Self catering tips?

[snoringnights]

Going self catering for the first time next week, going to canaries, 2 DC. Looking for any tips anyone can recommend?

if there is a washing machine then washing sheets - completely flat so take up no space and things dry super quick in the heat so means you can take less clothes

Make it as easy for yourself as you can. Eat out once a day if your budget allows. We normally get a taxi or bus to a large supermarket the first day so we can get things like bottled water, pop, milk (you’ll find it’s mainly UHT) and any alcohol plus tins and then get a taxi back. We normally get in cereal, fruit, croissants etc for breakfast, eat our main meal out at lunch time and then have more of a snack type tea, bread, cheese, cold meats, tortilla, salad, crisps etc, or at the most I’ll cook pasta with a basic sauce. I always take tea bags with me, plus some noodle type snacks in case of a late arrival (plus they’re cheap and easy).

I take tea bags, laundry sheets, some dishwasher tablets with me. Then some tubberware containers, I normally fill them on the way out with snacks for the flight.

A pocket knife in the hold luggage.

Otherwise we do it similar to @Shinyhappyapple

We do similar to @Shinyhappyapple although I'm a bit late to the party with getting a taxi to a proper supermarket. We managed for the best part of a week in Gran Canaria with a crappy overpriced Dino before I realised we should have got a taxi to the Mercadona 2 miles away to do a big stock up of the heavy stuff, so definitely plan a visit to a Mercadona, Eroski, Lidl or Aldi for best selection and lowest prices.

I'd add ready made pizza, bagged salad and cherry tomatoes plus marinated meat to the list, you can always stick it in the oven if there's no BBQ. You can also get sun cream and any toiletries if needed as normal/cheap instead of massively expensive in convenience stores.

I always like to go for a wander on the first day, to the tourist information centre if there is one, to see if there's any excursions or other attractions to do a couple of organised days out. Also find the bus stop if planning to use the local buses. Information online for Spanish public transport is hopeless unless you use the company's app or possibly website, Google maps will just show you nonsense.

We haven't hired a car since before COVID but Auto Riesen used to be the local company you could trust to not rip you off.

Where are you going?

Ha ha, great minds. But if you're near a Mercadona, I wouldn't take tupperware, but I would go and look at theirs.

I've bought loads of reusable yogurt pots and 'small salad or half tin of beans' sizes from there.

Do a big supermarket shop on the first day - get lots of drinks to stock up the fridge then everyone can help themselves. If there’s a deli section check for nice fresh ready meals so you can have a couple of easy dinners. I buy cheese, charcuterie, fruit and salad so I only need to pick up fresh bread and lunch is sorted. And definitely eat out a few times so you get a rest. I take teabags, dishwasher tablets and laundry sheets with me.