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.

What about good old fish and chips a couple of nights? would it be worth trying a pizza hut/Frankie and Benny sort of place if within a reasonable distance? I would do some quick meals as well, a few days but you dont want to cook all the time on your break thats just a Busmans Holiday!

@UnreasonablyPissedOff

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

Absolutely this. I reckon if kids have a hot meal once a day it's fine if the other is picnic style or something on toast. Kids love a markies ready meal though carbonnara or spaghetti and meatballs so I sometimes stop and grab these for a quick meal on arrival

There is no way in hell I would step foot in a restaurant in the evening with three under 5s. That's not a holiday, that's just torture (for you and the other customers!).

We have one (relatively) well-behaved 3yo and he's just getting to the stage where he'll sit nicely for a pub lunch (so long as it's pizza or fish and chips), especially if we promise him pudding afterwards.

I refuse to cook on holiday either. We did a 3 night short break recently and this is what my DC had before he went to bed and then we each ordered our takeaway of choice:

• Chilli (I took a frozen portion from the freezer and let it defrost in the car on the way).
• Beans on toast with grated cheese. If you get the microwavable snap pots, you don't even have to wash up a pan.
• Oven pizza with carrot sticks.

If your DH thinks restaurants are such a good idea, let him take the little ones out while you have a relaxing hot bath .

We are going away soon and I refuse to cook any proper meals. It is just not break for me. That said DC3 has special dietary requirements so I'll spend some time on the first day (with a glass of vino) making things I know she can eat.

We have an online shop coming the day we arrive and I've ordered breakfast stuff (porridge, cereal, fruit, yogurts) and lunch stuff (bread rolls, sandwich fillers, snacks which we'll make up each day and take with us) but dinners will be a combination of restaurants, Deliveroo and takeaway fish and chips. I may bung a pizza and doughballs in the oven one evening!!

• I'll make sure they all have enough fruit and veg.

@Jellybabiesforbreakfast completely agree - 3 children under 5 in a restaurant!
(If you do go - please post where you’ve booked, so the rest of us can avoid it)!

I’d not be keen having crap food every night on my holiday, so just gets babysitter for a couple of nights and go out with your DH. Your holiday cottage should be able to recommend someone, or you could use sitters.

My kids are older though (8,6 and 3) and we've opted for family friendly restaurants as opposed to posh!!

I used to make tuna pasta bake on holiday with Morrison's sauce mix and serve with bagged salad. It's quick and easy and fairly nutritious. Or you get the supermarket meal deals? They are more heating up than cooking.

If you are having busy days out I would try and avoid restaurants in the evening, otherwise you might end up having to eat early before they get overtired.

I would probably do simple meals for them and then takeaway (unless you are in the arse end of nowhere) for you later.

I’d do something more substantial at lunchtimes then a more snacky tea in the evening where I could. Take some frozen meals with you?

Then you could have a takeaway or similar on the nights you have a lighter or picnic lunch. I have 4 and never do self catering as I may as well just be at home tbh it’s too much faff and I miss my own kitchen etc

Your holiday your choice. I've never shyed away from taking my 2 children to restaurants though at any age. If you never take them to restaurants they don't learn the right way to behave. Of course at home they only come to the table when the food is ready. But when out at a restaurant you engage the kids in conversation, a simple game or colouring or something simple to keep them occupied. With a self catering holiday when mine were the ages of yours we'd mix it up a bit, sometimes eat out, sometimes a takeaway and sometimes an easy cooked meal. If you eat out at a cafe at lunchtime, what's the difference to eating in the evening? kids still have to sit at the table and wait for food to be made. Get an early table so they are not overtired and don't go anywhere too fancy and chill.

Ultimately though your holiday do what works for you. Cooking every night has never been for me, but mixed up with other options is all good.

I think this is perfectly acceptable OP. You need a rest on holiday. I have found waitrose and Marks and Spencer ready meals to be really useful in this respect. Good meals, only need heating and everyone is happy. This plus a few restaurant visits and cereal for breakfast usually sorts me.

@123sunshine

Your holiday your choice. I've never shyed away from taking my 2 children to restaurants though at any age. If you never take them to restaurants they don't learn the right way to behave. Of course at home they only come to the table when the food is ready. But when out at a restaurant you engage the kids in conversation, a simple game or colouring or something simple to keep them occupied. With a self catering holiday when mine were the ages of yours we'd mix it up a bit, sometimes eat out, sometimes a takeaway and sometimes an easy cooked meal. If you eat out at a cafe at lunchtime, what's the difference to eating in the evening? kids still have to sit at the table and wait for food to be made. Get an early table so they are not overtired and don't go anywhere too fancy and chill. Ultimately though your holiday do what works for you. Cooking every night has never been for me, but mixed up with other options is all good.

I think I would be more inclined to go to restaurants if my three were good eaters but none of them are really. The eldest is 5 and he's finally a bit less fussy but the other two make mealtimes at home a chore if I'm honest. I can handle that chore continuing on holiday more than I can handle spending money on restaurants when I won't enjoy it and neither will the kids!

