Need help planning menu for week long vacation

[Anonymous]

We will be in the outer banks with another family. Regardless of individual food restrictions, can you suggest some good dishes? We will grill a few times, but will also need breakfast and lunches. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

For breakfast we have cereal/ milk available so we can get on the beach. One or 2 mornings we get Duck Donuts. For lunches we get bread, meat, cheese, condiments for sandwiches. Usually we have just come in from the beach and want something easy. We have chips and fruit too for lunch if anyone wants it. Dinners we eat out. For dinners in maybe a lasagna/stuffed shells one night? Order a steamer pot of seafood to cook stove top?

[Anonymous]

We were planning to do a steamer pot of seafood but couldn't bring ourselves to pay what they were asking ($30 a lobster!?). We grilled different things. Did mac and cheese for the kids one night. Lunch and breakfast were similar to PP.

[Anonymous]

You can do a pot with crab, shrimp, clams... You don't have to get lobster. With the corn and potatoes it is a ton of food.

[Anonymous]

Breakfasts: Most mornings cereal, milk, fresh fruit. Bagels and cream cheese with smoked salmon. We bring a mix to make pancakes a few mornings as well. Lunches: primarily sandwich makings - sandwich meat, pb&J. Personally I prefer hummus and toasted pitas or a green salad for lunch. Dinners: We grill a lot as its easy for meats, steamed veggies, fresh bread or rolls. If you have a bigger group pasta style stuff always works well (spaghetti and meatballs), we have traveled with our crockpot in the past - put the food together in the morning and its ready for dinner - just add a few sides. Rice, meat grilled, fresh veggies is a basic for us.

[Anonymous]

We had cereal, yogurt, fruit, English muffins available for breakfasts. Lunch meats, condiments, vegetables and hummus, PB&J, and cans of tuna for lunch, plus some snacks (chips + salsa, almonds, fruit). For dinners, we tried to keep it really simple - did take out steamed shrimp one night with sliced tomatoes and corn on the cob, grilled chicken or steaks with salad another night, kebobs and cous cous, pesto linguine... Keep it simple.

[Anonymous]

I think it was either this month's or last month's Food and Wine magazine that has a bunch of 3-item recipes that are fantastic. One that I make is their chicken caprese salad. Get the mozz balls in a marinade, and use 1/2 that marinade for chicken breasts. Cut the mozz balls in half and toss in a bowl with cherry tomatoes cut in half, and the other 1/2 of the marindate. Grill the chicken, and cut into bite-sized pieces, and add to the tomatoes and cheese. Toss in salt, pepper, fresh basil if you have any, and it feeds 3 easily. Add a green salad and it's a great lunch on vacation.

[Anonymous]

We usually do simple breakfasts and lunches that people can grab as then like, and then all come together for a big dinner - switching off nights for who is in charge. We stock up on lots of cereal, bagels, yogurt, fruit etc. for breakfast and sandwich fixings for lunch. Sometimes I'll make a big salad (caprese, pasta, fruit, etc) to have in the fridge for whoever wants it.

Dinners that have worked well in the past for us include: fajita night with different grilled meats and veggies, fish tacos, shrimp kabobs, grilled chicken, homemade pizzas with different toppings.

We've found that it works pretty well to buy meats and throw them in marinade before we leave for the beach. We bring them in the cooler and use them during the first half of the week. Minimizes prep and grocery shopping once we're there. Same with a big baked ziti or lasagna for our first night there.

[Anonymous]

I do the beach with 5 familes and am in charge of the food (because I like it). Here is what I have done in the past:

Breakfast:
Steel Oats in the Crockpot, turn it on before bed and everyone wakes up to a hot breakfast. AMAZING recipe here, I sub real milk and do half milk half water:
http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/crockpot-steel-cut-oats/
Bagels, Lox and cream cheese
Tons of Eggs and thick cut bacon, my crowd likes protein in the morning.

Lunches:
I do a lot of cold salads that are make ahead, and people tend to cobble together leftovers and whatever else is in the fridge. I bring LOTS of Avocado, people seem to burn through those.

Dinners:
Like the PP, meats that I've already marinated. I do make ahead burgers, freeze them and bring them in the cooler. In addition to regular sized burgers, I do sliders. I also bring veggies that last: Broccoli, carrotts, butternut squash (for roasting), and a big box of greens.