Cook gravid meal on the go with these helpful bakshish — whether you ’re remodeling , save money while travel , or limit on healthy dining options .

This preceding summer , I expend more than seven week on the road — and I did n’t deplete in a eating place once . As much as I love din out in normal times , the resurgence of COVID along with crowd , understaffed restaurants in the holiday spots I visited , made me give restaurant dining a pass this year . Make no mistake , I will be back ; dine out is one of the greatest joys of traveling . However , it ’s good to know that you’re able to in truth cook jubilant , vacation - stylus meal in a hotel way . It helps immensely that these days , most lodgings come equipped with at least a electric refrigerator and a microwave oven . And many national hotel brands offer belittled kitchenette with two - burner cooktops to make cooking on a road trip even loose .

Here ’s how I managed to eat splendidly for 45 twenty-four hours while cooking without a kitchen .

family packing car for road trip

Credit: vorDa/Getty Images

Top Tips for Cooking in a Hotel Room

Here are my top lessons learned that prove misrepresent on a road misstep is potential .

Essential Equipment for an On-the-Go Kitchen

Cooking in hotel rooms require pitch up a travelling cooking kit of indispensable tools . The trick is to keep it all organized , ready to hand , and minimum — with as few breakable items as potential . No unitaskers allowed inmytoolbox : I did n’t bring a garlic public press ( a knife mince just fine ) , a grater ( I used a tongue to chop things delicately ) , nor a vegetable exotic dancer ( I scraped or peeled veggies the old - fashioned way — with a paring knife ) .

I had everything I needed with these essentials , which I packed in one orotund charge plate tote .

Tip : I did not find myself in need of coffee mugs . Most hotel rooms come outfit with coffeemakers and mugs , or at least heatproof report cup . The latter is n’t ideal , but I treasure have one less matter to pack . Measuring cups and spoonful ? you may believably guesstimate total . After all , since you have no oven , you ’re not baking anything — and that ’s when exact measurements are fundamental .

Homemade Microwave Mac and Cheese mugs napkins

Credit: Emily Fink

Optional Equipment for Your Travel Cooking Kit

If you ’ll be travel for many day , you may want some of these nice - to - have items load down too .

  • Note that some hotel rooms explicitly forbid cooking appliances beyond the microwave and coffeemakers provided . Be certain to follow the rules .

My Traveling Pantry

At home , I have dozen of herbs and spices , all kinds of pasta and grains , and direction too many unlike motley of vinegar and oils . On the road , when prepare in hotel rooms , I ’m a minimalist , produce do with just these staple .

Once I get to my destination , I stock up on these ledge - stable items :

10 Recipes You Can Cook in a Hotel Room

Now that you eff the basics , you ’ll be surprised at how many recipes you could ready in a hotel way that has a microwave and a fridge . Here are a few to get you started :

Truth be told , I was amazed at how much play it was to cook in a hotel room . For me , devising a great meal with a minimum of tools and ingredients brought the same kind of satisfaction I get when solving a ambitious puzzle . But before you hit the route , I have just one more word of advice : Whether you whisk up no - cook salads and sandwiches or call on the microwave oven or a two - burner cooktop , the trick is to keep it simple . You ’re on holiday , after all . Enjoy !