What the heck do I take on a self catering holiday?

[DancingWithYourDog]

Just that really. Going for a week in the U.K. with DS (11) on a self catering holiday. There’s just the two of us. Super excited but quite overwhelmed trying to think what to take. Obviously clothes and toiletries.

What about food? Can’t afford to eat out much but kitchen facilities look limited. Menu planning for the week feels risky until I’ve had a poke around the kitchen.

Games I suppose. Feel quite nervous I’ll get it wrong.

Top tips would be great!

Just take clothes and toiletries and anything you especially want for entertainment (tablet, books, games). It’s also often helpful to take things like salt, pepper, foil, plastic pots with lids for packing lunches out, a cool bag.

I’d do a rough meal plan but then wait til you get there to check out the kitchen. Thankfully, he’s 11 so you don’t have a 2 year old. Even if you arrive at 7pm, he should be able to manage a trip to the shops to stock up.

Well I think thats shocking about static caravans, we've never been able to afford static caravans or lodges, they seem even worse value for money now I hear this.

Self catering is good excuse for some M&S ready meals! Don't forget some bits for some nice treat breakfasts depending on what you like. And something nice to drink, maybe some cans of premixed drinks like g&t, a pimms or a cocktail and soft drinks for your child - nice to take one along for a sunset walk. Some nibbles.

I hate grocery shopping, and once we arrive, we don’t want to be driving loads. Some places we stay the nearest supermarket is 30+ miles away. So online shopping delivery is the way forward for us. We do a couple of easy jar meals for evenings, breakfasts, lunches and essentials. Then we figure we can buy local or takeaway for other evening meals. And the odd lunch or breakfast out depending on budget and location.

Go on google maps and see how far it is to local supermarkets and then decide once you see the kitchen facilities. Much easier these days with google maps to hand!

Before I report your post for being offensive about my name, yes we ONLY go self catering.

You've pretty much undermined your own argument. Do you take your CAPITAL LETTERS with you on self catering holidays too ?

We take clothes and toiletries. The blurb about the cottge should have a list of what it provides, you shouldnt need bloody towels and kitchen towels and loo roll, where on earth are people going thats self catering, a bloody tent??

To be fair yes most places do have this stuff but in reality some are stingy AF and it's a complete pain when you have to buy towels/tea towels, toilet rolls when you could easily have brought them. We go camping/caravans/cottages and it is easier to presume that they only have very basic facilities/provisions than have to go to the shops the moment you arrive IMO.

aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh...self n 12 yr old-leave tomo.bus\ferry(7nights)think tiny island......so following(whilst push sox in tube toiletrollz

We only do self catering,, Im too tight to do hotels!

But we've never had to get stuff like this although as someone says above, if you rent a caravan perhaps they dont have enough stuff but I find them too expensive to holiday, I have a strict budget and so only do cottages/apartments

Well I think thats shocking about static caravans, we've never been able to afford static caravans or lodges, they seem even worse value for money now I hear this.

We stayed at a mid range caravan in France. It They didn't so much as provide a toilet roll and the camp shop was closed when we arrived. After a full day driving the last thing we wanted to do was drive out looking for a supermarket. Luckily we had our own. I dread to think what was, or more pertinently, wasn't provided in the budget caravan!! They also wanted us to do a thorough clean before we left, despite a dustpan and brush being literally the only cleaning equipment provided!

I always take the below to see us through the first 23-48 hours:

Bin liner
Dishwasher tab
Small bottle cheap washing up liquid
Washing up brush
Pack dettol wipes
Dried pasta
Pesto
Grated cheese
Milk
Cereal
Coffee/tea
Butter
Small bottle veg oil for cooking
Green veg
Eggs
Baked beans
Bacon
Fruit
Biscuits
Chocolate
Booze
Squash
Mini cheddars
Kitchen roll
Loo roll
Soap

Check your local library too. Ours lets you borrow dvds free of charge.

Absolutely this

If you have a computer or iPad, download some stuff from Netflix or BBC iPlayer.

i always find a plug board useful.

UHT milk, depending on where the nearest shop is!

Have a great holiday OP!

I'd recommend taking an oven glove too. First Christmas after my husband died I took the kids to a self catering, cooked the Christmas dinner - no oven glove. Searched everywhere, had to use my jumper cuffs to get the stuff out of the oven :(

Why take food with you ? They have shops wherever you are, that’s taking coals to Newcastle.

Browse,a,local charity shop when you get there for dvds
Pack saNdwiches each day to go out for lunch so you just buy ice creams drinks

Fuck me! I can't believe the huge list of things most people on here take with them.

We often go SC and for a UK holiday I take very little.

Might take an easy or ready meal for the first night on the basis we might arrive too late to shop and want something quick and easy.

Probably also something for breakfast the next day.

But beyond that nothing. It's the UK, there will be a supermarket open somewhere even if it is Sunday. When you get there and look in the cupboard you might find there already is cooking oil, tea, coffee etc. Also your host might leave a welcome basket.

Wine. We always want some of that. And books.

But you are not going to Outer Mongolia. You will be able to get anything you ned

Nigh-on your whole house. HTH! 😫🤣

Tin opener and scissors.

What…?

Can opener and oven tray if your planning to cook regularly. The ones provided are always terrible. Kitchen equipment provided is always basic so if you have something you use all the time think about taking it.

I'd take anything you either can't improvise around or would be irritated to have to buy. For example, I don't want to have to buy another bottle of vinegar, but would like fish and chips on holiday, so will bring that.

If you take a sharp knife, take a chopping board. Cottages always have glass chopping boards as they don't look grim quickly, but that's why they have blunt knives and you don't want to end up blunting your own knife on a glass chopping board.

I took stuff for breakfast, snacks, drinks & enough food for a meal the night we arrived. I took bread, butter, milk, olive oil, salt, pepper, vinegar,& table sauces. I also took toilet rolls, washing up liquid, small pack of washing powder as there was a washer, dishwasher tabs (just put enough for 1 a day out of my stock at home in a zip lock bag) a dishcloth, teatowel, nylon scrubber & all purpose kitchen/bathroom cleaner. We ate out at night or fetched a pizza from the on site pizza place, bought sandwiches & stuff either from the supermarket or a sandwich shop for days at the beach.

Literally everything but the kitchen sink! Mind you then again I can go away for a night and pack for a week!