Just Add Ice! Food Shopping for Your Summer Getaway

Welcome to the long, lazy days of summer, when families look for a break from the routine, take a chance to relax, and enjoy a change of scenery.  This year, you may be more inclined to bring your own food, and there are plenty of great ways to plan and prepare simple meals, regardless of your location.

Whether you’re visiting a remote cabin, taking an RV road trip, heading to a quiet campground, or arranging any other kind of summer excursion away from home, one key to a successful summer getaway will be planning and shopping for your meals in advance. Being prepared offers another advantage, too — wouldn’t it be great to pull up to your vacation spot and not have to worry about picking up food and necessities? Before you run to the store, here are a few tips to make your shopping list and vacation as efficient as possible.

Gather your coolers and note how much room you have in them to pack perishables. There are some smart strategies for packing a cooler, which will help you maximize space and keep food dry. Organize your coolers in a way that makes the most sense for your trip – perhaps designating where the meats, vegetables, fruit, and drinks will be stored according to the size of the cooler.

Keep it simple. Your relaxing week away may not be the ideal time to try out new recipes that require a lot of ingredients or risk that the rest of your family may not be impressed. Stick to the tried-and-true meals that you know everyone will love, such as burgers, steak tips, chicken, sausages, pasta salad, and corn on the cob. With a few different sides and marinades, you can create something new and unique within the limits of your cooler or RV-sized refrigerator.

Along those lines, stick to essential ingredients so you can avoid spending a lot of money on items you’ll have to bring back home or won’t use more than once. Lemons, olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs are the perfect staples to mix and match in seasoning meats, veggies, and salads.

Consider the shelf-life. Marinated meats in vacuum-sealed packages stay fresh for days and freeze well (Butcher Boy offers a wide variety), and hot dogs will typically last further into the week — or even weeks — ahead. You can still stock up on a few favorites that might not stay fresh longer than a few days; just be sure to cook them early on in your stay.

Plan for a rainy day or two. You may not be able to use the grill every day, so be sure to have some alternative options on hand.  Simple pasta dishes, sandwiches, quesadillas, or tacos are a few good options, in case you need to toss something together indoors.

Don’t forget breakfast, snacks, and dessert. Muffins, cereal, yogurt, berries, and granola can pull double- and triple-duty on vacation.  Bring bags of chips, a couple of pies or brownies, and pancake mix.

Butcher Boy can make your meal planning easy as your one-stop shop for all your vacation culinary needs. Chose from our large selection of vacuum-sealed marinated meats, including chicken, steak tips, and lamb. They’ll stay fresh until you’re ready to open them up for cooking. Our bakery has breads and pastries to satisfy the sweet tooth of everyone in your family. We also have all the produce you’re looking for, as well as other grocery items, wine, beer, and spirits.

Travel safe and enjoy your summer!