5 Meal Ideas for Self-Catering Holidays with Kids

There are lost of pluses to self-catering holidays with kids including more space, flexibility and perhaps even your own pool, but the downside that you need to cook and do it with limited equipment.  Here are 5 meal ideas for self-catering holidays with kids that are quick and use minimal pots and pans.  They are tried and tested by my 4 very fussy little people.

• Pasta with pesto, tomato, chicken and bacon – at home I would make my own pesto and it is nicer, but you are unlikely to get a blender in a self catering place so jars work too and are even quicker.  This can be knocked up in 10 minutes.  
• Quesadilla – only one pan needed and can be prepared in literally a couple of minutes if you buy pre-grated cheese.  I fill with whatever each child is agreeing to eat that minute; usually cheese, tomato and ham or chicken.  Serve with a salad for the grown ups and any children who are willing!
• Pasta Neapolitan – All you need is pasta and a tomato-based sauce.  I make my hidden vegetable tomato sauce before we leave and freeze it so I can take some with me.  We drive and take a plug-in cool box in the car so I can keep it frozen.  You could just go dolmio!
• Chicken marinated in soy sauce and lime - You can buy a whole bottle or just nab a few sachets when having a takeaway in advance of your holiday.  This is easy as you just make a few cuts in the top of the chicken and then pour over the mixture.  Leave it in the fridge and it is ready to cook on the BBQ when you get back from your fun day.  I serve with chopped tomato and cucumber as my littles love both of those.  They don’t eat potato, but that would make a great accompaniment for this one as would noodles or a shop bought potato salad
• Sausages and Scrambled Egg – it’s not glamorous, but its quick and easy and kids do tend to love a sausage! 

My top tip for meals on a self-catering holiday is keep it simple (I know adding soy isn’t following that rule, but it is yummy!).  We try to have cereal for breakfast and bread and cold meats at lunch time to limit the amount of preparation.  We also plan meal ideas for a few days at a time so we aren’t wasting money or food and so supermarket trips are kept to a minimum.  After all holiday is about relaxing and kicking back not preparing gourmet feasts.

About the Author
I am Kirsty from Navigating Baby and I write about raising my 4 littles.  My children can be found tearing around my house playing ninjas, loving one another or fighting. I can be found alternating between drinking coffee, pleading for order and writing about the chaos at www.navigatingbaby.com. I do love to get social and you can find me at:

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