Bringing food to TCI
Aug 3rd, 2011, 05:09 PM
#1
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Bringing food to TCI
Hi all, we are staying at Villa Paprika in Nov. Part of our group feels we have a great home with a kitchen and view, so why not cook most meals at home. There is some consideration of bringing some frozen staples like meat, pasta and sauces in a cooler. Part if the group thinks that is a huge hassle and we should buy provisions at the grocery store in TCI. Any thoughts on this appreciated. Planning on dinner out at some of the great looking restaurants on the island 2 or 3 nights.
Aug 3rd, 2011, 05:53 PM
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this question normally prompts a serious disagreement among fodorites re the huge hassle vs. buy it all on island.
we rent villas whereever we go & have always taken a full sized cooler. we don't like to have to get into dinner out clothes more than once or twice a week. we plan our meals in detail. we take steaks, lamb racks, shrimp (precooked for cocktail & some raw for scampi, lobster meat, burger, juice cans for cocktails, butter. all those can be purchased on provo - more expensive & as we normally buy beef from a butcher we prefer the quality we count on. we also make & freeze some appetizers - well & some choc chip cookie dough. the later 2 could be done on island but require many ingrediants & time that could be spent snorkeling. we still need to shop - dairy, breads, fruits & vegeys, cases of water bottles, condiments, o&v, etc. take spices - very pricey & then you only use a little bit.
if you take a cooler all meats need their FDA label visible. make a list of contents for customs on provo. you will not need frozen packs - assuming you've frozen everything solid it will stay that way in a good cooler. i use an igloo with wheels & pull out handle. tsa will want to look inside & run the bomb checking wand around it so take a roll of duct tape to the airport with you to seal it when they're done - actually they do the taping. you may not take anything fresh. we seal-a-meal virtually everything.
pasta is fine. you can put dry food in your luggage. i'm not sure i'd try to take anything in glass - like sauces, but if you can seal-a-meal the sauce w/out the jar that would work well.
the cooler is perfect for souvenirs & wet bathing suits on the way home.
hope this helps 8-)
we rent villas whereever we go & have always taken a full sized cooler. we don't like to have to get into dinner out clothes more than once or twice a week. we plan our meals in detail. we take steaks, lamb racks, shrimp (precooked for cocktail & some raw for scampi, lobster meat, burger, juice cans for cocktails, butter. all those can be purchased on provo - more expensive & as we normally buy beef from a butcher we prefer the quality we count on. we also make & freeze some appetizers - well & some choc chip cookie dough. the later 2 could be done on island but require many ingrediants & time that could be spent snorkeling. we still need to shop - dairy, breads, fruits & vegeys, cases of water bottles, condiments, o&v, etc. take spices - very pricey & then you only use a little bit.
if you take a cooler all meats need their FDA label visible. make a list of contents for customs on provo. you will not need frozen packs - assuming you've frozen everything solid it will stay that way in a good cooler. i use an igloo with wheels & pull out handle. tsa will want to look inside & run the bomb checking wand around it so take a roll of duct tape to the airport with you to seal it when they're done - actually they do the taping. you may not take anything fresh. we seal-a-meal virtually everything.
pasta is fine. you can put dry food in your luggage. i'm not sure i'd try to take anything in glass - like sauces, but if you can seal-a-meal the sauce w/out the jar that would work well.
the cooler is perfect for souvenirs & wet bathing suits on the way home.
hope this helps 8-)
Aug 4th, 2011, 04:41 AM
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I'm on the other side of the issue. You only going for a week, why drag along a cooler filled with foods, especially in these times when some airlines charge extra for checking luggage. You can get good quality steaks, chicken and other meat plus all the staples (including pasta) at the IGA Supermarket. Yes, food might cost more but when you factor in the fact it's only a week's worth of food the difference is not very much. Assume a family has an average weekly food bill (back home) of say $350, assume to that food costs in the T&C are 15% higher than back home - that means you'll be paying about $52 more for those groceries. Ask yourself is it worth the hassle? Probably not if you have to pay the airline $50 to check the cooler. Even if you don't pay excess baggage fee spending $50 more for groceries during a vacation that costs $1,000's is a drop in the bucket.
Your choice, of course.
Your choice, of course.
Aug 4th, 2011, 02:44 PM
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when you fly internationally you normally get 2 pieces checked luggage for free. well i haven't gone in a year so maybe they've changed that too...
your weekly food bill at home does in no way reflect "real" cost on island. at home you don't need to buy flour, sugar, vinegar, mayo, 3 kinds of salad dressing, etc, etc every week. nor do you throw it away if it's not all used.
if you wanted to make the cookies on island you'd need flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda & powder, choc chips, butter, walnuts & vanilla. the vanilla alone will cost $8.00 and you need a tsp.
and life - when we go out to eat i'm thrilled to try new/local foods but i am not interested in testing recipes on vacation. i cook professionally and do plenty of that. we buy or occasionally catch fresh fish. not to mention that NO beef, lamb, chicken or pork is produced anywhere in t&c. it's ALL imported.
roams & life, when you stay in villas do you really buy all on island????
your weekly food bill at home does in no way reflect "real" cost on island. at home you don't need to buy flour, sugar, vinegar, mayo, 3 kinds of salad dressing, etc, etc every week. nor do you throw it away if it's not all used.
if you wanted to make the cookies on island you'd need flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda & powder, choc chips, butter, walnuts & vanilla. the vanilla alone will cost $8.00 and you need a tsp.
and life - when we go out to eat i'm thrilled to try new/local foods but i am not interested in testing recipes on vacation. i cook professionally and do plenty of that. we buy or occasionally catch fresh fish. not to mention that NO beef, lamb, chicken or pork is produced anywhere in t&c. it's ALL imported.
roams & life, when you stay in villas do you really buy all on island????
