priced restaurant portions?

[Paschaelina]

Yep I might be tempted to buy a pudding or two for the evening, even if we've eaten out during the day.

[ChippyMinton]

You could offer a cream tea on arrival.
And big cut and come again cakes - lemon drizzle, gingerbread, chocolate fudge. To have with a a cup of tea after a day out.

[chimchar]

i love the idea of arriving at a sc place and having a nice hearty meal ready to reheat.

i think for us though, cost is always key. i wouldn't pay £4 per portion as we could get a cheapo pub meal for that sort of price.

i would be more inclined to pay a total for say a large shepherds pie to serve 4-6 people for £15, with a lit of ingredients all poshed up (delicious meaty pie, made with local lamb, topped with homemade buttery mash type of ting.)

i am fickle and easily bought.

[SybilBeddows]

I would consider this but I would not want to order a lot in advance in case it wasn't very nice; I would want to try it for one meal and see before committing myself.

[chimchar]

oh, and hell yeah to a yummy homemade cake/scones/bread. lovely. mmmmmmm.

[Bunbaker]

Now you're talking ChippyMinton . That sounds like a great idea!

[activate]

Well I wouldn't pay £4 a portion for a shepherd's pie - with my lot it would cost £24 and I'd probably have to double it because what is a portion?

but then I like to cook

if I don't want to we'd go out - or DP will cook

[ChippyMinton]

Slightly off-topic, but we stayed at a group of converted barns with games room - football table, pool table, dartboard. But best of all, an 'honesty fridge' stocked with little chocolate bars and bottle of pop, and a money box to drop your coins into. The DC loved it.

[TheBride]

I stay in a cottage for a week or two whenever I return to the UK (live overseas) and would definitely use this service- maybe 3 meals in a week.

I'd buy things like lasagna/ cottage pie/fish pie/ apple pie/bolagnaise etc. Wouldn't expect the vegetables as well

[Pancakeflipper]

Our latest fav holiday cottage provides milk, tea, ground coffee, locally made biscuits, a bottle of wine, loaves of bread, butter and a jar of jam on arrival. Dived upon on arrival.

[ChippyMinton]

Often the reality of a holiday cottage is that you think 'oh, we'll pick up some lovely home-made cakes, and visit the friendly local butcher' and when you arrive, the only shop for miles around is Londis with a freezer cabinet full of McCain pizzas and oven chips.

[Bunbaker]

You are absolutely right ChippyMinton, that is usually the case. Last year, however, we rented a cottage in Much Wenlock and found a brilliant deli just around the corner from our cottage. And in Devon a couple of years ago we found some lovley delis and cheese shops in Tavistock.

[ChippyMinton]

Same in Bamburgh -great butchers and deli. And a general store for all the other essentials & fruit and veg. The place we're renting in Cornwall, though, is miles from anywhere, and inaccessible to supermarket deliveries, so we shall have to go prepared.

[Pancakeflipper]

Oddly enough Chippy. We didn't rate the deli ( was 3yrs since we last stayed). But loved the store by the Grace Darling Muesum on the corner. Went in there and another customer asked if they had a particular herb... They went into their garden and cut some from the plant and handed it to the customer.