Planning for a homeschool convention, the food {free printable included!}

We are a rather frugal family. I cook most of our foods from scratch, and we know how to make a penny squeak. When we are making plans for trips, food cost is always a concern. As a family of six, food is a large part of our travel expense.

With the Teach Them Diligently Convention coming up, right along with our clothes packing list comes my food packing list. 😉 {that is my affiliate link, and I appreciate your support of this site by clicking through my link for your purchase!}

We are staying onsite again this year, at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. It was only Natalie and me last year, so our food cost was pretty low. This year, I am blessed to have all three of my daughters joining me. I am looking forward to the girl time, and am working now to limit the expense. (last year, I split the cost of our hotel room with a dear friend, this year, the cost is 100% mine). One thing that is lacking at the Opryland Hotel is a microwave. I’m not a big microwave user, but it does come in handy. We have to be a bit more creative in re-heating foods without a microwave, but it can certainly be done!

Here is the list of foods I have planned for our homeschool convention:

Popcorn (air-popped at home or I could bring our popper along)

Small boxes of cereal (this is a huge splurge for us because we never buy boxed cereal, and certainly not in individual servings, but this a treat for Mary)

Instant Oatmeal (we’ll use the small coffee pot to make our hot water)

Granola bars (homemade, of course!)

Lunch meat (both to roll up and eat alone and to make into sandwiches)

Cheese (I will bring a knife and cut it as we need it- either for sandwiches or into chunks for snacking)

Crackers (homemade)

Yogurt

Tossed salad (we eat a lot of salad, so this is a super simple way to eat as usual)

Cut up veggies (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers)

Ranch dressing (homemade- for both salads and dipping vegetables)

Fruit (cut up as much as possible)

Breads (either homemade rolls or Joseph’s bread products for this THMama!)

Trail Mix (homemade)

Chicken Salad (homemade)

Hard boiled eggs

Protein powder (for a quick pick-me-up or breakfast)

Hummus and pita chips

Nuts- almonds, pecans, peanuts

String cheese

Guacamole (homemade)

Water (bottles- 2 per day are provided by Opryland Hotel for guests of the hotel)

We will bring our cooler filled with above items. The foods that do not fit into the small refrigerator will be kept in the cooler on ice (provided by the ice machines on every floor of the hotel). We will also bring plenty of disposable plates & bowls, spoons, forks, and a roll of paper towels (much easier than a package of napkins).

Another idea I had was to make up breakfast sandwiches ahead of time, wrap them in foil, and freeze them. We could take the slow cooker along and put them in on low when we go to bed and have a warm, filling breakfast in the morning. I know others are planning to take prepared meals along and doing the same, warming them all day in the slow cooker to have their lunch or supper ready for them. What a great idea!

 

What is on the food portion of your TTD packing list?

 

If you would like to print your own packing list for food,
>>>click here<<<