Feeding a group on holiday

[SummerStressing]

We’re off on holiday with friends in a few weeks. 8 adults and many children! We will do a children’s tea earlier and then take turns to do dinner for adults.
Has anyone got any delicious, quick recipes that jump to mind? I feel like I’ve drawn a total blank!! No idea on weather which I feel affects the food vibe so much!

This is a very easy lamb tagine ,
Brown the cubes of lamb then add
Add a jar of tagine paste ( I've used the Belarzu or tesco brand)
1 jar of chickpeas
1- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes ( or as much as I fit in the tagine without spilling to keep it moist.... I sometimes add the extra tin about 1 hr into cooking )
1 bag of soft apricots
Cook for around 2 hrs 30 mins at 150
Serve with couscous

It's really simple to make & tastes great

Big salads with cooked chicken and bacon on: Roast a couple of chickens. Cook a tray of streaky bacon in oven. Shred a couple of lettuces, grate carrots, chop tomatoes and cucumber. chop avocados. Open a couple of tins of sweetcorn. Couple of bottles of Caesar dressing. Cheese for those who wish it. With some garlic bread or focaccia.

All good ideas

Best idea; get a few days in where the men cook, worry about meal planning and shopping, whilst the women kick back with a beer (as, you know, they are on holiday)

I’d do a simple pasta night. Linguine with chilli, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley and fresh crab. Ideal if you happen to be near the sea!
Serve with garlic bread and green salad. Could do a simple tomato sauce with bacon if kids would prefer.

tray bakes are great as pp have said

they feed people easily

make 2 of these www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/healthy/spanish-chicken-traybake/

the potato are already in the dishes - so service with a big salad and sour dough bread

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lemonpossetwithlemon_85812 don't bother making the biscuits - just get some from Aldi

Chilli is the obvious choice and for that reason I wouldn't do it as we had it every youth hosteling/camping break with a big group.

I'd take a slow cooker and do pulled pork rolls with coleslaw, salad and sweet potato fries if they have a freezer (or you could make wedges).

Or lamb tagine with couscous - tagine in slow cooker and then couscous very quick to make.

I was also going to suggest tray bakes as PPs have mentioned.
These look tasty and easy:

chicken and tomato
Chinese chicken
sausage and white bean
enchiladas
chicken, bean and leek

Actually there are tons more on the Good Food site, so will leave you to search!

Will you all compare what you are taking
so you don't end up eating chilli and curry all week?

Definitely take a decent knife and chopping board - we've often had glass chopping boards in self catering for understandable reasons but I can't bear them!

Not sure this is the answer you want to hear but I'd also be making sure the men of each household are also doing their fair share of planning and cooking all meals too! It's everyone's holiday not just the men's.

My suggestions would be keep it simple, pizzas in the oven and hotdogs on the hob! Big bowl of salad and corn cobs - that's everyone fed.

Tray bakes are so simple.

Chicken thighs with skin on, quartered red onions, peeled carrots in chunks, baby new potatoes, Toss them all in a splash of olive oil and garlic paste with a heap of fresh chopped thyme or rosemary, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Pour a glass of white wine over it and roast in oven for 40 mins.

Or chicken pieces with chunks of mixed peppers, baby tomatoes, olives and aubergine, tossed in garlic and mediterranean herbs, served with crusty bread and salad

Or chorizo and butternut squash with red onions, chickpeas and red peppers, tossed in oil with cumin seeds or powder, smoky paprika, garlic and lemon zest.

Or good Cumberland sausages with thickly sliced sweet or white potatoes, maybe some sliced fennel if people like it, and some fresh thyme, with a splash of cider. Serve with petit pois which just need bringing to the boil then turn off the heat.

Industrial quantities of slow cooked spag bol or chilli made in advance will transport well.

I used lots of Aldi Thai green curry kits (and blocks of tofu or bags of frozen vegan “chicken” pieces, bags of prepped stir fry veg) while cooking in holiday cottages. Another cheat was warming up tins of Heinz Mexican Beanz Creationz (there may be a supermarket brand version now) and serving it with freshly cooked rice.

Another hack was cooking raw macaroni pasta in tinned evaporated milk (Asda) in a shallow saucepan then adding grated cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to taste to make cheesy macaroni.

@mum2jakie

Not sure this is the answer you want to hear but I'd also be making sure the men of each household are also doing their fair share of planning and cooking all meals too! It's everyone's holiday not just the men's.

My suggestions would be keep it simple, pizzas in the oven and hotdogs on the hob! Big bowl of salad and corn cobs - that's everyone fed.

I second this. I gave my husband jobs at the supermarket, during meal prep and cooking. My kids set the table, cleared table, husband washed dishes, I cleaned kitchen at end.

Some days, my husband would choose and prepare a simpler lunch/ dinner, eg: frozen pizzas with extra cheese and toppings, frozen breaded/ battered fish and frozen oven chips, readymade quiche/ cheese pasties with steamed veg or simple salad.

I've got a couple of curry recipes I like doing which I make ahead and then just need to reheat on the first night of the hols! I use less of the spice for the Lentil Daal to make it child friendly!

www.spicepots.com/blogs/recipes/lentil-daal

And for the Goan Fish Curry - I make the sauce in advance and then add the Fish as I'm cooking as it doesn't take long (and won't crumble when reheated!)

www.spicepots.com/blogs/recipes/goan-fish-curry

I made this salmon recipe recently for 14 and it went down very well. Rather than individual fillets I just bought some larger sides of salmon.

www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a26103199/greek-salmon-recipe/

Would definitely recommend.

A lot of cottages are being very precious about the basic things you usually find in the cupboard of holiday lets, so I would find room for salt,a black pepper grinder , a bottle of cooking oil, a bottle of olive oil, a small jar of chilli flakes, a bottle of ketchup, a bottle of brown sauce. Better still make a list and spread it between the families.