Extreme Meal Planning/Packing - Harborside at Atlantis

[MichaelColey]

Just curious - how much do you suppose the $150 worth of groceries would have been locally?

I'm guessing probably $500-$600. Much of the stuff we brought was bought bulk (Costco/Sams) or on sale. For instance, we buy sliced cheese about $10 for 5 pounds at Costco. We brought about 3 pounds. Cheese at the grocery store in Nassau was over $5 per pound.

I was wondering if there were no problems getting it through TSA because of your status at AA or if regular AA passenger would be able to pull it off.

No difference. The TSA doesn't care who is traveling.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Awesome report. We haven't been to Atlantis but I love your ideas. We use to bring a ton of food when timesharing but that was before the bagage fees went up. I would pack one bag of non-perishables like cereal, snacks, pasta, rice, spices, etc... Now, all I pack is a baggie of spices. But at a place like Atlantis I think a checked bag is worth it. It might even be worth it for Hawaii (now that you got me thinking). I remember one year we went to Hawaii for 2 weeks with one week on Kauai and the other on Maui. This was way before the liquid band. So, I had bought a bunch of stuff in Kauai like butter, pancake syrup, bread, etc... that we hadn't use up so, I just put in my carryon and took it to the next island. Those were the days. There is definitely no way we could timeshare 3 to 4 weeks a year if we didn't eat in. Now, that our children are getting older it has gotten more expensive because they no longer order the kiddie meal. We now do a stop at Costco and love all their food. They have some prepared food that is just delicious and doesn't taste like it came out of box or frozen. We normally spend Thanksgiving Week timesharing and I'll stop at Costco and buy a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, scalloped potatoes, etc.. all for under $50 and we'll eat it the first night and have leftovers. With our leftovers I'll make Cranberry Turkey Sandwiches, or we'll eat the sides for lunch, or just have another turkey meal. We are all happy as I got tired of spending $200 to $250 for a family of 4 on Thanksgiving dinner that wasn't very good. Thanks for sharing...

 

[MichaelColey]

It might even be worth it for Hawaii (now that you got me thinking).

We did pack quite a bit of food the first time we went to a timeshare in Hawaii, but it really wasn't necessary. Between Costco and Walmart, you can get most everything you need at prices close to mainland prices. Domestically, we generally just pack spices and sometimes a few nonperishable items that we know we get far cheaper in bulk (but where we don't need bulk on the trip). The last time we went to Hawaii, Costco was our main grocery stop. (In fact, I think we bought about 30 pineapples in three weeks!)

 

[GeraldineT]

Great ideas. I bring as much as possible from home because of not only the money and time savings but it also beats walking around a "foreign" foodstore searching for the specific things that we like. The price may be the same and you can bring coupons and such but I hate to waste my vacation in Publix.

We are driving down to Bonnet Creek next month and I plan on making a lasagna and freezing it as well as bringing some pre made frozen uncooked chicken cutlets from costco. The first day I throw a tray in the oven and ;ater it can be easily made into chicken parm or is perfect on a sandwich. Can be cut up for use in salads.

Last time we flew and I brought and paid for an extra piece of 49.5 lb luggage which saved us so much time and effort (& money) when we got down there. We had met up with friends who live down there so they stored the extra suitcase and we will bring it home with us this trip.

With 3 little ones its more the effort of packing everyone up to go to a restaurant than the actual expense.

 

[Elan]

I'm guessing probably $500-$600. Much of the stuff we brought was bought bulk (Costco/Sams) or on sale. For instance, we buy sliced cheese about $10 for 5 pounds at Costco. We brought about 3 pounds. Cheese at the grocery store in Nassau was over $5 per pound.

Thanks for the info. For that kind of savings, I'd be inclined also.

