Don't forget the can opener! If you are going to cook pasta, you'll need something that will serve as a colander.

If you have time, why not cook a meal or two that you think you might prepare while out of town and see what you need.

bb, that's a good idea.

I was also just thinking maybe my smaller crock pot too..since we'll be at 3 or 4 different ball fields in town through out the days. And that way I can prep, and let it cook while we are away. I haven't seen the brackets yet, but know each team is guaranteed 5 games over 4 days, but I'm assuming the better you do, you may just see 1-3 more than that.

I also need to research farmers markets or other natural/healthy food shopping choices.

We've never packed the kids up and went this far from home for so long. (Sad, but True and they are 17, 12 and 9)

Now to ask a friend if she'll stop by once or twice and check on the critters while were gone too.

For four days I'd be thinking more along the lines of what PREPARED meals I could take. It's the staple ingredients (oil, spices, flour, condiments) that kill the budget when cooking on the road. Easier to pack a meal than all that. I'd take a lasagne, maybe some turkey in gravy, or chicken francaise, etc. that can be warmed up stovetop or in the oven.

I'm at a fully functioning kitchen right now at a bio station. I had to bring all my own food and utensils. I almost forgot the can opener, I went back for it actually. That would have been a problem! I stir fry a lot and miss my wok, but that would only be an issue if you stir fry and have a wok! I didn't own a wok for almost 20 years, so it's definately something you can do without. Something I DID bring, which I am loving, is a little hot pot that boils water. It's great for my morning beverages and cereal and hot chocolate and instant soups. I'd bring those kinds of things to eat and grab quick, rather than make a fast food run.

So far, the second most useful untensil I have is the cooler, since I've existed so far mostly on leftovers. I would bring good dishwashing equipment, lots of towels and sponges, etc. There are little portable plastic cutting sheets here that I greatly appreciate. Bring several GOOD knives, the kind you use most often. And bring spices!! A non-foodie would not think of this, but I so wish I had remembered to bring a little basic spice kit. What's basic depends on your cooking style. So far those are the things that I have either realy missed or used a lot.

I've done that routine more times than I can count and agree with foodonastump. Don't try to cook the same way you do at home. Keep it simple.

Cereal and fruit or bagels with cream cheese for breakfast, sandwiches and cookies for lunch and a casserole or easy meal for dinner. If you want to make something with lots of ingredients like beef stew for dinner, make it at home, freeze it and heat it up there.

It's only for four days and remember that whatever you buy there like mayo or mustard for sandwiches, etc., you'll have to either discard or bring back home with you so keep that in mind when you're shopping at your destination.

Most of all, have a good time on your trip. Good luck to the team.

Yes! For only four days, it would be easier to bring along prepared foods that you know your family likes, such as favorite casseroles, lasagna, chicken pot pie, enchiladas or whatever. I think I would scrounge some little packs of mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise for sandwich making. You could order in pizza one night or Chinese. Take lots of water and beverages that your boys like.

Use the foil pans for your meals that you will make at home, wrap in foil, freeze, and presto! no pans to have to cart back home. You could buy some cartons of ice cream there and have in the freezer for evening snacks. (I've got ice cream on my mind as it is very hot here!)

I've done that and find that the grill is my best friend. Often there has been one where we were but we also took a little cheapo portable with us....once we bought it there and laft it.
We grilled steaks, chops, chicken breasts, hot dogs etc.
With some greens and a nice loaf of breadw e were good to go....and the bread was toasted for morning. I would try to have a covered dish that can go both in the micro and oven for veggies and even scrambled eggs. Eggs do veryw ell in the micro at about 2/3 power for a minute.
Don't forget salt pepper, sugar, flour and condiments of your choice....liek catsup or mustard, mayo.
Nost of the kitchens I rented had at least a minimum of pots and pans....can't believe he has a house to rent but nothing in the kitchen!
He probably could provid a mostly equipped kitchen for $30 or so.
Enjoy!....I also can't stand the thoughts of going out for every meal!
Linda C

terri,
foodonastump (echoed by others) has the best idea! Cook at home and take it with you. Spend your time cheering the guys on rather than cooking!

