Non perishable meal ideas

[NotTheBatesMotel]

Hi all,

We just purchased AP’s and when we have AP years, I like to be as frugal as possible to squeeze in as many trips as possible.

One of our biggest expenses on trips is food. We also tend to spend more time at our resort than most to give a family member a break from the sensory overload of the parks.

That being said-I need some non perishable meal ideas for the room! Bonus points if they’re healthy-ish. Probably only breakfast and lunch ideas because we’ll grab quick service for dinner. I’ll also gladly take any tips for saving on meals at the parks.

 

[RoseGold]

I have a cooler bag and some ice in the room in the tub, it's softside. I make wraps with sandwich fillings, hummus, whatever is appealing. I bring them in Ziplocs with ice that I throw away, or in a small cooler bag if I have a stroller. You can't bring loose ice in the parks. I find a cool wrap is better to eat at the park than a warm PB&J.

We really like the packaged egg bites and find those are fine kind of cold and easy to eat fast on the way out the door.

 

[tvguy]

Not sure how healthy they are but Hormel Compleats need no refrigeration, just pop them in the microwave. They have everything from scrambled egg breakfasts. to full dinners.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hormel-Compleats-Good-Mornings-Breakfast-Scramble-7-5-Oz/753838960

https://www.hormel.com/Brands/Compl...V-_9GD-ayRrkJluuZCA9XmOsNdiO4pO8aApMBEALw_wcB

 

[Lilsia]

Hi all,

We just purchased AP’s and when we have AP years, I like to be as frugal as possible to squeeze in as many trips as possible.

One of our biggest expenses on trips is food. We also tend to spend more time at our resort than most to give a family member a break from the sensory overload of the parks.

That being said-I need some non perishable meal ideas for the room! Bonus points if they’re healthy-ish. Probably only breakfast and lunch ideas because we’ll grab quick service for dinner. I’ll also gladly take any tips for saving on meals at the parks.

I was there last year when the hurricane hit. I went to the store before hand and got lunch meat and sandwich stuff. I put a bag of ice in the little fridge with the food and it kept the items plenty cold enough.

 

[fla4fun]

For the parks, I like to take some fruit like grapes or an orange, some cheese, and some crackers (usually a wheat cracker like Triscuits). Nuts can be a good addition, if you get the lightly salted or unsalted ones. As another poster mentioned, you can use ice to keep things cool so long as it is in a ziploc bag. They make small coolers that hold six cans of soda, and I find those to be a good size to carry in the park, especially if you get one with a crossbody strap.

For breakfast or lunch in the room, you can have cereal bars or boxed cereal, fruit, muffins, peanut butter, lunchmeat and cheese, bread, even instant soups or pasta that only require hot water. There are plenty of options to keep you from being hungry. For years, we traveled with a standard cooler and used ice to keep things cool, then we upgraded to a plug in cooler with no ice that works similar to the beverage coolers in the Disney hotel rooms. If you are flying, a collapsible soft side cooler can work, but keep it in the tub as much as possible if you choose to use loose ice. If you fill larger ziploc bags with ice, you won’t have to worry so much about the soft side cooler leaking.

Oh, and be sure to bring lots of ziploc bags! Florida is humid and we have bugs, both good reasons to keep any crackers, chips, breads, etc. in sealed containers. Ziploc bags work perfect for this. Roll down the top of a chip bag and put it in a large ziploc bag. Slip that loaf of bread in a ziploc bag. Cookies? Ziploc bag. Opened box of cereal? Ziploc bag. We set aside a few bags we reuse for holding products within original packaging that can’t be resealed, and use clean bags for anything that has to be put in the ziploc without any of the original packaging. We do not rely on bag clips to keep the humidity and bugs out.