 

[pjrose]

Awesome report. We haven't been to Atlantis but I love your ideas. We use to bring a ton of food when timesharing but that was before the bagage fees went up. I would pack one bag of non-perishables like cereal, snacks, pasta, rice, spices, etc... Now, all I pack is a baggie of spices. But at a place like Atlantis I think a checked bag is worth it. It might even be worth it for Hawaii (now that you got me thinking). I remember one year we went to Hawaii for 2 weeks with one week on Kauai and the other on Maui. This was way before the liquid band. So, I had bought a bunch of stuff in Kauai like butter, pancake syrup, bread, etc... that we hadn't use up so, I just put in my carryon and took it to the next island. Those were the days. There is definitely no way we could timeshare 3 to 4 weeks a year if we didn't eat in. Now, that our children are getting older it has gotten more expensive because they no longer order the kiddie meal. We now do a stop at Costco and love all their food. They have some prepared food that is just delicious and doesn't taste like it came out of box or frozen. We normally spend Thanksgiving Week timesharing and I'll stop at Costco and buy a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, scalloped potatoes, etc.. all for under $50 and we'll eat it the first night and have leftovers. With our leftovers I'll make Cranberry Turkey Sandwiches, or we'll eat the sides for lunch, or just have another turkey meal. We are all happy as I got tired of spending $200 to $250 for a family of 4 on Thanksgiving dinner that wasn't very good. Thanks for sharing...

That's what we do for a holiday, too, not just for savings, but that way we get what we want, don't have to wait in line, it's more relaxing to eat at "home," and we have leftovers.

Doesn't the liquid ban just apply to carry-ons? Not that I'd want to pack a bunch of liquids, but the ban doesn't apply to checked luggage.

 

[MichaelColey]

Doesn't the liquid ban just apply to carry-ons? Not that I'd want to pack a bunch of liquids, but the ban doesn't apply to checked luggage.

Correct.

Another nice thing about packing food is that you can have a meal right away when you arrive, without having to go shopping. For instance, our first night we had rotini with canned chicken and Cream of Cheddar soup. All non-perishable items and quick and easy to make.

 

[pjrose]

Correct.

Another nice thing about packing food is that you can have a meal right away when you arrive, without having to go shopping. For instance, our first night we had rotini with canned chicken and Cream of Cheddar soup. All non-perishable items and quick and easy to make.

What is canned chicken like?

 

[Karen G]

What is canned chicken like?

Delicious! I use it all the time. It's all white meat, in chunks, and has no bones or skin or waste. It comes in a can like tuna or a little larger.

One of my favorite recipes is a very delicious chicken taco soup with all the ingredients coming from cans: chicken, several varieties of beans, diced tomatoes, chopped green chilis, corn, an envelope of taco seasoning and an envelope of Hidden Valley Ranch dry salad dressing mix. Heat it all up to boiling or throw it all in a crock pot for 3 hrs. on high. Serve it with tortilla chips, chopped onion, shredded cheese. This would be a good timeshare meal!

 

[Elan]

What is canned chicken like?

We occasionally buy canned chicken at Costco -- 8 cans lasts us about 6 months. It's very much like canned tuna, in the sense that it's not much like "normal" chicken. It's extremely soft, tends to be kind of salty, and doesn't taste much like a fresh grilled chicken breast.

Now that I've described it, I'm not sure why we even buy it. :hysterical:

Actually, we do make chicken salad sandwiches out of it, and we sometimes use it for quick recipe fill in if we're running short of cooked chicken. Sometimes the kids will open a can and just eat it plain.

 

[pjrose]

Delicious! I use it all the time. It's all white meat, in chunks, and has no bones or skin or waste. It comes in a can like tuna or a little larger.

One of my favorite recipes is a very delicious chicken taco soup with all the ingredients coming from cans: chicken, several varieties of beans, diced tomatoes, chopped green chilis, corn, an envelope of taco seasoning and an envelope of Hidden Valley Ranch dry salad dressing mix. Heat it all up to boiling or throw it all in a crock pot for 3 hrs. on high. Serve it with tortilla chips, chopped onion, shredded cheese. This would be a good timeshare meal!

Yum.....please pm or email or post. Thanks!

. . . not much like "normal" chicken. It's extremely soft, tends to be kind of salty, and doesn't taste much like a fresh grilled chicken breast.

