Tips for Cooking Holiday Meals in a Destin Vacation Rental

It’s time for holiday planning! Time to start coordinating where, when, and meal prep for the winter holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah. For many families gathering at the beach for the holidays has become a cherished tradition. 30A and Destin vacation rentals provide a home away from home in a gorgeous setting to gather and celebrate the holidays with loved ones. The best part is that when the celebration is over, you’ll enjoy leaving the cleaning to someone else. 

Here are our top tips for cooking holiday meals at your beach vacation rental:

Plan Ahead.

The key to any successful meal is good planning. Start by finding out what is everyone’s favorite holiday dish. Then consider family recipes and holiday traditions. Next, find out if anyone has any food allergies. Then consider family recipes and holiday traditions. Is there a dish that the family can make together? Start to build a menu that can feed a large group but also can repurpose left overs into tomorrow’s meal. Check out our Southern Caviar recipe, which is delicious on day one and tastes even better on day two.

KISS - Keep It Super Simple. 

As you are planning your menu, consider dishes that use limited pantry ingredients as you’ll have to buy or bring all ingredients, including sauces, spices (even salt & pepper), and extracts. Lean on ingredients and seasonings that you like and know how to cook in multiple ways. This approach streamlines shopping and cuts down on food waste and the volume of items you have to bring from your own kitchen.

Think it, Bring It.

While the vacation rental includes a full kitchen stocked with pots, pans, casserole dishes, cooking utensils, knives, dinnerware, and flatware, it may not have what you normally use at home. If you have a favorite baking dish bring it. As a space-saving measure, pack your favorite spices, knives, and go-to kitchen items inside the dish. Unfortunately, vacation rental kitchens don’t always have the sharpest knives so bring your favorite chef knife or a knife sharpener with you.

Shop Local.

Locally sourced, fresh ingredients make meals tastier and support the local community. In Destin, fresh seafood markets are all around town so consider planning menu items such as shrimp and grits or locally caught fish, which is a win for your tastebuds and the local fishermen. Of course, a trip to the grocery store is a must and Destin offers several options ranging from Whole Foods to Publix to Winn Dixie. In addition, there are a variety of farmer’s markets on varying days of the week. Check out this list of Destin Famer’s Markets from the Destin Mom Collective. Want to make the most of your time at the beach? Consider using a personal shopper service such as Be My Shopper, which will shop for you and deliver and stock your vacation rental.

Final Meals & Last Supper.

To help use up left overs, reduce waste, and clean out the refrigerator, make your last meals “kitchen sink” meals. For breakfast consider scrambles, omelets, and hash that use up remaining veggies, potatoes, etc. Stews, pizzas, pastas, and other family-style dishes are great for left overs and make the most of your groceries and meal budget.

Ready to book your vacation rental for the holidays? View our collection of 30A, Miramar Beach, Crystal Beach and Destin vacation rental homes and condos online or call one of our local vacation specialists at 1-800-225-7652. Remember to always book direct with Newman-Dailey for our best rate guarantee.  

See you @ the beach to celebrate the holidays!