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!

A plug board? What the fuck’s a plug board?

Gin, tonic and wine.

Rubber gloves and a big pack of antibacterial wipes. Your own mug. Card games like Uno. My own tea towels. Those Chinese food tubs within lids. I’ve stayed in many self-catering places and these trusty items have done me well 🤗

Your own tea towels. Not mine!

This is a wind up, right? @

Download a few movies etc from Netflix onto your tablet and take a cable to connect it to the tv and watch.

tea, coffee sugar, vinegar, ketchup, mayo. beans, rice, pasta, a couple of sauce mixes.

I usually take a couple of frozen meals with us.

This:

A. Works as an once block and,
B. Saves cooking over there

You could even do a big chilli and have it with rice one night, then chilli wraps the next. Or a big bolognaise : spag bo one night, then a lasagne.

Once block?!

Ice block

Hi,
I always take my toasted sandwich maker - perfect for toasties!!

Not sure if anyone has said it, but if you have a slow cooker take that.

I also admit I take a couple of those large 5 litre water bottles filled up with tap water from home as where we usually go the water is awful & a cheap fiver electric kettle so I don't have to use one with half an inch of scale on it, I can't cope without a cuppa in a morning.

Depends whether your driving or not! Public transport & carting kitchen stuff could be a nightmare.
I drive, so weight/bulk not an issue. I always take basic condiments, tea, coffee - and milk so that I can make tea the moment I arrive, and often the wherewithall for a meal on the first evening if I can't be bothered with supermarket shopping the first evening. and varied contents of the fridge because I'm rubbish at meal planning. Plus cat food & litter, but I guess that's not everyone 😁

Check in advance what supermarkets are nearby, and either plan to do that the day you arrive or the following day, or book a delivery. I tend not to stop on the way to the cottage - but only because I don't like leaving my cat in the car - but an option, as long as you're not relying on getting to the supermarket just before they close - just in case of traffic delays.

Enjoy, have a great holiday.

You need to find out more about what's offered on this self-catering. Get the basics for the first night then shop the next day. Yes to sharp knife, and power board with long lead.

DVD player might mean there's no/crappy internet where you're going. This is the case where I holiday in Australia, but then the site has a DVD library. How far away are the shops?

Just got back from 2 self catering places...
Check if there is an oven/grill - we only had a microwave
Things we wished we had had - frying pan, sauté pan with lid, bread knife, grater, extra tea towels.
We also bought those thick yellow cleaning cloths to use as a draining board, both places had a dishwasher but no draining board but not enough glasses etc to wait for the dishwasher

This thread is delightfully bonkers.

I've never taken even close to half of this stuff on a self-catering holiday. At most we take towels and food for the dog in case they don't sell it locally.

That's it. Never had an issue in all the time we've holidayed in the UK.

Because I am delightfully bonkers, I also take a whole load of stuff!

I save up our spare ketchup and bbq sauce or mayo sachets when we are out and about, so I always have a stash and don’t have to take a huge bottle.

I pack all the little bits and bobs in plastic takeaway containers, then use those for storing food in the fridge and packed lunches.

I take enough dishwasher tabs for a week, and washing up liquid too as often there isn’t enough kitchen stuff to fill it and I hate running it half empty.

I always take hard soap for the bathrooms and kitchen, as well as loo roll, tea cloths, surface spray and some cleaning cloths.

Fun stuff/food stuff that always works well for us on hols:

• teabags


• squash


• A packet of microwave popcorn


• veg oil


• salt, sugar


• plastic containers of flour already weighed out so I take approx the right amount, and small jar of nutella and a lemon. I pick up eggs and milk locally and we make pancakes for breakfast instead of bothering with cereal


• Mug cake sachets (something fun to do in the evening as they cook in the microwave and you can eat them watching a movie when the popcorn runs out!)

your local library will have a load of dvds most likely, if you can’t find anyone to lend you some!

Have now googled local shops and there is a co-op 10 minutes away. We are on a limited budget though so happy to pack heavy to free up money for trips and treats.

Day 1 lunch will be a picnic en route. Will have to stop to give the dogs a comfort break so may as well make it part of the fun! Day 1 dinner will take a bag of pasta and jar of sauce. Big pack of wraps, jar of Nutella, fruit, tea and coffee is breakfast sorted for the week. After that I’m floundering 😄

Mug cake sachets are a genius idea. Will take DS to the charity shop today to see if we can pick out some dvds.

I have done self catering once before for a weekend a few years ago when I was still with my very controlling ex. I spent the whole time walking to and from the shops to keep him happy while he sat in the cottage and watched TV. Same experience when we went camping except he sat and drank whisky instead of watching TV. I was a wreck by the end of the “holiday”. This is our first holiday free of him so I’m determined to make it a good one.

We put a few basics for the first night like grapes, soup, cheese, butter, bread, bagels tea, sugar and milk in a cooler bag, then pick up what we need the next day.

Just read your last post, it sounds like you have things well in hand. Have a great time!

Contact the holiday letting company and ask what's in the kitchen? If it's a specific self catering apartment there should at least be a kettle, microwave and hob. There's plenty you can cook with that.

I usually make some batches like spaghetti Bolognese or chilli, freeze and transport then you can heat up later and just cook pasta or rice to go with it.

Take things like breakfast foods, tea and coffee, other drinks, snacks like crisps etc

The place where we stay only has little Co-op stores, so unless you want to drive 20 minutes away to get to a supermarket, it makes sense to take stuff. Plus I hate that going to the supermarket on the day you arrive with hundreds of other people who are doing the same thing, all stressed out after a long journey, much rather go a few days later, on my own

Yes but some places are quite remote. You don't want to drive 3 hours to get to your holiday home, then immediately go out and drive 20 minutes to get to the closest supermarket and 20 mins back again. (As would have been the case on our most recently holiday)

Some places have a local corner shop or coop which is far more expensive than a supermarket and not suitable for a big shop. And you end up buying a bottle of ketchup for £3, using it twice and then taking it home where you already had a half full bottle in the cupboard which you could have taken along.

Ok, facilities check: there’s an oven/grill, microwave, small hob, toaster and kettle.

We are so excited 😁

BirdWatch thanks I don’t feel like I’ve covered more than first day food though 😬

Well, yes usually. But not always. At Easter we rented a self catering property that was very far from a cheap option. Well equipped kitchen but towels not provided. I was caught out because I've never stayed anywhere where that was the case so didn't think to check. Fortunately the owner was happy to bring some but I'd have been mega pissed off if we'd had to buy towels when I have perfectly good ones at home.