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Original poster

If you are self-catering abroad, what do you pack by way of food?

187 replies

Lovemenorca · 09/08/2019 05:50

Single parent two children

Usually we do all inclusive or half board. This year our big hol is in Feb so I’ve booked a simple air bnb for a week in Spain. There’s a full kitchen. I’m looking to only eat out for dinners. So planning to “cook” for breakfast and lunch.

Lovely town. No big supermarket close by. A large corner shop that does phenomenal fresh fruit salad and veg. But limited in terms of dried goods.

We are no foodies. And I’m not interested in cooking elaborate dishes or sourcing local specialties. We are very active and eat to fuel and it’s a lot of veg, fruit, salad, avocados, salmon, chicken, Greek yoghurt etc and i will get these locally.

However, I’d like to take the kefir yoghurts that I love that I know won’t be available and also some cream cheese. Can I pack these items in a cooling lunch box with an ice pack in it - and do you think ok for a total of 7/8 hours door to door (transfers flight etc)?

Planning on bringing some packets of microwaveable rice, tins of Wild salmon and also tins of tuna - so then I can mix eg rice, tin of tuna, tinned sweet corn and a splash of soy sauce (my children LOVE this!). Also I’ll bring some tortillas and then I’ll fill with cream cheese and ham that I’ll buy out there and they can have but the pool. I’ll get a load of salad from the shop and have with the tinned tuna I’ve brought from home.

Breakfast - I’ll bring porridge sachets (so then I just need to buy milk) , dried apricots and dates for topping. And we will also have lots of fruit and maybe some toast.

I drink almond milk - I’ll pack the long life version as wont be able to get there

So my question is re whether possible to bring a small amount of refrigerated food if backed in hold luggage in a cooking bag with cooking packs inside?

And then curious about what you bring by way of dried food for self catering abroad holidays?

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 09/08/2019 10:05

I don’t take anything at all when going SC
Not suggesting you should do the same but you asked what other people take

fussychica · 09/08/2019 10:07

We nearly always self cater and often in Spain. I always take tea bags and our coffee as priority, after that it would depend what I can fit in. Never anything in jars or liquid as I know it would be just my luck to have it all ruined. I have never not been able to buy tinned tuna, even in the smallest village food shop.

Booboostwo · 09/08/2019 11:05

I’ve never taken anything with me when self-catering and certainly not for a week! It’s completely ridiculous to be lugging tins of tuna on the plane. Get an online delivery or hire a taxi to take you to the supermarket and back. It’s only one week, one shop should be enough.

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General food
Teddybear45 · 09/08/2019 11:07

Honestly in Spain with young kids I’d make breakfast and dinner and go out for lunch. Perhaps it’s the lifestyle there but lunches tend to be a lot better than dinner.

MyDcAreMarvel · 09/08/2019 11:12

Taking yoghurt and cream cheese is stupid and the tuna etc unnecessary. Just buy food there.

Dragonite · 09/08/2019 11:16

For someone with no interest in food, you seem awfully... Interested in it.

Even in you are soooo skinny with teensy-weensy appetites like little fragile tweety birds.

BillieEilish · 09/08/2019 11:21

teddy yes, lunches here are the main event, dinner, not so much, totally right.

I repeat that the nearest supermarket will deliver to your door.

I live in an orange grove half a mile from town and do not have a car. The supermarket does online deliveries. I would rather 'risk' their Keifer yogurt than going on a plane with it.

Today is 45 degrees.

To take tuna and yogurt and cream cheese is ridiculous.

I'm just about to order some sushi for DD. Amazing hey? Hmm Wine for me, 1 euro 95 for lovely rioja.

It's all available here. Fresh, tasty and cheaper than UK.

movingontosomethingnew · 09/08/2019 11:21

You can't fly with dairy

mateysmum · 09/08/2019 11:26

I kind of see where you're coming from but I would seriously rethink.
It's mad to take tinned fish when this is a staple of the Spanish diet and almost certainly stocked by your corner shop. Likewise rice and probably porridge oats too. If they don't have the oats why not have lovely, crusty Spanish bread for breakfast for a change.
Cream cheese is also very widely available. Does the corner shop not have a dairy section? Go wild and don't have your yoghurts for a week - I think this really is preferable to lugging half of Tescos in a suitcase. Tbags however definitely take!

Peaseblossom22 · 09/08/2019 11:27

We always self cater and apart from in the UK I have never taken any food at all . We eat what us in the local shops and if there supermarket . If your children are not interested in food why go to such a lot of trouble to take their home food , we eat simple fresh food that’s available , if Something is not available we do without or eat a local alternative .

Cohle · 09/08/2019 11:30

I definitely wouldn't pack perishables.

What if your suitcase goes missing and you don't get it back for a week? Dealing with rancid yoghurt and all your clothes stinking of it would be grim.

Even if it all goes according to plan the risk of it going off and having horrible food poisoning abroad alone with two young kids doesn't really bear thinking about. Just eat normal yoghurt for a week if you don't care about food much surely?