When mine were that little we went out for lunches and simple dinners at the holiday house - no elaborate cooking, that's for sure.

@mistermagpie. I do not disagree, but on occasion it is simpler to not eat out and therefore move between eating and getting ready for bed after a busy day. On occasion, I have found restaurants in the UK quite child unfriendly. We once holidayed in Dorset, stopping at a very nice hotel. On arrival we went in for dinner and were told no children allowed. Our kids were well behaved, but there was a blanked ban... which they had not seen fit to mention when taking our money for the booking. I have never had this problem in Europe (Germany I have found is every good for children along with Spain, Italy and Greece).

Three under 5 in a restaurant is no fun at all.

I'd probably do it once or twice over the course of the week, but no more than that!

We always go self-catering via M&S and the first meal is one of their pre-cooked chickens with potato croquettes, mayo and the green veg you get in a tub. Always. It's not a holiday without that!

I always take a spag bog sauce or similar too, so it's just a case of boiling pasta. And fajitas one night but with loads of shop-bought bits to put on them.

Then do pizza/beans on toast for the kids the other two nights and you and DH have a takeaway later on - done!

Depending on where you are headed, when mine we little we quite often end up in a pub with an attached soft play or play space. Or even a normal park within 2 minute walk then one parents sits at the restaurant table and texts the other parent who’s gone to “play” when the food is on the table. The promise of pudding if they stay still in their chairs and eat nicely. By not letting them get bored at the table we found they are better and thus it was a more enjoyable visit. Food at these places is not always amazing, unless it’s a nice pub with park nearby. Practice makes it better.

We even did this at the weekend at they a 5 and 8, took them to the park to play for the 20 minutes it took for the food to be made. They know that when food is called it’s leave straightaway with if they are good they can go back for an extra play. Also means they are not annoying others at tables around you.

Good luck and maybe compromise on the number of times you eat out/ have take out

@123sunshine

Your holiday your choice. I've never shyed away from taking my 2 children to restaurants though at any age. If you never take them to restaurants they don't learn the right way to behave. Of course at home they only come to the table when the food is ready. But when out at a restaurant you engage the kids in conversation, a simple game or colouring or something simple to keep them occupied. With a self catering holiday when mine were the ages of yours we'd mix it up a bit, sometimes eat out, sometimes a takeaway and sometimes an easy cooked meal. If you eat out at a cafe at lunchtime, what's the difference to eating in the evening? kids still have to sit at the table and wait for food to be made. Get an early table so they are not overtired and don't go anywhere too fancy and chill. Ultimately though your holiday do what works for you. Cooking every night has never been for me, but mixed up with other options is all good.

I would have loved to have taken all mine to restaurants from a young age 🙄

I would eat a main meal at lunch time, so that everyone's fed and have nice bits and pieces in the evening with a bottle of wine once the children are in bed. Relatively nice places that cater for children aren't that tricky to find. On some days you could have more of a light lunch while the children have more substantial food and get a takeaway in the evening.

Most of our holidays in over 30 years have been self catering and that's what we do. I wouldn't want to take tired grumpy children to eat out at night, but we tend to eat too late for that anyway.

I have never cooked a proper meal on holiday as that would defeat the object of having a break. If we chucked anything in the oven it was something nice, but easy from a farm shop.

We're going on holiday for half term, we've got lunch at a pub, fish & chips outside (hopefully, weather permitting!), Cafe planned for eating out then teas will be frozen pizzas, chilli (fro m the freezer like a PP) quiche, pasta, easy stuff like that which is nice but minimal effort.

You are on holiday, keep.it as stress free as possible

I would leave your options open. Maybe try a buffet/carvery restaurant to start with or something child friendly like pizza. We usually self cater and have a mix of eating out a couple of evenings, takeaway and easy cooking. Its supposed to be fun!

I would have loved to have taken all mine to restaurants from a young age 🙄

Indeed OP, my daughter has been in lockdown most of her life!

@NotMeNoNo

I would leave your options open. Maybe try a buffet/carvery restaurant to start with or something child friendly like pizza. We usually self cater and have a mix of eating out a couple of evenings, takeaway and easy cooking. Its supposed to be fun!

This is a really good point, eating out doesn't have to mean restaurants. Find a pub with a play area, or pizza express, when McDonald's/Burger King/kfc, anything quick & with child friendly menus.

Take a slow cooker with you. There are some fantastic facebook groups with lots of recipes. Will just have to throw it all in in the morning. At most you might have to cook pasta, rice or some jacket potatoes for the side for the meal a bit nearer the meal time.

The most I'd want to cookon holiday is convenience food or sandwiches. Generally, we have often had our big meal in a restaurant at lunchtime, and then just a light tea in the accommodation. This works great with small kids who can't deal with foreign restaurants not serving dinner until 7pm. In the UK we'd be just as likely to take sandwiches out with us and eat in a pub at 6pm.