Now that I've described it, I'm not sure why we even buy it. :hysterical:

That's kind of what I was envisioning, but it does sound convenient for cooking. Then again, there are those Perdue "Short Cuts" (if I've got the name and brand right).

 

[Karen G]

Chicken Taco Soup

Yum.....please pm or email or post. Thanks!

This recipe actually came with the canned chicken from Sam's Club. It called for just one can of chicken but I used two because I wanted more chicken.

2 cans drained canned chicken breast (13 oz. cans)
1 can diced tomatoes & chiles (Rotel or similar) 11 oz.
1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
1 can diced green chiles (4 oz)
1 can kidney beans (15 oz.)
1 can whole kernel corn (11 oz.)
1 can black beans (15 oz.)
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. Ranch Dressing mix

Directions:
Shred chicken if desired. Do NOT drain remaining cans. Just dump in the whole contents of each can. Add all ingredients into a crockpot. Stir. cook on high 2 hrs. or low 4 hrs. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onions, tortilla chips.

I've also added a can of garbanzo beans and/or pinto beans.

 

[MichaelColey]

What is canned chicken like?

We occasionally buy canned chicken at Costco -- 8 cans lasts us about 6 months. It's very much like canned tuna, in the sense that it's not much like "normal" chicken. It's extremely soft, tends to be kind of salty, and doesn't taste much like a fresh grilled chicken breast.

Good description. That's where we get ours, too. The flavor is good to me, but I like salt.

It's great in recipes, or even in chicken salad sandwiches.

 

[dioxide45]

Good description. That's where we get ours, too. The flavor is good to me, but I like salt. .

Salt makes anything taste better, guess that is why it is used a lot in restaurants and prepared foods.

 

[pranas]

Michael. any trouble getting all that food through customs?

 

[MuranoJo]

This recipe actually came with the canned chicken from Sam's Club. It called for just one can of chicken but I used two because I wanted more chicken.

2 cans drained canned chicken breast (13 oz. cans)
1 can diced tomatoes & chiles (Rotel or similar) 11 oz.
1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
1 can diced green chiles (4 oz)
1 can kidney beans (15 oz.)
1 can whole kernel corn (11 oz.)
1 can black beans (15 oz.)
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. Ranch Dressing mix

Directions:
Shred chicken if desired. Do NOT drain remaining cans. Just dump in the whole contents of each can. Add all ingredients into a crockpot. Stir. cook on high 2 hrs. or low 4 hrs. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onions, tortilla chips.

I've also added a can of garbanzo beans and/or pinto beans.

Thanks! I'm going to try this on a camping trip.

 

[pjrose]

This recipe actually came with the canned chicken from Sam's Club. It called for just one can of chicken but I used two because I wanted more chicken.

. . .
I've also added a can of garbanzo beans and/or pinto beans.

I'm going to make it this weekend

It looks yummy, and very flexible. Seems like it might be high in sodium though.....I always drain and rinse canned beans to reduce the sodium, so perhaps I'd replace the liquid lost from them with a can of low-salt chicken broth (?)

Sounds easier than mini-pies, that's for sure. (The second installment of my not-so-successful pie-making adventures will be added to the Breville thread soon )

 

[Happytravels]

packing

We had a similar packing list when we went to the Bahamas for two week trip back in 2010.(turned into almost three weeks due to a death in the family)..it was just the two of us, but we had been there before and knew about the cost of food.we never ate out once while there..we did buy milk and some fresh fruit and veggies there but not much else..for bread we bought the new wheat thin slicers I think they are called..and brought tortillas..lunchmeat freezes well...when we went to the grocery store we checked on that..for a 9 oz. package of Oscar Meyer roast beef was $5.79 which would have made maybe two sandwiches...I think it is great what you do...we do the same and that is what I tell all my friends...if we didn't go so cheaply we wouldn't be able to go so much....we do enjoy our ts's........

 

[pjrose]

Karen's Chicken Taco Soup

This recipe actually came with the canned chicken from Sam's Club. It called for just one can of chicken but I used two because I wanted more chicken.
. . .

