Vacation Prep

Today, as I prepare for vacation, I want to share a few things with you about time management. For some of you this is just common sense but for others I hope it helps you think about managing your time so you can spend more time with the people you love on vacation.

Many of you know that I cook for my family while we are on vacation. The three adult children and their spouses cook one night each also.  Our family has 16 people now and four of the children are under three years old. At this time in life we do not venture out to eat as a group. It is very diffficult.

Even though I like to cook, I don’t want to spend all my time in the house on vacation. With 16 people you have to be very organized to make this work. This years menu is going to be great! I tried to add a few new things in but when the family heard I was not making Wings or Flank Steak, the menu had to have a few corrections.

Here is the menu:

I like to hand write everything! Old school, I know!~

After writing my menu, I make a grocery list. On this grocery list I put and initial of which store I am buying the item at. My three stores are, Walmart, Costco and Fresh Market.

I have already made up our dinner meats and they are in the freezer. So some of the meats are not on my list due to the fact that I already have them made. The week before vacation, I make one dinner per day and put it in my freezer.  Sunday, I made marinate for the Flank Steak and froze it, yesterday, I made the burgers and today, I made the chicken for Street Tacos. We are having Wings also but there is not much prep for wings. Now my meals are ready and I just have to make the sides. This saves me tons of time!!

I also make hot breakfast daily. Anything that I can prep before getting to the beach, I prep. Like, my homemade pancake mix. It just makes life easier for me and gives me more time to spend with my family.

Also, it is wise to make all baked goods a day or two before leaving. When I prep for vacation it always pays off! It gives me more free time at the beach but allows me to cook for my wonderful family of 16!

If anyone would like my recipes, please leave a comment of so and I will email them to you.

With all of this work some of you could be asking yourselves if I work, and yes I do. Around 35-40 hours a week. Sometimes more. That maybe why I have to be so organized.

I hope this helps you to be a little more organized in your beach prep! Not that you have to make or do what I do, but, that you think about and do what works for you. Where ever you go for vacation, have fun, be safe and cherish family! We are only here for a short time!