Is it possible to NOT eat out every night?

[RebeccaCloud9]

Thinking of a Premier Inn holiday this year (easy and available unlike most decent holiday cottage etc options). Has anyone done this without eating out for every evening meal? Any good tips?

We won't have any cooking facilities beyond a kettle. I know we could eat out (and will most of the time), but looking for ways to a) keep costs down, and b) a plan for if the kids are knackered after days out and won't particularly enjoy being at a restaurant.

@Ducksurprise

Love a premier inn, not my idea of hell at all.

Buy a little gas hob, about £20 and then you can heat porridge, soup, beans, ravioli, hot dogs.

That's a terrible idea! Someone during my last hotel stay had the same idea and it tripped the fire alarms so we all got turfed out while the fire brigade checked it out. Was glad I had my car keys so I had somewhere to sit!

@stroopwaffle5000 Thanks for the intel. I'd better get on with doing a few more bookings before the price goes up

@Morgan12 some good options still out there, possibly half a week Devon then half a week Cornwall if we can face the driving. Some places round there are still less than £700 for a week. Search the PI website for a county then look on map view. Some are a bit further out from where you would spend the day, but I don't mind a half hour drive to a beach for the day.

Literally spent hours looking on air bnb and the like but nothing that is nicer than a PI room left available in summer hols for a similar price.

We did similar last year in Kent. Not as good as a brilliant holiday cottage with all the facilities, but probs a third of the price.

Last year we maximised eat out to help out which massively helped with cost but there were several days where we felt like we couldn't face another meal out!

How about buying a disposable bbq and doing sausages or burgers in the park one night with some nice rolls, cheese slices, ketchup and salads.

My husband suggested a travel hob but I can just imagine setting off the smoke alarms or the smell being too strong, hadn't even thought of the electrics! Nightmare.

We take an electric chilli bin/cooler that we can keep chilled food in. We regularly do this. Tinned hotdogs, 2 min noodles or packets of pasta that just need boiling water. Sandwiches and cereal are our go to when the kids are shattered and just need to crash or nibbles, cocktail sausages, chicken on a stick etc.. . If you have a toastie maker you could always take that. Before we got the electric chilli bin we just used a normal chill bag and ice packs. In the past premier inns would happily freeze the packs for us and we would just rotate them, we’d also freeze a big bottle of water as they would last ages in the chill bag. Not sure they will freeze the packs at the moment though.

Don’t forget plates, bowls and cutlery. I usually take the kids plastic ones. I also take a washing up bowl to clean up and keep everything tidy. We always stay in the same hotels on certain trips, we usually book them so they are close to a supermarket so we can pick up little bits easily. If your close to a decent supermarket you may be able to pick up a cooked chicken or other hot food to take back to the room.

Bbq is an amazing idea!

I'm gobsmacked at the cooking appliances people take into a hotel room. Isn't it dangerous? And washing up in that teeny sink I suppose you could shower with it all

@VenetoResident

What about taking a slow cooker?

If you took some meals made in advance at home they'd take a couple of days to defrost.

Then you could put it on before you went out and come back to a cooked meal?

Would you be allowed to do this?!!

"Just as an FYI, my OH is a manager for Premier Inn and some of their rooms are going for £200 per night in the summer. The more demand, the more their prices go up so they might not be a cheap as you think, depending on what area you go to. I was shocked! I always thought PI was budget!"

It is, he's having himself on. I've just checked for weekend stays in august at London, Brighton, Oban, York, Harrogate, Leeds, Fort William....none are even close to £200 a night.

@tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz

I'm gobsmacked at the cooking appliances people take into a hotel room. Isn't it dangerous? And washing up in that teeny sink I suppose you could shower with it all

No. And no, not hard to wash up.

I know this sounds silly however here goes...if you have a small microwave (or can borrow one) take it with you. Sorted :)

Would save you lots of money.

And don't take a slow cooker haha.

Bbq in the park is a good idea, just grab burgers, buns and cheese slices from the nearest Tesco express. If you slice and onion and wrap it in tin foil you can just throw that on the bbq too and you'll have fried onions.

You can take extra sachets of ketchup from breakfast

Yes I often do this on solo trips- I have my hot brunch/ lunch out then get a selection of stuff from the supermarket/ M and S . I buy a big bag of crisps and keep it for a few nights and normally buy a roll and some ham or carrot and hummus - that sort of thing
I call it a bed picnic!

I have in the past had a hotel room Capet picnic consisting of supermarket hot rotisserie chicken, crusty bread , nice cheese and a ready to eat side salad all from Tesco. Was yummy and kept cost down!

Unless it's included in price, we never have hotel breakfast ... always buy supermarket croissants/pan au chocolate to have in morning then have lunch out and about.

There was a chap during one of the lockdowns who regularly has long stays in hotels did lots of videos of how to cook meals using only what's in a hotel room including a steak dinner 🤣

I think He used the trouser press for the steak 😲

www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/glasgow-tiktok-star-jimmy-stewart-19033384

Wow 🤩

We have a plug in cool box, which plugs into the car and plugs into a wall socket. It keeps everything consistently really cool, it’s like a small fridge. It is great for us as DS2 has a restricted diet, so we can take his foods with us when we travel overseas. But this could work well for you too, not just on this trip, but you’d have it for future journeys and holidays.

A bit pricey but these are great

anevaystoves.com/collections/outdoor-wood-burning-stoves/products/the-horizon-stove

Easier than a bbq to deal with and great for kids to forage for driftwood!

Tesco £3 sandwich or pasta meal deal, includes crisps or choc and a soft drink.

I usually pick up a mini bottle of wine while there too.

LOL @ivfgottwins great link

It doesn’t sound safe taking in cooking stuff.

@SwimBaby

It doesn’t sound safe taking in cooking stuff.

Then don't do it. Of course it's safe, you're not using a gas camp stove or portable BBQ in the room.