Packable Hotel Dinners?

Will you be in the same hotel/apartment night after night, or will you be moving every day? Will you have a refrigerator in your room? If you're staying put and have a refrigerator, your options expand quite a bit, as you won't be limited to things that are shelf stable and packed in single servings.

MsCzar wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Will you be in the same hotel/apartment night after night, or will you be moving every day? Will you have a refrigerator in your room? If you're staying put and have a refrigerator, your options expand quite a bit, as you won't be limited to things that are shelf stable and packed in single servings.

The annoying thing is that i have no idea where I will be or the amenities provided, but I will be there for six days in a row. I could manage a quick shopping trip tomorrow and will just have to plan for shelf-stable. I plan to weigh and bag some almonds and walnuts. There may be a huge grazing station - but then again, perhaps not.

Things to look for: Microwaveable foods that could be eaten cold. I've found canned grain/veg mixes that were OK as a salad rather than being reheated. Some seasoned legume things are fine with me at room temperature. Maybe your hotel will have a microwave, either in room or lobby, since many do now. If so, bonus.

When we used to backwoods canoe-camp, we'd get bulgar-wheat pilafs (flavored), put in a plastic dish with tight snap on lid, add hot water in the morning (hot tap water might be enough, but hotels often have hot water for tea and such in the lobby, or a coffee pot for heating water). In a few hours, it makes a hearty meal item. Fine bulgar will plump up fine without cooking.

Powdered hummus and refried beans are a thing that exist, add water to rehydrate, eat with crackers or veg/fruit.

Another option, assuming a hot water source, would be the soup or oatmeal cups.

Some of the above are bulky, but may be available near your worksite at a grocery or even convenience store.

If it appeals, something that would give you more flexibility in safely storing cold foods: Take a small soft (lunch sized) cooler if you have one, or can get one. Some of them are small enough to roll up and stick in a shoe or something in a suitcase, even in a pocket. If you end up having a mini-fridge, get a blue ice (or whatever they call them there - the little plastic block with gel stuff inside to use like reusable ice). If the work site or hotel offer ice (probable), you could put some in a small plastic cup with a tight lid into the tiny soft cooler. Even just the naked cooler will hold foods cold longer.

MsCzar wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Will you be in the same hotel/apartment night after night, or will you be moving every day? Will you have a refrigerator in your room? If you're staying put and have a refrigerator, your options expand quite a bit, as you won't be limited to things that are shelf stable and packed in single servings.

The annoying thing is that i have no idea where I will be or the amenities provided, but I will be there for six days in a row. I could manage a quick shopping trip tomorrow and will just have to plan for shelf-stable. I plan to weigh and bag some almonds and walnuts. There may be a huge grazing station - but then again, perhaps not.

That is annoying -- even apart from the food tracking. I'm pretty good at dealing with some uncertainty on an adventure-type vacation, but doing it for work as a built-in thing -- planned uncertainty, as opposed to something that happens because things go a little awry -- would make me grumpy.

Best of luck.

MsCzar wrote: »

Well, looks like there is only a room fridge and a coffee maker with those horrid plastic tray coffee packets. On the bright side any hot water won't taste like coffee. Apparently, the better the hotel, the less stuff ya get.
I did end up getting a few tuna packets. The rest will be cheese, summer sausage, dark chocolate coconut protein bars, dates, instant oatmeal, and an assortment of nuts. I would hope that it's all coal to New Castle and the usual endless abundance of work food will magically appear. Umm, maybe that's not a good thing.

At least there is a fridge. That helps a lot, especially if you want to pick up some yogurt, cottage cheese, salad, etc.

I have noticed as well that "the better the hotel, the less stuff ya get".

When I stay in middle-of-the-road (lets say 3-star) hotels, there is always free Wi-Fi, free breakfast, free water bottles in rooms, and refrigerators and microwaves are standard.

Sometimes for work I've stayed in higher class (4-star) hotels. They charge extra for Wi-Fi, the room water bottles will cost you $6 if you even look at them, and fridges/microwaves are available by request only.

A few times, I've had the pleasure of staying at a luxury (5-star) hotel. Absolutely nothing is complimentary, some don't even have in-room coffee makers. They want you to order room service or come to their restaurants for all food and beverage. They do not want to give you a fridge or microwave because you might (gasp!) bring your own food. I once had to tell a hotel that my husband had dietary restrictions and HAD to have a fridge in the room...they finally agreed to bring one up.

I guess they figure if you are already spending that much on the room rate, you either aren't worried about cost, or are on a corporate spending account. So, they assume you wont mind all the extra charges.

If you have an old fashioned filter coffee maker instead of the modern ones that use pods, there is quite a lot of stuff you can make in that. Boiled eggs, warmed up tinned soup, instant ramen.

MsCzar wrote: »

Not even a fridge. Glad I opted against the cheese.

Did you ask? Many hotels offer a fridge by request only.

Even in a standard Thai there should be healthy choices. Grilled meats, salads such as som tam, meat salads such as crying tiger and larb. Skip the peanut/coconut sauce if you have the chicken satay and ask for some of the fish sauce based salad dressing instead, which although sweetened, will be oil free.