What do you take when self catering ?

[Liveinthepresent]

Am off to a cottage for a week with DH
and two DC 7 and 9 next week.
Am trying to be super organised as I have more time than usual to pack and started wondering what other people pack that makes this type of holiday better ?
So for example I always take tea
Towels and sharp knives and a decent bottle opener .This time I have also got some ice trays and Tupperware set aside to go with us .
We are quite rural where we are staying so are likely to be eating in quite a lot and packing pic Nic’s for day trips - what else should I take ?
We will do a supermarket shop on arrival.
Don’t want to literally take the kitchen
Sink but am curious to know what others find helpful !
Thanks all

Dishwasher tablets, coffee, washing powder & balsamic vinegar

Oh, a Gousto box is a GREAT idea @modgepodge!

My own salt and pepper pot, decent sized mugs, teabags and coffee, decent paring knife and peeler. Washing powder, dishcloth and tea towel. Small amount of cooking oil, couple of quick pasta meals ( pasta n sauce/ noodles). Always arrange a supermarket delivery a couple of hours after arrival at cottage saves a shopping trip when we get there and transportation.

Also ice packs for picnic bag, drink containers and fruit squash

Are you planning to go to cottage then shop, or shop en route?

If go to the cottage first, I would take tea, coffee, biscuits etc so you have something on arrival, and milk at service station near destination. Then I would look at cottage to see what was needed.

If shopping en route, I would buy enough food for first 24 hours.

From home, I would take tea towels (there’s never enough),, plus sone cheap hangers which I would probably leave there.

Also, if dc has a particular favourite brand of cereal, biscuit, squash etc, I would take that with me.

Also, not sure when you are going but start saving £2 coins. Then you’ll always have car parking money available.

Thread hijack alert

We are holidaying on a caravan park, in one of what I imagine is many lodges.

I want to order a supermarket delivery for the first night, so around 6pm, but at this point we obviously don't know what dwelling we have been allocated.

Have any of you done this? Should I just get the Sainsbo driver to call me from the park gate?

Contact the holiday park and find out what they suggest?

@Sunflower101 yes I thought that, except you absolutely cannot reach them on the phone and they're not answering e-mail (Hosaesons). So I thought MN might have a steer.

We pack all of our clothes and towels in huge Primark bags, the double handle ones. I think they are a couple of quid. Can squeeze them in the boot then instead of suitcases taking up space.

All our other stuff such as kitchen/picnic/toiletries/bits etc goes in one crate. The long underbed type. Basically it's our camping crate we just throw that in, it's always stocked and ready.

Just packing for our self catering break. A few additions to the already great suggestions:

• Disposable BBQ
• V60 Coffee dispenser/filters (easier than a Nespresso machine, though we have taken it in the past)
• Slow cooker (in Autumn/Winter)

Taking our first meal and having a Tesco shop the first evening. Popped to M&S for a couple of easy meals today so we'll barely need to cook.

Some good reminders for me here for next week.

Milk -frozen to keep everything else —wine— cool.
Picnic bag and boxes, insulated water bottles.

Pegs - then hope there’s a line!
Dishwasher tabs/ washing up liquid.
Washing powder.
Oil and condiments.
Cling film.
Toilet roll.
Kitchen roll.

@TSSDNCOP
Google the name of the place you are staying at and phone them directly or contact them via Facebook

Chopping board.
Sharp knife
Bread knife ( we had to buy one in holiday one year)
My coffee mug
Reusable water bottles
Tea towels and hand towels
travel hook for hanging a hand towel in the kitchen
Bar soap cut in 2 halves for basin/sink
Dishwasher tabs + mini bottle of washing up liquid
Tin opener
J-cloths
Kitchen roll
Tin foil and baking paper (small amount folded)

Also a bucket! You never know. I’ve used it for hand washing clothes, washing up and storing wet beach gear.

We have a big car and DH rolls eyes at the amount we take.

Oh yes, baking tray. I have a plastic box with all the self catering stuff.

These are brilliant - multi socket extension lead is a very good one too.
We will be heading to Waitrose once we have unloaded the car of the full kitchen sink I have now started packing !! I could really do with a week off catering but that’s not to be so lots of easy dinners planned .
Hoping weather will be kind enough for at least a couple of al fresco lunches !
I am also taking my own pillows and duvets for kids .. DH is very tolerant and as a PP said normally concedes that our trip is nicer when we aren’t scrabbling around with limited equipment!

Baking tray - added !

The kitchen sink.

Sharp knives.
Large pans if there are a few of us.
Our own pillows.
Ice packs and picnic bag
Flask.
Decent tea bags
Dishcloths and tea towels
Apron
Soap
Large serving platter
Lobster crackers and picks
Gas lighter

Have a lovely time. Get some easy meals in waitrose. Nice bread and things.

Always take a “first night” meal, usually something simple like bolly sauce and pasta, pre-made. I generally empty the fridge into a cool bag, so have milk, cheese, eggs, butter, bacon, salad etc ...And a loaf of bread.

Equipment wise, take decent knives or a knife sharpener (I’ve never been to a SC place that had decent ones), I have been known to take a slow cooker (depends if you’re planning to eat in a lot). Have fun.