Not to cook on holiday?

[costerica]

We’re going on a U.K. cottage break with 3 children who haven’t eaten out in restaurants at all really over the last 14 months for obvious reasons. For this reason I want lunch meals to be picnics or cafes if everyone’s in a good mood but after long walks and busy holiday days I don’t really want to attempt evening restaurants. But I also don’t want to cook. WIBU to do oven pizza/fresh pasta/beans on toast/takeaway? DH thinks restaurants will be fine but I can just foresee the tantrums.

How old are they?

We always take a cooked frozen meal for the first night eg chilli / stew etc and it has defrosted by the time we get to wherever we're going but after that we will be eating out.

I don't go on holiday to cook or have beans on toast for dinner!

HOw old are the DCs?

I'd probably play it by ear. If they are obviously tired, then yes stay in, but if you've had a more restful day give a restaurant a try.

I'm not sure beans on toast at the end of day with just a picnic for lunch would satisfy my DCs but depends on your DCs I suppose.

Could DH not cook a couple of times?

We often freeze a couple of meals and take them with us....think a curry and a spare bol. Then it's easy to reheat and just cook pasta and microwave some rice packets.

(I'm with you that eating out once a day is enough. I don't know the age of your kids but when mine are tired and hungry I jist want them fed.)

I dont mind cooking small means like beans or pizzas etc but thats it

That sounds fine, you can always mix things up depending how tired the DC are. I went to Center Parcs three weeks ago and made a different brunch each day and we are out each evening and that was fab. It really did feel that I had a break from cooking. Your holiday will be like that but the other way around. Maybe you could take a couple of the big Cool meals or do a kids tea and then you and your DH have a takeaway. We used to do that occasionally on British holidays depending on the DC’s ages. Or bung some jacket potatoes in the oven in very low if you’re going out for a few hours and let everyone choose their fillings.

Takeaway?

Sorry that should say Cook meals.

Depending on the age of the kids -
Nice takeaway for you and pasta pesto for them. Mine would eat it every day

We did something similar on our recent trip, just a few days of easy pre-prepared food. I hate the idea of cooking every night on an unfamiliar oven. I especially hate the idea of shopping for the ingredients for freshly prepared, interesting meals for the whole trip. Also, my children are young and, although they’ve always been very well behaved in restaurants, I think eating out every night would be a challenge for them.

I think it’s a bit joyless to go on holiday and not be allowed to eat out at least once. I’d try once and then if it’s a disaster, not do it again.

How old are the kids? I think it’s a great opportunity to take them to restaurants I don’t think you should avoid it ans sit in eating crap every night to be fair.

OP said they would eat out during the day, just not in the evenings.

I don’t want to be cooking elaborate meals on our cottage holiday but don’t want to be eating pub/restaurant food every night either. We have simple meals that basically just need heating and plating. Cold meats and salads, quiches, filled pastas and sauces from chill cabinet.

Kids are 2, 3 and 4 so quite little still.

Cook meals are a good idea.

I’m really dreading trying to get them all to sit and wait nicely. Although they’re well mannered at hone and generally good eaters we don’t tend to get them to the table before the food is ready!

I would do picnics and home made lunches. But for evening meals either go out of takeaway. I wouldn't be cooking on holiday. Also take frozen pizzas and pot noodles as snacks.

I never enjoyed this aspect of self catering at all.
When dc were v small & we stayed in apartments etc we'd have easy breakfast at home of cereal & toast & fresh juice, nice jam etc for dc & often dh would go out & get fresh baked goods- pastries / croissants & nice take out coffee for us

Lunch was always out. Often in a gallery / museum cafe or we'd research nice restaurants/ cafes in the area. Dh & I would often have a beer / glass of wine.

We'd usually go places where the dc could have a main meal - fish & chips, proper burger, chicken pie, homemade pizza, Italian etc so I could relax knowing they'd had a decent meal. We might have a salad or something lighter

Afternoons usually involved a stop at an outside cafe for ice Cream or cake etc

Back at the apartment we much rustle up something like scrambled egg & toast/ bacon bagel / pasta etc for dc with a glass of milk

Dh & I would have wine & cheese or a takeaway which the dc were always welcome to share but often didn't want as spicey or they'd eaten enough

Depending how long we were away for we'd eat out maybe every other or every third evening too

When dc v young they were in bed when we'd have takeout & a drink so we got to relax & having the space to do this was the only advantage of self catering

Now dc are teens & we just stay in hotels & eat out

I really wouldn't be interested in actual cooking or taking frozen dinners from home

I think if you've been out all day and had a picnic lunch or lunch in a cafe then another meal out in the evening will be a bit much, yes.

This is where Marks & Spencer and their huge range of ready to cook food is your friend. Supplement with fresh veg and salads or bread. Yes, it's expensive but a hell of a lot cheaper than eating out but better than a whole week of nursery/beige food evening meals.

Do whatever suits you at the time. Have something ready in the fridge in case you don't want to eat out, find out where the nearest takeaway is, research local restaurants in case you do fancy something more special. Be spontaneous!

Oh God no, the most cooking I've done on any holiday is heating up croissants in the oven or using a BBQ if there's one provided

Mine are 18 months, 4 and 5 and there's no way in hell I'd be taking them to a restaurant in the evening more than maybe once? They are quite well behaved kids but get bored in restaurants and it's a waste of money in my view.

When we go away I tend to do picnics or a cafe for lunch as you have suggested and then a takeaway or something in the oven for dinner. Pizza, pasta, chilli, pies etc are all easy to make and let's be honest, at those ages you need this to be a stress free as possible. My three would be fine with beans on toast by the way, but none of them are big eaters. We often give them that for tea on a nursery/school day.

A holiday with three little kids isn't really a holiday for you, so just keep it simple. I would get them in bed early a few nights and eat a proper meal with DH when they are in bed. We do this on weekends sometimes.

Id take them out. You need raisins to keep them going and a bag of small toys gathered around your house or a tablet to help occupy them. They can eat soup with a straw, couple ice cubes in. I've done what you are describing as a single parent. It will be fine.

Based on the ages of your DC I’d be tempted to do a mixture of kids tea and and a takeaway/adult meal and easy Cook type meals for you all. You may have a day out that turns into a chippy tea out.

On holidays where we're self catering, we do lunches out, and evenings at the accommodation. This is usually pizza/toast/cheese and crackers/omelette etc or a takeaway. I wouldn't cook a full 'meal' on holiday

It's why I refused to go self catering, I knew I would be lumbered with cooking in a worse equipped kitchen. I'm with your husband, I would go out but early

If you did do an evening meal you could try one like Harvester where the DC could eat something from the salad bar more or less straight away.