Planning vacation meals for the family can be a breeze with a few simple and delicious recipes. Here are my favorite easy meals for large groups on vacation.
Easy Vacation Meals for the Family
Every summer my family spends a week at a vacation house in Cape Cod and Florida. There are at least 15 of us, kids included, and lots of food involved. Dinnertime is one of my favorite parts of the day because we always have the best vacation dinner menus. While we enjoy going out to eat, it is difficult to coordinate 15+ people at a restaurant. Cooking for a large family on vacation is the solution to our dinner time problems!
A few weeks before a big family trip we plan our vacation dinner menu and grocery lists. Here is a great packing list for a vacation rental. Every night the adults take turns cooking in the kitchen for our large group. It can be stressful to make dinner for a large family after a long day at the beach if you don’t anticipate a little chaos. We like to take little trips to the farmer’s market and fish store for fresh ingredients (and as a breather) before we start dinner.
What can you cook for dinner in an airbnb or vacation rental?
You can cook anything for dinner in an airbnb or vacation rental if you have the right ingredients and supplies. Before creating a dinner menu, find out what the kitchen has available. Most vacation rentals have cooking basics like pots and pans, utensils, grill, etc – but you can’t always be too sure. You may want to pack your own spices, oils, and condiments (or purchase on arrival).
We have brought a slow cooker on vacation to prep dinner while we are at the beach during the day. Large tinfoil trays are convenient for large family meals and can be purchased at the dollar store. Note: Here is what to pack for a summer vacation rental.
Quick and Simple Meal Ideas for Family Vacations
Wondering what to feed your family on vacation? Looking for quick and easy vacation meal recipes for families? Over the years we have created a list of easy go-to vacation meal ideas to accommodate any large group. Many meals can be prepped ahead of time, like meatballs, marinated chicken, chopped vegetables, etc. Here is a list of dinner ideas to feed a crowd:
- Taco Bar: A taco bar is one of the best inexpensive meals for a large group.
- Build your own burger and hot dog station, plus sides (baked beans, macaroni and cheese, etc.)
- Spaghetti + Meatballs or Baked Ziti, chopped salad, Italian bread
- Marinated grilled chicken, baked potato bar (cheese, bacon, chives, etc), cold pasta salad
- Breakfast for dinner: pancakes, french toast casserole, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, breakfast casserole, hash browns, fruit, etc.
- Low Country Seafood Boil: crab legs, shrimp, potatoes, corn, sausage, seasoning. This low country boil recipe is so easy – make sure the house has a large pot!
- Nacho Bar: You could easily serve a nacho bar, with shredded chicken, plus taco salad and rice for a large family on vacation.
- BBQ Pulled Pork or chicken in a crockpot, coleslaw, potato salad
- Enchiladas (make a big tray of your favorite kind)
- Grilled Surf-n-Turf: steak, shrimp, fish, grilled vegetables, feta olive salad
- Linguine and Clams (canned make it easy) or Shrimp Scampi, salad, olives
- Homemade Pizzas: pre-made dough, topping bar, and either oven/grill
- Kabobs: Create your own kabobs for the grill with a protein, carb, vegetable, herbs + spices
- Thanksgiving in July: We actually have a real Thanksgiving dinner one night at the beach since we don’t see the family on the real holiday
- Charcuterie – there are so many ways to turn a giant charcuterie into dinner on vacation
My first post, 5 Easy Meals to Make at the Beach, has always been a hit. Want even more? Check out these Easy Family Meals for Road Trips and Picnics. Don’t forget your vacation packing list!
By choosing easy, versatile ingredients, you can ensure your family is well-fed without spending too much time in the kitchen.
What are your go-to vacation meals for the family? Share your favorites in the comments below!
Printable Family-Friendly Vacation Meal Planners
Click one of the images below to print a free grocery list or meal planner for your family vacation.
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