In less than a week, we head to San Diego for a much overdue family vacation. So this week our menu is driven by the need to eat all of the perishable items before we leave. We have a lot of fruit, vegetables, and Grilled Chicken on hand. Some of the items can be frozen, if necessary, but I am going to try to use as much of it as possible.
Breakfasts:
I will use up the lemons and berries in Lemon Berry Muffins. The kiwis and strawberries will be baked in Strawberry Kiwi muffins. I am going to replace the oil in the muffins with applesauce because I’m not sure the open jar in the refrigerator will last until we return from our trip. These recipe will create more muffins than we can eat in a week. I will freeze some, so we will have a premade breakfast when we return, and I will take some with us on our trip.
Any leftover eggs will be made into scrambled eggs. We will also eat up the yogurt, oranges, and bananas for breakfast. Hollow legs will be filled with oatmeal.
Lunches:
I will use up some leftover rice and chicken, as well as make a dent in to the carrots and celery with Chicken and Rice Soup. Serve with salad.
Use up bits of spaghetti sauce, beans, and taco meat in Miracle leftover Chili. Serve with Salad.
Use leftover chicken, and fresh vegetables in Pasta Salad.
Snacks:
Apples, Chewy Granola Bars, rice cakes with peanut butter or hummus, carrots and celery dipped in Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, trail mix, No-Bake Chocolate-Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies, dried fruit, and cereal (we don’t eat boxed cereal for breakfast, but I let the kids have it as a snack).
Dinners:
Monday – Baked Potato Bar and Salad
Tuesday – I will up leftover chicken and rice, as well as broccoli, carrots, cabbage, and asparagus in Stir Fry.
Wednesday – Asian Chicken Salad
Thursday – Chicken and Artichoke Pizza and Salad.
Friday – YOYO (You are On Your Own)
Saturday – On the road, hopefully leaving an empty refrigerator behind us!
Do you clean out the refrigerator before a trip? How about the house? If I find time I like to clean the house and do all the laundry before I go on vacation. It is less overwhelming for me to return to reality, if reality doesn’t mean unmade beds and a pile of laundry.
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Leah says
We rarely leave town for long enough that things will go bad and if we are going away for several days its generally for camping, so the stuff goes with us. But, I always clean and take out the garbage before we leave because I can't stand the idea of coming back to a cluttered stinky house. I will even clean the kitchen before going out on errands because I hate coming home to a bunch of dirty dishes.
Struggler says
Same here; I don't always manage it, but leaving the house in at least some semblance of order does make the return from vacation less traumatic. Invariably, when you come home and unpack it gets kind of trashed, but having some clean undies and food in the freezer makes the first couple of days less of a panic!
tamilyn says
I like to have the house clean and laundry done too so at least we have clean socks and undies and an outfit to wear when we get back and don't have to dump a load in the minute we get back. Always use the milk, eggs, bread and leftovers before we go too.
Elizabeth says
I too clean out the fridge before leaving to go out of town. Nothing is worse than thinking you have food in the house only to return and find that everything has gone bad. I'm going to try your lemon berry muffins this week!
Melissa says
Yes! We try to use up the perishables before we go on a trip. No one wants to come home to chunky milk and moldy bread. Your plan sounds both delicious and efficient.
Like you, I also try to clean the house and catch up on laundry before we go away. It makes the return home easier.