Aug 4th, 2011, 02:46 PM
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I agree with the "that's such a hassle" crowd. Air travel is such a hassel these days without the added aggravation of carting around a cooler.
Buy the groceries on the island. You'll find things you've maybe never had before and experience new things.
Peace, Greenie
Buy the groceries on the island. You'll find things you've maybe never had before and experience new things.
Peace, Greenie
Aug 4th, 2011, 04:24 PM
#7
I won't get into the philosophical discussion, but most places you are not allowed to bring fresh meats thru customs. Whichever you choose do check to make sure your "groceries" will be allowed to enter the country with you!
Personally -even if you do this- I'd consider packing things like spices, pasta, etc. but not meat or sauces, and definitely not hauling along an entire cooler.
Personally -even if you do this- I'd consider packing things like spices, pasta, etc. but not meat or sauces, and definitely not hauling along an entire cooler.
Aug 4th, 2011, 04:55 PM
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suze you are correct. all meat must be frozen & as i mentioned have their USDA label. all the british & american islands allow coolers. mex does not & i've not been on any french or dutch islands yet, so don't know about those. no one allows fresh fruits or vegeys due to potential of bugs or plant diseases not in that country being imported.
Aug 5th, 2011, 07:00 AM
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I fall on the side of the fence along with RoamsAround. Why bother ... unless it's something very specific that you aren't sure you can find in the destination?
No U.S. airline allows 2 free bags to international destinations anymore (except perhaps the DR or Trinidad). You get one checked bag and will have to pay extra for the cooler if you check it.
So you'll pay at least $25 to check the cooler (more if you have already checked one bag), and if you aren't eating all meals out, you probably won't spend very much more than $25 extra and will have to shop for some things anyway.
What I would bring are those things that you don't want to buy in bulk since you have them at home already: a salt and spice shaker, a particular brand of cereal for kids, a pound of coffee (unless you prefer a brand like Folger's), and maybe a couple of other items to make your kids happy (all checked in your regular luggage).
However, I might actually consider taking a very small cooler that can be carried onto the plane; that's one time when it would be worthwhile. You could put in a few steaks and some other meat and save since you don't have to check it.
No U.S. airline allows 2 free bags to international destinations anymore (except perhaps the DR or Trinidad). You get one checked bag and will have to pay extra for the cooler if you check it.
So you'll pay at least $25 to check the cooler (more if you have already checked one bag), and if you aren't eating all meals out, you probably won't spend very much more than $25 extra and will have to shop for some things anyway.
What I would bring are those things that you don't want to buy in bulk since you have them at home already: a salt and spice shaker, a particular brand of cereal for kids, a pound of coffee (unless you prefer a brand like Folger's), and maybe a couple of other items to make your kids happy (all checked in your regular luggage).
However, I might actually consider taking a very small cooler that can be carried onto the plane; that's one time when it would be worthwhile. You could put in a few steaks and some other meat and save since you don't have to check it.
Aug 5th, 2011, 07:59 AM
#10
I could understand doing this if someone has specialized food needs or you were going somewhere without a grocery store.
I think part of the fun with a group of people and a kitchen would be going shopping and cooking with all things local. I really like eating *different* foods from home when I'm away, so would have no interest in importing my own sauce or meat or whatever.
that said, a small cooler is not a bad idea because you could put it to use at the beach during the trip.
I think part of the fun with a group of people and a kitchen would be going shopping and cooking with all things local. I really like eating *different* foods from home when I'm away, so would have no interest in importing my own sauce or meat or whatever.
that said, a small cooler is not a bad idea because you could put it to use at the beach during the trip.
Aug 8th, 2011, 12:33 PM
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We had a great kitchen, too at West Bay Club but all we did was mix fabulous drinks with coconut rum!! Breakfast was included with room rate, and lunch (unless you have kids) was not important. We had conch and more conch...there was a fairly OK IGA for staples, I agree with others- why haul it from home?
Aug 10th, 2011, 04:00 AM
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it's to bad all these people who don't do villa vacations have such strong opinions. it's no more difficult than taking a suitcase.
oh well i've started planning what to take for my oct vaca in bahamas
we have some delicious meals planned.
ocdm - the grocery is easy to find. drive back up the hill -that brings you down from main road(leeward highway) on way from airport to paprika/turtle cove marina. turn left (away from airport) and keep going until you see the big Graceway IGA grocery sign on your right, 10 mins?. there is a small bookstore in this mall in case anyone needs something to read.
there is a small liqour store in the marina, iga has good sized liquour section too.
you might want to get lg & sandwich size boxes of ziplock baggies. EVERYthing stales quickly. we buy cases of water bottles - freeze some nightly to take onto the beach. it is sometimes possible to buy fresh caught fish at a place in the five cays settlement. ask locals for best day/time to go.
have a great time & enjoy paprika!
oh well i've started planning what to take for my oct vaca in bahamas
we have some delicious meals planned.ocdm - the grocery is easy to find. drive back up the hill -that brings you down from main road(leeward highway) on way from airport to paprika/turtle cove marina. turn left (away from airport) and keep going until you see the big Graceway IGA grocery sign on your right, 10 mins?. there is a small bookstore in this mall in case anyone needs something to read.
there is a small liqour store in the marina, iga has good sized liquour section too.
you might want to get lg & sandwich size boxes of ziplock baggies. EVERYthing stales quickly. we buy cases of water bottles - freeze some nightly to take onto the beach. it is sometimes possible to buy fresh caught fish at a place in the five cays settlement. ask locals for best day/time to go.
have a great time & enjoy paprika!
