Challenge - feed 9 people, 2 meals a day, in a sparse kitchen in Hawaii

C

cheezz

Well-known member
Me, my sis, her hubby, 2 children/spouses, and 2 grandchildren (3 and 1) will be spending 10 days in Kona in October. Considering the logistics and exhorbitant expense of eating out all the time, we have decided to hit Costco and a grocery store first thing in Kona. It is a resort with a kitchen and "basics" - so I can't count on there being tart pans, deep fryers, etc. We are trying to come up with menus that will not involve buying lots of items that we will need only a tbl. of here and there. I can take all the spices we might need and some ingredients, but obviously don't want to dedicate a suitcase to food stuffs (at $25 a bag). The little ones will eat anything we do, so nothing special has to be made for them - they are great travelers.

Any menu ideas? Figure 7 days as we will eat out 2 days. Thanks all!

 
Here's a rough draft for ya cheezz...

Breakfast:

Milk
Eggs
Bread + for lunches
Butter
Bacon
Pancake mix w/syrup
Breakfast sausage
Cereal - lots

Lunch:

Assorted lunch meats/sliced cheese (+ for grilled cheese)
Tomatoes
Dill pickles (spears)
Hot dogs, mustards, ketchup, mayo
Canned tuna + more for pasta salads/tuna fish salad

Misc. Items:

Saran wrap
Sandwich baggies
Tin foil
Paper towels/napkins
S & P in two-pack
Dollar store plastic mixing bowls
Paper bowls for cereals?
Assorted plasticware
Few jugs of V-8 Splash or Diet V-8 Splash

Snacks:

Fruit for snacking or beach (plums, seedless grapes, watermelon)
Chips and dip

Dinner:

Burgers (lots of ground beef)
Sliced cheeses (for lunch too)

Homemade pasta salads in large quantity (I make a simple elbow macaroni pasta salad using 1 lb. elbow macaroni, 2-3 cans of light chunk tuna, chopped onions, French’s yellow mustard, mayo, ground pepper, salt, celery seed.

Frozen meatballs and spaghetti/sauces/parm – colander?

Salisbury steaks with mashed potatos (small Worcestershire sauce & two tubs of ready-made mashed taters would go a long way including a fry-up for breakfast). Don’t forget packets of gravy or Boston Market (my favorite).

Stouffer’s Family-size meat lasagna (frozen)

Gorton’s beer-battered fish fillets & shoestring
fries & tartar sauce

 
What a fun trip! We also travel to places with a kitchen or kitchenette. Not only does it save $,

but it is more relaxed and I enjoy cooking. I prefer to "eat in" a few days rather than eat out for every meal. Also fun to peruse the local stores.

I like to think through how I can maximize / stretch out a dish. The example that comes to mind is ground meat. I purchased a few lbs and made linguini and meatballs; nachos, and tacos during the week; would have made Laarb, but did not bring the seasonings.

Chicken was made for not only a meal, but also for chicken salad with grapes during the week.

I also brought Mayo, was used on sandwiches, chicken salad and pasta salad.

What a fun trip!! It will be so special to have such a wonderful vacation with the entire family!!

 
Can you find out ahead if the apartment has a grill? That would make a big difference in what you

might pick up at Costco. I assume the meat selection would be similar to the mainland--nice tritips, boneless chicken breasts, fish filets--also peppers, squash, eggplant, red onions and other veggies that are so easy to throw on the grill.

 
Most condos in Hawaii are pretty well stocked. Certainly no tart pans but

you can purchase throw-away aluminum pans of all shapes and sizes if you need to make something out of the norm. Kona has Wal Mart, K Mart and I think even a Target.

Also, call housekeeping at the resort and see if they have other sizes of pans/pots available- many times guests will purchase something to use while they are there then leave it in the unit so whatever they bought ends up in a central housekeeping closet.

