[Michelle]

I’m going to be staying in a budget hotel for 3 days, next month. This hotel does NOT have fridge or microwave. What are some easy to cook meals that I can prepare using a hot plate?

[Loretta]

I would prepare meals (ie: spaghetti, fried rice, mac n cheese, etc) in zip lock bags. Store in a cooler with ice and use the hot plate to heat up.

[Adam]

Forget the hot plate, I use those fry pans with the dial on the side. Or if your bringing a cooler my sister cooks what she’ll be eating and cry o vacs individually and treats them like a boil in bag. She has done shrimp scampi, chicken/ turkey with gravy, seasoned rice.

And I use my pan line it with aluminum foil( easy or easier clean up.

And I bring already cooked meatloaf, smoked sausage, you can bring cooked chicken and make a salad with fixens.

There is no limit

[Melissa]

Ready to eat pouch meals (Tasty Bite style) come in all varieties- Indian food, rice, different beans etc & you just open the pouch and can heat it on a hot plate. Canned soups or cups of ramen, noodles, macaroni etc.

Camping style food could help too- dried fruit, dehydrated veggies, jerky, nuts & trail mix, shelf stable dairy etc if you want to go there.

Don’t miss: Maximizing Savings on Grocery Shopping: A Month’s Worth of Meals for $200

[Maureen]

If you use vacuumed pack sealed bags you could heat anything you prepare in boiling h20 such as soup, chili, sloppy joes, ham barbeque, spaghetti, beef stew.

[Jill]

for 3 days only I would just bring a cooler with some sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, cheese/crackers, packaged tuna, etc., I myself would want to keep it simple, no cleanup.

[Lisa]

Pre make bean and cheese burritos. Keep I’m cooler. Heat in skillet on hot plate.

[Kelly]

If it were me I’d forget about a hot plate (which may not be legal in a hotel room anyway) and eat out of the cooler. I’d bring a couple of salads like pasta salad and chicken salad, yogurts, milk for cereal, lunchmeats, things like that. We did this when we went to Yellowstone last summer.

I even brought pre-cooked bacon and we made BLT’s.

You can go online and google “road trip food” or “cooler meals” and get more ideas.

[Melissa]

Not all hotels allow cooking in the rooms. Depending what is made can be an unpleasing smell to other guests.

Eat cold meals or something you just add hot water to. Bring an electric kettle for morning oatmeal with all the fixings. Other breakfast idea may be; cold cereal with milk, hard boiled eggs brought from home, protein bars

Lunch ideas: sandwiches, pasta salad with a protein, blts..

Dinner: bagged salads with chicken from a deli or from home. (This is my go to meal when I travel). Hot dogs heat up when put in a large mug with very hot kettle water. Tuna or chicken salad over a bed of lettuce. Wraps (chicken tenders, spinach, hot sauce wrapped in a tortilla).

Explore these too: Different meals from leftover pot roast?

[Pauline]

Get small fridge on Marketplace – $15 on average and an induction hot plate and a small pot and pan and a few utensils.

[Jackie]

Check with the hotel…sometimes they have a microwave available in the lobby for customer use. You can also think about hitting the deli counter at a nearby grocery store store for premade sandwiches, soups, salads, hot chicken etc., not as cheap as bringing with you, but still cheaper than restaurant.

[Judith]

I would check how close area Grocery stores are to the hotel. Most have cafe areas and wonderful choices of prepared meals that are less than restaurant or fast food.

Also look for area hospitals they also have cafeterias that sometimes are less expensive.

[Kimberly]

Bring a pan and can make oatmeal for breakfast, top it with maple syrup, or sliced bananas. Cook beanie weanies (from a can, since no fridge). For dinner can heat up canned chili, serve with crackers, and if you like avocado, serve a sliced fresh avocado with the chili.

[Author]

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