For the first night, make sure something is ready to pop into the oven when you arrive. For similar trips with my family, lasagna is my go-to dish. I freeze it, then wrap it in many layers of newspaper. By the time we get to the beach, it is thawed but still quite cool. Here is an ehow.com article on packing frozen food for a road trip:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4441918_pack-frozen-food-car-ride.html

Also, go to the link below and stop your mail while you are gone. I think that online service is the greatest thing since sliced bread!

Here is a link that might be useful: U. S. Postal Service Hold Mail Service

My husband and I just returned from a weekend getaway with just such a situation as you describe..."fully equipped" kitchen and with us in the mode of hanging out watching the sun set over the ocean rather than driving into town to eat etc.

We do this twice a year, for a long weekend, and I've gotten quite expert. The accouterments of the "fully equipped" kitchen tend to change, so I always bring some basics. The important thing is to remember is kitchen items can play double roles in situations like this. A frypan can double as a lid for a large pot, a mixing bowl can serve as a serving dish or a soup tureen.

Ziplock bags are your friends. And a roll of saran wrap and foil can save you in any number of problem situations.

I find it helpful to write out a menu listing for all meals. Saturday breakfast, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner...etc. Once this is accomplished, it is much easier to think about what special utensils or seasonings you might need to bring. The menu, once written, is not chiseled into stone by any means, but it gives you a framework for packing. When you visualize making any given meal, you will find yourself suddenly remembering that you would need this or that which you hadn't thought of.

I have also found it a good idea to pack a few food items to cover, "just in case." Tins of smoked oysters, sardines, pate, Vienna sausages, crackers, a can or two of fruit, olives, pickles,some cheese, a few Top Ramens or Cup O'Noodles, cans of Campbell's soup, chili or pork and beans. Whatever quickie foods your family would eat without mutiny. These come in handy for the unexpected incident or the instance where the one whom everyone depends on to cook gets a bad headache or something.

Thanks everyone for your tips and ideas. We may have to leave our 12 yr old behind with friends, and then he'll/they'll be responsible for the pets and mail.

We won't have a final decision as to whom is or is not going until around the 18th. The trip "starts" on the 24th. EEEkkkkkk...

Nothing like not knowing until the last minute, wow. Why does the little guy have to stay behind, maybe?

I know you try to keep your meals healthy and local farmers markets would be great if there are any, but as has been mentioned, I wouldn't try to cook the same way I cooked at home.

Burgers, hotdogs, takeout pizza, cereal, canned soup would all be easy options. I don't think it's very hard or time consuming to throw some pork chops/fish filets/chicken into a skillet and bake or nuke potatoes, heat some vegetables and you'll have a whole meal. I'd save the time and ingredient intense sauces and such for another time, and I probably wouldn't try to bake my own bread, LOL.

Just relax, have fun and cheer your son on. It won't be the food he remembers.

Annie

Annie, you know me so well...I am currently looking at local area "food" attractions. The farmers market is on Saturday and Sunday, apparently only a few blocks from where we are staying..

Meals will definatley be made with fresh simple ingredients. I'll bring a few bread bags of homemade rolls. And might toss in a few ziplocs of premade dry ingredients for some other baking.

Hubby prefers Mircle Whip on his sandwiches, but the boys want them without "sauce". So a small jar of MW will get us/him through.

I just tripped across this little Gem..and can't wait to go in! Salumiere Cesario

And my middle boy will likely have his own baseball commitments. But we won't know that until the 18th. When the All Star choices are made public. He's league age 11, so that gives him two team choices. Well that gives two different Managers a choice. I hope he's on the 11-12 team(they play at home), but there is also the 10-11 team that doesn't play to far from home.
However, as a board member who has stressed for YEARS that if your child can't make every practice or game for the whole commitment, then your child should not be eligible to make the All Star team. So I will not be pulling my child for 4-5 days from practices, when their tournament starts about a week and a half later.

Terri aren't going to prepare any dishes in advance be sure to write down a list of the dishes you would like to make.