 

[mommajo143]

we do breakfast in the room alot...my kids love carnation breakfast so they are a go to for us - they can be stored room temp and put in fridge or poured over ice. DS16 prefers protein version, DS12 likes the lite start version. DH likes grits so we "boil" water in the in room coffee maker (oatmeal would be an option if that works for your family too). I have diabetes so I routinely carry food with me even at home and i do alot of home made lunchables for myself and my kids - nuts, cheese, meat sticks / jerky, crackers. there are lots of options for homemade lunchables, google "lunch box ideas"... if you are returning for mid day breaks then there are a world of (cool) options you can eat int eh room for lunch...i am thinking noodle bowls, salads, rotisserie chicken, wraps, etc etc etc...

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

For non perishable tuna kits , Mac and cheese you can microwave, fruit, nuts

For healthier items yogurt , bag of fresh broccoli that you microwave for 4 minutes at the food court. Sweet potatoes that you microwave.

I do Instacart of Publix deli sandwiches ( you can choose healthy options ) hard cooked eggs , salads, chicken, cut fruit bowls , pasta salad.

Use Instacart and door dash. You’ll save a lot of money on food.

 

[mdurette]

I'm going to assume you at least have a mini fridge. A box of crackers can go a long way. Pair with peanut butter, cheese slices, pepperoni, hummas, etc makes for decent snacks! Fruit is easy. If you are driving, bring a cooler with some stuff from home and keep it all iced.

 

[TwoMisfits]

What will you have access to - mini fridge, microwave?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

The Starkist tuna packets such as lemon pepper eaten on bread or crackers. Marchan Yalisoba beef teriyaki noodles. You just need water, microwave and a fork.

 

[snowwite]

For the parks, I like to take some fruit like grapes or an orange, some cheese, and some crackers (usually a wheat cracker like Triscuits). Nuts can be a good addition, if you get the lightly salted or unsalted ones. As another poster mentioned, you can use ice to keep things cool so long as it is in a ziploc bag. They make small coolers that hold six cans of soda, and I find those to be a good size to carry in the park, especially if you get one with a crossbody strap.

For breakfast or lunch in the room, you can have cereal bars or boxed cereal, fruit, muffins, peanut butter, lunchmeat and cheese, bread, even instant soups or pasta that only require hot water. There are plenty of options to keep you from being hungry. For years, we traveled with a standard cooler and used ice to keep things cool, then we upgraded to a plug in cooler with no ice that works similar to the beverage coolers in the Disney hotel rooms. If you are flying, a collapsible soft side cooler can work, but keep it in the tub as much as possible if you choose to use loose ice. If you fill larger ziploc bags with ice, you won’t have to worry so much about the soft side cooler leaking.

Oh, and be sure to bring lots of ziploc bags! Florida is humid and we have bugs, both good reasons to keep any crackers, chips, breads, etc. in sealed containers. Ziploc bags work perfect for this. Roll down the top of a chip bag and put it in a large ziploc bag. Slip that loaf of bread in a ziploc bag. Cookies? Ziploc bag. Opened box of cereal? Ziploc bag. We set aside a few bags we reuse for holding products within original packaging that can’t be resealed, and use clean bags for anything that has to be put in the ziploc without any of the original packaging. We do not rely on bag clips to keep the humidity and bugs out.

I used to pack the kids outfits for each day in large ziplock bag and then use them for food and wet bathing suits on check out day. I always have a small one in my purse in case it rains and I need to store my phone. You can do a lot with duck tape, wd 40 and zip locks

 

[snowwite]

For non perishable tuna kits , Mac and cheese you can microwave, fruit, nuts

For healthier items yogurt , bag of fresh broccoli that you microwave for 4 minutes at the food court. Sweet potatoes that you microwave.

I do Instacart of Publix deli sandwiches ( you can choose healthy options ) hard cooked eggs , salads, chicken, cut fruit bowls , pasta salad.

Use Instacart and door dash. You’ll save a lot of money on food.

Publix is awesome.

 

[HeatherC]

if you have cooler or fridge, a rotisserie chicken is great. You can actually get it all cut up in a deli container so no work and takes less space. Serve it with a bagged salad or make wraps with tortillas. We also so,e times have it for dinner with the premade mashed potatoes you can just microwave.

PB and J
Apples and peanut butter with some nuts
Hot dogs you can cook with microwave in room or food court.