Food Ideas to Save Money

[WDWFigment]

So we are trying to save money for our August trip, and are having trouble coming up with food products that could be checked with our luggage on the plane. As such, they can't be something that damages easily (loaf of bread and eggs are out!) nor can they be something that requires refrigeration (prior to being opened). We also would like foods of substance/sustenance, so Nutty Buddy bars and Oatmeal cream pies are out!

Thus far our only ideas are PBJ sandwiches on bagels and trail mix with nuts. Any other ideas?

 

[erasure fan1]

I would just go to the goodings or publix once you get to the world so you dont have to worry about it. Thats what we do, then your not so limited in what you can get. I would have said oatmeal pies! I love em!:lol:

 

[goofyfamily]

Before we did the dining plan we used to pack one bag with just some food and snacks. We would pack cereal, spoons, and plastic bowls, crackers and cheese, pop tarts, any kind of snack such as pretzles or pringles in the can. We would also fold a disposable cooler in there and buy milk at the gift shop to keep in the cooler and orange juice.

 

[EpcotGrl]

I usually bring some little cups of applesauce (they don't have to be refrigerated!), pretzels, jerky, and peanut butter cracker sandwiches (was that clear? I can't think of a better way to describe them). Those new oatmeal bar things area great, too, and not too sugary. Have fun, and good luck brainstorming! :wave:

 

[WDWFigment]

I would just go to the goodings or publix once you get to the world so you dont have to worry about it. Thats what we do, then your not so limited in what you can get. I would have said oatmeal pies! I love em!:lol:

How far are these stores from the nearest location I can get to taking the MEARS bus? (As in, what resort/park/location do we go to, then how long is the walk). We don't have a rental car, as we take DME.

 

[snowhyte]

I bring cereal and plastic bowls and spoons, juice boxes and candy (we're snackers :slurp: ). if you will have a coffee pot in your room you can also make instant oatmeal or instant soups by heating the water in the coffee pot.

 

[erasure fan1]

How far are these stores from the nearest location I can get to taking the MEARS bus? (As in, what resort/park/location do we go to, then how long is the walk). We don't have a rental car, as we take DME.

the goodings (sp?) is by downtown disney so you could take the bus there and then walk. I dont remember how far it is you might want to map quest it. The saratoga springs resort is the closest if I remember right. Hope that helps.

 

[WDWFigment]

Ohhh, I didn't even think about the fact that the rooms don't have microwaves when I added oatmeal to the list. Does anyone know if the cheapest rooms in the value resorts have coffee makers in them???

 

[Fievel]

No Coffee makers in the value resorts, although if you buy a refillable mug, you can drink all the soda/coffee/juice you want for one price for your whole stay.

Value resorts also have a microwave in the food court area for things like popcorn, which is small enough to bring along.

 

[CleveRocks]

How far are these stores from the nearest location I can get to taking the MEARS bus? (As in, what resort/park/location do we go to, then how long is the walk). We don't have a rental car, as we take DME.

First of all, you can't take a Mears bus anywhere. Mears isn't a city bus, you can't just hop on one and take it to a store or from one resort to another. And as for DME, you can ONLY take the DME bus from the airport to YOUR resort ... you can't choose to go to a different resort instead.

The best idea is a grocery delivery. There's Gooding's, a local supermarket that delivers, as well as Garden Grocer, a stand-alone delivery service. You don't have to wait around for the delivery, they deliver right to Bell Services (Gooding's does this automatically, with GG you have to request it but it's a standard thing to do). Bell Services will even keep your cold stuff cold for you!

We're not huge breakfast eaters, and most of our crew are sleepy-heads, so we save time and money by eating breakfast in the room; this has the added benefit of letting our kids ease into the day just like at home, rather than rushing them out the door to go to the food court and from there on to the parks.

