meal for first night at vacation house

[Anonymous]

We’re headed to the beach in a couple of weeks. Spouse now has to work the day of departure so we can’t start the drive until 3pm and won’t arrive at the rental until close to 9pm.

I think most restaurants will be closed by then, so I plan to pack food for dinner that night. In the past I’d have brought a frozen lasagna and bagged salad, but we’re trying to eat healthier, and I know the vacation will have plenty of other times we arent, so I’d prefer to start out on a lighter note.

I know I could pack sandwiches but that idea bores me. I dont want to stop for dinner on the drive down both bc we’ll be eager to get there and bc the roadside options will be crap.

Any ideas? Thanks for your suggestions.

[Anonymous]

Put a salmon fillet in a cooler to bring down with you. It takes about 15 minutes to cook in the oven or a skillet. Bagged salad to go with it.

Or something you can eat cold, like a pasta salad or panzanella.

[Anonymous]

charcuterie plate - pack all of the items and assemble on arrival while your family brings in the luggage. you can make it as healthy or not as you want.

[Anonymous]

Why can't you stop at a store and pick up something fast and pre-made (rotisserie chicken) or like spaghetti and meatballs + salad or the like?

Do you have kids? Just grab fast food en route. Itll break up the trip too. They would prefer that over salmon(?) as suggested upthread.

[Anonymous]

If bringing something frozen to heat up and bagged salad has worked in the past, is making something healthier frozen to heat up an option?

Lentil bolognese?

A big pot of some kind of vegetable heavy soup and sandwich fixings?

It might help if you tell us what “healthier” means to you? People define it so differently.

[Anonymous]

KFC

[Anonymous]

Cooked chicken and some chopped up items to make a bowl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cooked chicken and some chopped up items to make a bowl.

I like this idea. Pack some instant rice, a can of black beans, and chicken and fixings in a cooler. DIY Chipotle bowls!

I also am a fan of cold noodle salads- there is one my whole family loves with a peanut sauce, soba noodles, and bagged slaw mix. You can add chicken, edamame, etc for protein. It’s easy to make and will travel well in a cooler.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, just do what you’ve done in the past. It’s vacation, you’re not going to be eating healthy.

[Anonymous]

You are way overthinking this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are way overthinking this.

Also who wants to START cooking at 9m after driving a bunch to get somewhere. Just stop somewhere around a normal dinner time. It’s really not that serious.

[Anonymous]

Why wouldn’t you just stop on the way down? It won’t be ready till after 10 PM!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are way overthinking this.

Also who wants to START cooking at 9m after driving a bunch to get somewhere. Just stop somewhere around a normal dinner time. It’s really not that serious.

+1 seriously!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If bringing something frozen to heat up and bagged salad has worked in the past, is making something healthier frozen to heat up an option?

Lentil bolognese?

A big pot of some kind of vegetable heavy soup and sandwich fixings?

It might help if you tell us what “healthier” means to you? People define it so differently.

This is an odd suggestion

[Anonymous]

Sandwiches that aren’t boring. Check out the recipes on the Wegmans app for really good Italian type sandwiches on good bread. Add some olives and rosemary marcona almonds on the side.