Light grocery shopping: before or after?

[Anonymous]

We are traveling to Gatlinburg. We plan on having snack items and lunch items like chips and dips, sandwich fixings, etc, plus snack items, available in our hotel room. I’m debating how to go about shopping for things. I’m tempted to shop for everything beforehand to save time and money, but keeping it properly cool for the 8 hour drive seems like more effort than it’s worth. Then I thought I’d shop for the non-perishables (chips, breads, unopened condiments, snack items, etc) and shop for the things that need refrigerated once we get there, but that also seems annoying since we’d have to find a grocery store and hope they have what we want, and likely pay more since it’s in a touristy area. There’s a huge Buc-ee’s right when we get off the highway and DH thinks we should just grab what we need there.

How do you handle shopping in this instance?

[Anonymous]

Grab the non perishables ahead of time. Even if the store has them, you aren't familiar with where they are located in the store and it will get annoying looking for everything. You can limit the searching. Plus in the event of an emergency on the drive you have a reserve.

[Anonymous]

Buc-ee’s is a destination, for sure, but it’s not a grocery store. You can get snacks and premade sandwiches.

[Anonymous]

Get what you want when you get there.

[Anonymous]

Won't things be less expensive once you get there?

[Anonymous]

I'd shop at home, unless there's something specific you want from Buccee's. Any decent cooler will keep food chilled for 8 hours. I have a small AO soft side cooler that will stay chilled for a couple of days, and my solid Yeti will keep ice frozen solid for a day or two and chilled for more. I put in blue ice packs and then some ice cubes. It also helps if you pre-chill the cooler and then replace any ice that's melted before you put in the food. I once put some frozen fish in a Yeti with ice when we left the beach and when I got home a day and a half later it was all frozen into one big ice block. But even my 40 year old Igloo cooler will do the job for 8 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd shop at home, unless there's something specific you want from Buccee's. Any decent cooler will keep food chilled for 8 hours. I have a small AO soft side cooler that will stay chilled for a couple of days, and my solid Yeti will keep ice frozen solid for a day or two and chilled for more. I put in blue ice packs and then some ice cubes. It also helps if you pre-chill the cooler and then replace any ice that's melted before you put in the food. I once put some frozen fish in a Yeti with ice when we left the beach and when I got home a day and a half later it was all frozen into one big ice block. But even my 40 year old Igloo cooler will do the job for 8 hours.

This sounds like so much work.

As does traveling with OP…

Just do whatever is easiest at the time. Don’t overthink it.

It’s vacation!

[Anonymous]

Just use instacart once you’re there. Don’t overthink it and don’t use vacation time on grocery shopping

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd shop at home, unless there's something specific you want from Buccee's. Any decent cooler will keep food chilled for 8 hours. I have a small AO soft side cooler that will stay chilled for a couple of days, and my solid Yeti will keep ice frozen solid for a day or two and chilled for more. I put in blue ice packs and then some ice cubes. It also helps if you pre-chill the cooler and then replace any ice that's melted before you put in the food. I once put some frozen fish in a Yeti with ice when we left the beach and when I got home a day and a half later it was all frozen into one big ice block. But even my 40 year old Igloo cooler will do the job for 8 hours.

This.

[Anonymous]

How specific are the items you need? If I was buying sandwich stuff, I'd prefer a type of bread but if they didn't have it I'd settle for any number of other options, for example. It's a few days, who cares? Do you have a certain grocery store you prefer? See if they have one there.

But if you have very particular eaters, allergy concerns, etc...I'd consider shopping here.

Unless you've been to Buc-ees before, I would NOT plan to shop there. It's huge but isn't a standard grocery store by any means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd shop at home, unless there's something specific you want from Buccee's. Any decent cooler will keep food chilled for 8 hours. I have a small AO soft side cooler that will stay chilled for a couple of days, and my solid Yeti will keep ice frozen solid for a day or two and chilled for more. I put in blue ice packs and then some ice cubes. It also helps if you pre-chill the cooler and then replace any ice that's melted before you put in the food. I once put some frozen fish in a Yeti with ice when we left the beach and when I got home a day and a half later it was all frozen into one big ice block. But even my 40 year old Igloo cooler will do the job for 8 hours.

This sounds like so much work.

As does traveling with OP…

Just do whatever is easiest at the time. Don’t overthink it.

It’s vacation!

Putting ice and food in a cooler "sounds like so much work?"

I'd rather get to my vacation and have everything I need and be able to relax vs. fighting the turnover day crowds to buy duplicates of the stuff I already have at home at the overpriced resort grocery store. But you do you.

[Anonymous]

Before. 100%.

[Anonymous]

Before. Do a Walmart pickup order. (Or if they have instacart connected grocery stores near your stop).

[Anonymous]

Curbside pickup at Target when you get there. No additional cost and put the order in a few hours before you arrive.

[Anonymous]

Pack from home has my vote. I am very particular about the quality of my food though