From that make a list of ingredients and cooking utensils required. Buying the oils, spices, condiments etc can really add up.

Here's a recipe I often make when on the road. I take along a sandwich bag with the basil and chicken broth pack in it and cut up the meat and vegetables in the morning and bag them.

I'll usually make a pack of Carolina yellow rice to serve with it but have been known to stop at a Chinese restaurant on the way home and get brown rice as a takeout.

SUMMER SKILLET SUPPER

1 (1 lb.) fully-cooked ham slice
2 large tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium size green pepper
1 medium size onion
1 medium size yellow squash (about 1/ 2 lb.)
2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb. total)
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/ 2 cup chicken broth or 1 envelope instant chicken broth mixed with 1/ 2 cup water
2 tsp.fresh chopped basil or 1/ 2 tsp. dried basil
1/ 2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. pepper

Cut ham into 1/ 4 inch strips, about 1-1/ 2 inches long. Cut each tomato into 8 wedges; cut pepper into 1/ 2 inch wide strips and onion into thin lengthwise slivers. Cut squashes into 1/ 4 inch wide slices, halving lengthwise if larger than 1 inch in diameter.

In wok or large skillet over medium high heat, cook ham and all vegetables, except tomatoes, in hot oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining ingredients, except tomatoes; stir and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomato wedges and continue cooking until tomatoes are heated through.

Terri,
Sounds like fun. After having been the tour of ball tournaments, I would also making up your food ahead of time and take with. Often we would want to stay and watch an extra game thus not getting back to bake a whole pan of lasagna. I would make ahead taverns, bbq pork, etc. that can be heated on the stove in 15 minutes for your main meal and then take with you to the park your cooler with sandwiches, fruit, chips, etc. so that you don't have to buy ball park food to tide you over. You could plan to tail gate at least one meal eating out of your car. And then there is the whole team is going out to eat together and you can then decide if you are sending just your son, etc. How close will you be to the fields? Sometimes it is not workable to drive back and forth in between games. Load up on gatorade, water and ice and have fun!!! This is a vacation!!! Deanna

Deanna,
There are several field locations, and I've not seen the brackets yet. I got a place that seems pretty central, and I don't think it's gapping miles between fields.

Ruthanna, that sounds good.

Sharon, definately going to work on a list. Hopefully this weekend. We don't have to much going on. But we have a 3 day tourney the weekend before we leave in a town 30 minutes away.

Terri,
I'm in the "cook ahead" camp.
You can bake a lasagne, cut into squares and wrap. Just nuke 'em when it's time to eat.
Add a fresh ingredient salad and some of those homemade rolls and you're set!
Other favorite casseroles can be baked ahead too.

Make some "McMuffins" ahead and freeze (eng. muffin, cheese, scrambled egg, ham, etc.).

Sandwich stuff is easy at the ball field.
Cheese/cracker/meat and fresh veggies is a nice change of pace.
Fresh fruit.

Try to minimize the number of different ingredients needed. For example, ham can be used for eggs/ham breakfast, cheese/ham sandwich, or chopped on a chef salad or added to a casserole.

What do you normally eat??
If cereal is big, bring some. Easy breakfast.
Make breakfast cookies for quick meal/snack.

Mostly, don't sweat the food, it's only 4 days, nobody's gonna starve or get so sick of a repeat in 4 days! LOL

However.................I AM watching this thread for ideas!!!! SMILE

Deanna

Terri, I don't know why but I always want to cook when I'm away too. LOL. The making a menu idea is what usually saves me. Like RachelEllen says it not like you have to stick to it but if you want to cook a few things while you're there and decide what it will be then you can go through the recipes and make sure you have what you need on hand. I always bring some good bread too. Who knows what bread they'll have? Smiles. Also I like to bring cans of stuff I know everyone likes for individual meals/snacks. Stuff like canned soup and tuna, and such. I always want soup with a sandwich even in summer. Weido, I know. But the idea is to have stuff you know they'll eat if nobody is making a meal at that minute. Enjoy the tournament. Sounds like fun.