Pipandmum · 09/08/2019 11:34

Air plane holds are freezing - I take insulin and can’t put it in the hold as it might freeze. So I think your kefir will be fine, and may be protected from freezing in an insulated bag. It’s the time from your plane to your rented place that you should be careful about, but all you can do is try.
While I love trying local stuff (and oddly where I go there’s a surplus of every dried goods but fresh veg very hit or miss, the fish though is amazing and takes up a whole wall). I do take Bovril because though they sell it’s pricey.
I really like trying their baked goods in Spain - interesting! When we first started going (70s) there was only fresh goats milk but now even the corner shop sells quite a variety.
Have a fun trip!

Antigonads · 09/08/2019 11:34

I'm going to Anglesey tomorrow.

What shall I take?

(Please note, I eat like a bird - a great big carrrion crow type of bird)

IndianaMoleWoman · 09/08/2019 11:34

“Eat to fuel” is my new favourite MN phrase.

Do you want some pepper on that Madame? Of course not, I only eat to fuel!

Would you like to see the dessert menu? Nope! My fuel tank is fully topped up.

Can you manage for a week without your favourite yoghurt? Absolutely not, but did I mention that I only eat to fuel?

Sorry OP, I don’t mean to be mean but it’s really cracked me up. I hope you have a fantastic holiday.

Guiloak · 09/08/2019 11:47

Taking tins of tuna to Spain is like a Spaniard packing tea bags to come on holiday to the UK!

Teddybear45 · 09/08/2019 11:56

Taking tins of tuna to Spain is like a Spaniard packing tea bags to come on holiday to the UK!

Lol this made me smile. The same applies re cheese and yoghurt - Spain sells some of the most amazing cheeses. It’s possible to get fresh Arab / North African cheeses too.

Camomila · 09/08/2019 12:03

Loads of people taking porridge sachets!
That's the only thing we take to Italy too. And some baby snacks (not much choice in Italy)

Toooldtocareanymore · 09/08/2019 12:09

I wouldn't bring dairy at this time of year in luggage, but you said its Feb. so sitting round in heat shouldn't be a problem. I would wonder though what the restrictions will be on travelling with perishable food from outside the EU next feb, guess its way too early to decide what's going in the cases, even the non perishable items may be far more cost efficient to buy there by time next feb comes about,

When I go self catering as I know I can buy good coffee and tea bags in local shops (they had earl grey) , I generally just pack some chocolate and a pack or two of crackers or biscuits, as I might need an emergency snack especially for kids, and as I find brands we like in Spain are more expensive.

My dh uses sugar in his tea and cereal so I bring a small amount from home as I find I have to buy a bag on holiday every time and he only uses a fraction of it.

I generally arrange with letting agent, or person we are hiring from to get us some water in in advance, the one we used last two times you could get a welcome pack arranged from them that had tea and/or coffee, 2 water, juice, milk, bottle of wine, block of cheese, pack of ham, a baguette, a small sliced loaf, box of cereal -optional list to pick from or you could have a pack of the Kellogg's variety, and butter. That was really handy and convenient. The cost was under €20, they left receipt and change for us. Maybe the hosts could arrange something similar for you.

BiggerBoat1 · 09/08/2019 12:10

Is this really a thing? Do people really take food? Good God!!

Please don't take yogurt. It will be rank by the time you get there. If not having your favourite yoghurt for a week will spoil your holiday maybe stay home Grin

Maybe Spain have different yoghurts that you'll like just as much. Live dangerously and try one!

Davros · 09/08/2019 12:10

Aren't there a lot of restrictions on taking food to other countries? Or have I been watching too much Australian Border Patrol?

edgeofheaven · 09/08/2019 12:14

The only time I travel with perishables is to smuggle in goodies I’ve purchased on holiday to bring home Grin Literally my main joy going on a trip abroad is going to supermarkets to feed myself on local delicacies.

You mentioned you don’t drive but how remote is this place? No Uber or taxi services possible?

SeaToSki · 09/08/2019 12:19

Ive taken a cooler bag of meat and special foods down to the Caribbean before (we live in the US) it worked really well and I would do it again.

A couple of tips

Get a really good cooler bag, the lunch box type wont cut it. (Amazon have good options)
Any foods that you want to take that can be frozen, freeze and then they will help to keep things cold
Use more freezer blocks than you thought necessary and layer them between the food as well as on top
Pack the freezer bag inside another bag
DO NOT take it in hand luggage, hold luggage is the only way it will work as you will never get ice blocks and yogurt through airport security in hand luggage
If you are going to do it, take a reasonable amount of food
I took enough meat for dinner every night (frozen)
A lovely Moroccan lemon marinade that I make and freeze
Some pastry that I could roll out for quiches (frozen)
Bacon for breakfasts (frozen)
Nice ham and cheese for sandwiches (chilled)
Cream cheese (chilled)
Pre grated cheese for tacos (chilled)
And then some pantry items that didnt need to be chilled like ready rice packets and some herbs and spices (small portions in food bags)

carrie74 · 09/08/2019 12:23

We almost always self cater. Take nothing, buying food at destination is part of the holiday.

Nanamilly · 09/08/2019 12:24

You can't fly with dairy

Not true.

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 09/08/2019 12:25

We’re doing self catering for the first time in a few years in September. I’m possibly going to take a small jar of coffee, sweeteners I always have in my bag anyway, and one of those little squeezy bottles of super concentrated squash. Anything else we will buy there. (Whether that’s eat out, go to the corner shop, or find a supermarket.)