I would imagine you will have a full kitchen- in all my years of being a Hawaii travel wholesaler I have not run into any condos that have just partial kitchens. They are pretty much set up for families doing just what you are doing. Unless you have a studio but with that crowd I bet it is a condo.

Try making Kalua Pork "loose meat" or BBQ sandwiches one night- the brand to look for in Costco is Mays- three bubble packs in one package. The flavor is fantastic in this brand. Just saute some onion, add the pork and if you like, put in some BBQ sauce. One of Hawaii's best food items- Kalua Pork.

Maybe Make Chinese chicken salad out of the Costco rotisserie chicken- they carry Won ton chips (or Wun Tun depending on which brand) in sizable plastic containers. And three-packs of mandarin oranges.

If you do have grills available how about kebobs- Costco has packs of Polish sausage rings- skewer hunks of it with peppers and onions, marinate with shoyu/ garlic powder and enjoy. large Bamboo skewers are easily found. Something I do when I grill kebobs is to also skewer hunks of fresh pineapple (not with the other ingredients), use the same marinade and grill. Delicious.

Have a ball in Kona!

 
I assume it is breakfast and dinner you are making- right? Here is a bfst idea

This is in T&T but it has served me well for years when I have a crowd- make it up the night before and bake it in the morning.

Also, if you can roast a turkey any way- that is always a great thing to have around for a crowd for lunches or dinner. Turkeys are kind of hard to find in Hawaii this time of year but I bet you can find one.

This is a brunch casserole- really tasty and easy

http://www.eat.at/swap/forum10/2_CZS_BRUNCH_CASSEROLE

http://www.eat.at/swap/forum10/2_CZS_BRUNCH_CASSEROLE

 
I vote for a ham. Use for dinner one night then breakfasts/sandwiches.

Also no fuss. Just stick in the oven for a few hours.

 
I would have said ham too but I know our Costco on Kauai does not carry them

except at holiday time (only sliced luncheon ham all the time)- so I have to think Kona might be the same. You might be able to find a frozen ham at a grocery store though- it will be plenty of $

You never know- Kona might be different and have big hams.

 
WOW! so many GREAT ideas everyone.... have made copious notes! The resort is

the Kona Coast Resort and I don't see mention of a grill, or see one in any of the pictures. Will ask, though. Also great idea about asking for pans or things we may need. The kitchen may be better stocked than I think. Must begin honing the menu and shopping lists!

Thanks all - you always come through for me smileys/smile.gif

www.shellhospitality.com/hotels/kona_coast_resort/accommodations.html>

 
Cathy, is the kahlua pork just a seasoned, roasted, shredded pork? I mean, is it dry-no sauce?

 
It is Kalua not Kahlua-Cooked in a pit in the ground. No sauce. Seasoned this way:

Pig rubbed with Hawaiian salt and cooked underground. A fire is started using Kiawe wood (Mesquite) that heats special rocks. When rocks are ready banana stalks, pig put in, covered with more banana leaves and stalks, a layer of burlap then covered with dirt. Cooked for many, many hours. So what comes out is moist, very delicious pork. Shredded with no extra seasoning- it doesn't need it. And it is not at all dry. The banana stalks and leaves impart a wonderful flavor- not to mention the Kiawe too.

Commercially it is roasted sometimes in ovens- the result is similar.

The name Kalua Pork has nothing to do with Kahlua the liquor. If you try it please take my suggestion of brand- buy May's at Costco not the others. The May's comes in bubble packs- you have to take forks and separate the pork because it is packed tightly in a ball. It relaxes when heated up. Absolutely delicious.

 
It's on my Costco list! Thanks so much Cathy. BTW, I knew it was 'kalua' not 'kahlua' - mistyped!

 
Costco here has frozen pkgs of marinated beef, I think called carne asada, but in citrus marinade or

a cilantro marinade and very good for quick sauteeing and into tortillas. have more tortillas available too for wraps and tacos and even breakfast burritos.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top