Our orders have typically consisted of cold cereal, milk, OJ, bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, cheese sticks, deli-sliced American cheese, instant oatmeal (you can heat the water in the coffee maker!!!), bananas, grapes, apples, bread, PB, jelly, bottled water, and maybe some junk like Oreos and chips and soda.

The $15 or $20 delivery fee is MUCH LESS than a taxi would cost, plus you didn't have to waste time shopping and getting to and from a store and searching around and waiting in line there.

I've used Gooding's twice and was completely satisfied both times.

 

[dazzle_em55]

I alway pack some rations in my suitcase. Cerial bars, fruit snack, etc. to snack on durring the day.

We buy/bring a box of cerial and buy milk from the resort store.

Oatmeal is a great possibliity. Most of the resorts have a hot water spout on the coffie dispencer for hot tea so you could use that water!!

 

[WDWFigment]

First of all, you can't take a Mears bus anywhere. Mears isn't a city bus, you can't just hop on one and take it to a store or from one resort to another. And as for DME, you can ONLY take the DME bus from the airport to YOUR resort ... you can't choose to go to a different resort instead.

The best idea is a grocery delivery. There's Gooding's, a local supermarket that delivers, as well as Garden Grocer, a stand-alone delivery service. You don't have to wait around for the delivery, they deliver right to Bell Services (Gooding's does this automatically, with GG you have to request it but it's a standard thing to do). Bell Services will even keep your cold stuff cold for you!

We're not huge breakfast eaters, and most of our crew are sleepy-heads, so we save time and money by eating breakfast in the room; this has the added benefit of letting our kids ease into the day just like at home, rather than rushing them out the door to go to the food court and from there on to the parks.

Our orders have typically consisted of cold cereal, milk, OJ, bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, cheese sticks, deli-sliced American cheese, instant oatmeal (you can heat the water in the coffee maker!!!), bananas, grapes, apples, bread, PB, jelly, bottled water, and maybe some junk like Oreos and chips and soda.

The $15 or $20 delivery fee is MUCH LESS than a taxi would cost, plus you didn't have to waste time shopping and getting to and from a store and searching around and waiting in line there.

I've used Gooding's twice and was completely satisfied both times.

Thanks for the information about grocery delivery, I'm sure it's worth it if you have a big family or are staying a large number of days, but for two people on a 5 day trip (we will probably only pack one lunch and eat breakfasts in the room) the delivery free is nearly the one plate at Chef Mickey's.

I was already aware that I couldn't take the MEARS bus to some store off property. That's why I said "then how long is the walk from there." I also never said anything about DME taking me elsewhere. As for not being able to take the buses from one resort to another, while it might not be "allowed" it definitely is possible. Either find a nice bus driver late at night, or take a bus to DtD, a park, or the transportation center, then transfer to the bus that goes to the resort closest to the Goodings. I doubt I will do that since it's my vacation and probably not worth the time, but that's what I meant.

Any other ideas for food items I can pack, and will make it through the flight?

 

[Dwarful]

If you like tuna fish you can get those starkist pouches and eat them w/crackers. I'd pack them in a glad container just in case. My kids love all of the new '100 calorie' packs for snacks. You could of course bring your own jar of PB and a jar of jelly and then buy your bread in the gift shop. If you really want to be cheap, when you buy your bread just use the jelly at the food court. You can also buy kids meals which are an ample size and easier than fixing food on your trip. We also have done the whole cereal/bowls/spoons just because I like to be able to get up early, get something in the kids before we leave for the parks. I always pack one bag w/nothing but our snacks/food items so I have an empty suitcase for the stuff we buy at WDW!

