Cooking in Extended Stay Hotel Suites
 

Every year we make a trip to the upper Gulf Coast of Texas for birdwatching. My husband actually drives down and stays longer, I fly down for a week.

The trip is all about birdwatching and my husband doesn't want to miss a minute so we are up at dawn and out until dark. Lunch is no problem, we either have veggies etc in a cooler, or sometimes I take off and drive to a diner for a meal.

But, breakfast and dinner are a challenge because he wants to get going, and at dinner we are tired, smell like Deet and sunblock, and just want to shower and sleep and have a fast meal.

Last year we stayed at a place with a kitchenette, and this year we will be in a spanking new Candlewood Suites with Full size fridge and freezer, stovetop, and microwave (no oven though).

I'm sending condiments down in the truck with my husband, but just working on a shopping list for when I arrive for the breakfasts and dinners.

So, what the heck, I thought let's ask my fellow Fodorites for ideas! One caveat...we are low-carbing it right now for my husband to get off winter weight and me a lot more, so things like pasta are out :(

I've been online and located the nearest grocery store near the hotel so I don't have to search it out when I get there. I have some easy recipes like boneless chicken breasts, with white beans and artichokes that I can make on the stovetop, figure we'll have some salads for dinner. Eggs for breakfast.

Anyone have any grand ideas to share for what they do when staying in a place with a kitchenette for fast, healthy meals?

Many of the similar hotels I've stayed at have outdoor grills (shared) for guest use. They would be handy for cooking chicken, burgers or steaks without the mess (and smell) in your hotel room.

I mostly use the kitchenette for snacks, sandwich fixins, drinks, and breakfasts. Sometimes I'll cook a dish of pasta (high carb), or just use the counter for take-out sushi or Chinese food.

If you have a crock pot you may want to send that along with the advanced party as well. Take care of the evening meal while having breakfast.

I would check out the Candlewood Suites you are staying at. We have stayed in one in California a few times and it has a nice free hot breakfast and light meals at night on Mon-Thurs. (including beer and wine). I also reccommend using a crock pot. One thing you can do is put in chicken breasts and beans with barbecue sauce over them. We also like to do chicken breasts, butter beans and canned tomatoes in the crcok pot.

I'd prefer a George Foreman grill. You just cannot mess up anything and it does a wonderful job with chicken (great with lemon pepper), salmon, scallops, shrimp, just about everything, even vegetables.

I was nodding my head about djbooks recommendation for scallops since I have a great simple seared scallop recipe from Cooking Light magazine ... except not sure if great not-previously frozen no chemicals added (we call them "dry") scallops are available in your area/Texas. Hence I would suggest a small pork tenderloin and a recipe for medallions of pork. Depending on how much you like leftovers, a small beef pot roast in a crock pot would be great. Or cook it ahead and just bring enough for one or two dinners. Stir frys come to mind but they take a lot of work and not sure if you want rice, even brown, on a low carb diet.

Do not know quality of markets in that area and how often you want to shop. When we travel and can not face another get-dressed-decently-sit-and-wait restaurant dinner, we do a partial cook/partial prepared meal dinner.

Most markets sell decent rotisserie chickens, have a salad bar - add a loaf of bread and it is an instant dinner (you can skip the break if you are not doing the carbs).

I might also pre-prepare and freeze main dishes you like and throw them in an insulated bag and bring it with you (you can't carry it on anymore). Things like beef stew, chili come to mind - but you will know what you like. These can easily be nuked for fast dinner.

I love to cook at home, but in the situation you are describing, I would go more low key - grill (even buy a cheap one if they let you) and nuke some veggies (the ones in the bags you can put right into the microwave are surprisingly decent). If there is any local produce from farmer's markets, etc - I would go for that as well.

Too much cooking in a hotel room gets smelly and annoying in a very short time.

I'm unclear are you flying or driving to your destination?

I ask that because if going by car, you could put up soups, chilis, stews (low carb style) and freeze them at home in serving size containers. Keep frozen, then microwave for dinner.

Be creative for breakfast (think outside the 'egg' box) nothing wrong with a leftover chicken breast with some cheese melted over it in the microwave. Quick, easy, healthy.

Tinned tuna to add to salads is a good staple.
Pack up a box of tinned stuff for your husband to drive down. If it all looks unappetising when you get there look at it as a perfect diet opportunity!

Thank you for all the suggestions.

Suze, to answer your question, my husband is driving down. He leaves this week. I'll fly down April 20 and join him for a week. So I'll send condiments and dry goods with him and just shop when I'm there.

I've gotten on google and located the nearest grocery store so I don't have to waste a lot of time looking for it when there. I hope to not have to go more than once or twice.

Thanks J62 about reminding me to look into the grill. I checked their site and it seems they have one, so that will be a nice option.

Like Gail, I love to cook at home, but time and resources are limited and it's my vacation so I don't want to spend that much time cooking and cleaning up, but know that some nights we just aren't going to want to eat out.

Love the pork medallions idea. We will be in Nederland Texas, but going back and forth every day to birding areas, including a truck that is always selling shrimp along the Intracoastal. I've always thought I'd like to buy some fresh, maybe this time I'll take a flyer and buy some!

One of things I find in places like this is that you don't have spices, cooking oil etc, and so I bit the bullet and spent a bloody fortune tonight at the grocery store buying small sizes and will also send those down as said with the "advance" party.

So again, lots of great advice, thanks so much!

Oh then my frozen idea won't work, since you're flying.

You could do like I do at home anyways, get organized and one day do enough cooking to keep your for the next 2-3 days.

Fresh shrimp!!! Don't forget to bring a couple of recipes. Of course, eating a huge shrimp cocktail plus a salad would be simple but there are all those grilled shrimp recipes I've been wanting to try. Before 9/11 I've flown with frozen food in my carryon. I would think there are some things you could still bring along. I do put my favorite knives in my checked luggage though! Having a grill is going to make things a lot easier.

since you have a grill (and mention low carb diet) why not just do a simply BBQ. Chicken breast, steak, fish, shrimp with grilled vegetables or a salad on the side.

Again as above, when you get the grill going cook for 2-3 meals, so you'll have cold cooked meats to slice up for a couple more dinners or lunches.

I have to say I LOVE Candlewood Suites! Don't forget if you need to, they have an "in-house" little convenience store. If you're taking the crockpot, I just got a great simple recipe. Buy a pork tenderloin. Throw it in with one can of Pepsi or Coke, one can cream-of-mushroom soup and one-half to one envelope of onion soup mix! Set it and go! :)