Pre Made Meals for Vacationing Family Effectiveness

For many families, vacations are a time to bond and grow closer together. For others, vacations tend to drag on and are filled with arguments and disagreements. Whether you're looking forward to your upcoming vacation or are dreading the trip, pre-made meals offer you a cost effective and efficient way to eat during your trip.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches are an easy to make vacation food.

Often considered a road trip staple, sandwiches are a simple way to feed your family while vacationing. A bit of creativity and pre-planning will spice up your family's food and turn this otherwise dull meal into something special. Make your family's favorite sandwiches and use cookie cutters to cut the sandwiches into new and interesting shapes. If your family enjoys new foods, toss aside the peanut butter and jelly and instead make cucumber sandwiches with mayonnaise or grilled vegetable sandwiches. For added variety, make the sandwiches on a new type of bread. Instead of white or wheat, try pita bread, tortilla wraps or dinner rolls. Pack the sandwiches in plastic containers or wrap in cellophane before placing them in a cooler.

Salads

Fresh salads offer your family members a healthy alternative to greasy fast food. Make up salads ahead of time and pack in plastic containers for mess-free eating or pack ingredients separately to allow family members to create their own salad at your destination. Salad topping ideas include hard-boiled eggs, croutons, cheese, shredded carrots, cucumber slices, almonds, walnuts, mandarin oranges, fennel, salsa, chicken or turkey.

Cereal

If your family will be traveling over breakfast, pack a variety of cold cereals you can enjoy in the car or while stopped. Include healthy cereal toppings, such as dried strawberries, blueberries or pineapple, or pack fresh bananas to add to your cereal before you eat it.

Pasta

The night before your trip, cook your family's favorite pasta dinner. Pack in small plastic containers and store in a cooler. Your family can enjoy the pasta cold, but many rest areas have microwaves you can use to reheat the meal.

Skewers

For a mess-free but healthy dinner, create a meal on skewers. Cook up your family's favorite meat and allow it to cool completely. Slice the meat and place it on bamboo skewers. Add fruit or vegetables between each piece of meat. Don't be afraid to get creative and add new foods your family doesn't usually eat. Ideas for skewers include chicken, pork, beef, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, zucchini and bananas.

References

• Care2: 10 Best Sandwich Ideas
• Health: 8 Healthy Salad Toppings You've Never Tried