For this trip I am bringing along some of those country time lemonade individual packets (taking 36 people w/girl scout troop) to put in packs/backpacks in the parks. My hope is that the girls will drink more free water if I put something like that in it, helping them stretch their limited budgets.

when are you going and which value will you be at? I am taking a girl scout troop in August..I"ll be the crazy lady feeding fruit loops to the zoned out kids at 7am

 

[monorailguy01]

My friends and I always bring a suite case full of just food for our room, and we usually bring easy stuff to pack, fruit snacks, crackers, begals, cereal, pop tarts stuff like that, and we would just go to the food court to get the butter and milk that we would need, small things like that mean you can put them in your pockets to eat while your walking around the parks. and we always wind up bringing alot home but its worth it. if your looking for like a heavy meal for like lunch or dinner, we bought these packages of like pasta with the sauce all ready mixed in all we had to do was put it in a bowl and heat it up. theres alot of little things like that you can bring. if your fight is not long try like hot pockets and ask for a fridge in your room to keep them fresh.

Have a good trip

pack more food then you should

 

[ThinkTink721]

Last year, we boxed up chips, pop tarts, snack cakes & can cokes.
We put them on the plane w/ our regular luggage & it was delivered right to our room.
:wave:

 

[tigger1968]

There is also the option of mailing a package to yourself in advance. I have heard that the resort will hold it for you until your arrival. I don't have personal experience with this, but I remember reading about it.

 

[nckid110]

Well for the hot water problem you can buy a electric water kettle and put it in your suitcase im pretty sure they will let you bring it on the plane but thats what I think my parents are doing for our trip.

 

[WDWFigment]

If you like tuna fish you can get those starkist pouches and eat them w/crackers. I'd pack them in a glad container just in case. My kids love all of the new '100 calorie' packs for snacks. You could of course bring your own jar of PB and a jar of jelly and then buy your bread in the gift shop. If you really want to be cheap, when you buy your bread just use the jelly at the food court. You can also buy kids meals which are an ample size and easier than fixing food on your trip. We also have done the whole cereal/bowls/spoons just because I like to be able to get up early, get something in the kids before we leave for the parks. I always pack one bag w/nothing but our snacks/food items so I have an empty suitcase for the stuff we buy at WDW!

For this trip I am bringing along some of those country time lemonade individual packets (taking 36 people w/girl scout troop) to put in packs/backpacks in the parks. My hope is that the girls will drink more free water if I put something like that in it, helping them stretch their limited budgets.

when are you going and which value will you be at? I am taking a girl scout troop in August..I"ll be the crazy lady feeding fruit loops to the zoned out kids at 7am

Thanks for the suggestions. And actually, we are looking to be as cheap as possible (college jobs don't pay quite as well as those 'real world' ones ), so the jelly from the food court sounds like a good idea. On the subject of thriftiness, are there mayonnaise packets in the food court as well (I would assume so, but I just want to make sure)? Will need some of those if we bring tuna!

As for another poster's suggestion to bring cans of soda, we have considered the idea, but ultimately it is more efficient for us to buy one of the refillable mugs, and just share that. That way we have a wide array of choices for drinks/mixers. (Please no one go on a moral tirade about how this is unethical. You have your opinions, I have mine. We are doing this regardless of counterpoints made by others).

We'll be there August 16th-21st. Don't know which resort yet, but we're trying for Pop Century or AS Movies!

 

[ConstanceIrene]

Can you afford $40 per day (per person) for food? If it's a possibility, why not just book the dining plan and know that you'll have plenty of good food during your stay.

Do some math and figure how much you intend to spend each day. Perhaps the dining plan isn't that much more. Good luck!!

 

[WDWFigment]

I actually had written the dining plan off because I thought there were specific rules (You have to get the plan for as many days as your trip; you have to purchase at least one park ticket per person on the plan(?)), and I wasn't planning on buying any park tickets because a friend in the CP will have tickets for us.

But now it looks as if we'll each be buying at least a one day pass. Does anyone know if the dining plan works with CM discounted hotel rates? Additionally, are you required to purchase the plan for each day of your stay? It still might work out for us overall, as we plan on going to Chef Mickey's and Coral Reef, as well as eating lunch and dinner each day in the parks at quick service restaurants. I plan on calling WDW Dining later, but I am at work now, and couldn't find the answers to these questions by searching.