I made it tonight for a pot luck. I held back on the can of chopped chiles, waiting till I tasted it first. It had a bit of a kick with just the chilis from the tomatoes, so we skipped the chopped ones. Instead we put bowls of sour cream, lime, chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar, and the chilis on the side. It was good and I had several bowls, but unfortunately hardly anyone ate it so now we have a ton of it at home. Unless you know you have a crowd who'll like it, I'd recommend cutting back on the ingredients.

It seems low in calories (though high in sodium), but of course the cheese and sour cream will take care of the low calories . Thanks for the recipe!

 

[Karen G]

It was good and I had several bowls

I'm glad you liked it! We took it to our daughter & son-in-law's Super Bowl party and we all enjoyed it. The chopped green chilis I use are the mild ones. I tried it with chopped jalapenos once and it was way too spicy.

 

[MichaelColey]

We had a similar packing list when we went to the Bahamas for two week trip back in 2010. ... we did buy milk and some fresh fruit and veggies there but not much else

Eggs was another thing we bought there, and I was actually surprised at how reasonably priced they were. I think they were a little over $2 per dozen at the grocery store. (At the Atlantis Sundrie Shop they were like $7 per dozen.) Bottled water, at $1-2 per gallon was the other thing we bought quite a bit of there and that we thought was reasonably priced.

 

[DebBrown]

I'm impressed but could never do this to the extent you do. We actually enjoy eating out and visiting local restaurants, trying new things. It is part of the vacation experience for us. (My DH would eat out every meal even at home if he could!)

I do have a standard breakfast and lunch menu/shopping list. We always stock up on drinks - water and soda - and fresh fruit and snacks. I will NOT pay exorbitant prices for poolside snacks.

I'm glad you enjoyed Harborside. We got an exchange when the resort first opened. It is a great adventure.

Deb

 

[ciscogizmo1]

That's what we do for a holiday, too, not just for savings, but that way we get what we want, don't have to wait in line, it's more relaxing to eat at "home," and we have leftovers.

Doesn't the liquid ban just apply to carry-ons? Not that I'd want to pack a bunch of liquids, but the ban doesn't apply to checked luggage.

Yes you are right no liquid ban on checked luggage but I'm certainly not going to take a container of opened pancake syrup in my checked luggage. When there was no liquid ban with carryon I just put it in rolling cooler and I had everything upright, etc... so, less chance of spillage.

 

[pjrose]

Yes you are right no liquid ban on checked luggage but I'm certainly not going to take a container of opened pancake syrup in my checked luggage. When there was no liquid ban with carryon I just put it in rolling cooler and I had everything upright, etc... so, less chance of spillage.

Your rolling cooler reminds me of a woman we met in Cancun once who brought a fairly large rolling cooler with food for the week, while she packed only two bathing suits, two t-shirts, and undies for clothes. I was so impressed with her efficiency, bringing the cooler to the pool for her and her kids' lunch.

Other friends used to bring a huge suitcase full of their preferred bottled water and lots of snack food. We'll pack a few food items that we can't find there, or that are weird or way overpriced (peanut butter, instant gravy mix, low fat microwave popcorn, and spices).

Interesting how we each have different priorities for what to pack and what to leave behind.

 

[MichaelColey]

reminds me of a woman we met in Cancun once who brought a fairly large rolling cooler with food for the week, while she packed only two bathing suits, two t-shirts, and undies for clothes.

LOL - that described our luggage almost exactly. I wore jeans and a button up shirt, packed my swimming trunks, one pair of shorts and underclothes. My wife and kids had slightly more than me (kids clothes take almost no room), but not much. All our clothes could have fit in a carry on sized suitcase. We spent most of the week in our swimming trunks (at the waterpark) and changed into shorts (or PJs for the kids) after we got back to the room and showered. That was all we needed.

That wasn't our lightest clothes packing trip, though. A few years ago, my wife and I went to Italy for 6 days. We were in a different city every day, on self-guided tours, then taking the train to a different city where we spent the night (usually in a B&B). Since we were checking out every morning and carrying everything with us, we packed REALLY light. We each had a backpack, and that was it. Of course we ate out every meal.