How to Pack the Ultimate Self-catering Survival Kit

September 2, 2015 by Chasing the Rainbow in Travel Tips Post Comment

When travelling as a family, it works out far more cost effective to stay in self-catering accommodation, rather than full board or eating out at restaurants. Here are 16 must have items that you should not forget on your next self-catering family holiday:

Big black storage tub – Use this as a base for all your food. It is so much neater and easier to move with everything packed into a tub, rather than lots of packets or smaller containers. We usually take 2 tubs – one for all the spices, tins, sauces and dry goods and the other for drinks, cooking and cleaning materials. Pack the heavier items on the bottom, and put the fragile items like bread rolls at the top. (The hard lid means they won’t get squashed).
Cling film – perfect for keeping the flies off the food, packing picnic food and for covering left overs before you put them in the fridge.
Ziploc bags -Buy medium to large sized bags, and use these for marinating meat, and packing items that may leak such as oil, flour and sugar.
Dishwashing liquid, cloths and sponges – The washing liquid provided at most self-catering units is of poor quality and not enough. Although the accommodation may be serviced once a day, it is nice to be able to clean up after each meal, and it’s worth taking your own stuff along to make sure you are not left without.
Rubbish bags – It’s always handy to have a few large refuse bags.
Spices – take salt, black pepper, braai salt, mixed herbs, vegetable spice and stock cubes. You won’t need more than this and you can use these items on everything from eggs to braai meat.
Hot beverage kit – Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and sugar. Although most places provide complimentary hot beverages, we find they are just not enough, and it can be very messy with all the little individually wrapped items. Everything seems better after a cup of tea – make sure you go prepared!
2 x Soft cooler bags with 4 frozen ice blocks – If you are not driving too far, you can do your shopping before you go. If you are doing a long road trip, fold down your soft cooler bags in one of your tubs, and fill it with your shopping when you stop – one for meat, and the other for dairy and vegetables.
Sauces – Tomato sauce, mayonnaise, chutney, chilli sauce and braai marinade. That should cover everyone.
Tin foil – perfect for braai-ing vegetables, baking potatoes and wrapping food like freshly caught fish.
2 x Good knives – Holiday accommodation never has good sharp knives. Pack your favourite large knife and a paring knife, and chopping and slicing will be as easy as pie. Don’t forget to bring your knives home again – leave them in your tub after washing rather than putting them in the cutlery drawer or you could be sorry.
A good frying pan – same reason as with the knives. It’s the pits trying to cook food in a terrible pan.
Braai kit – tongs, charcoal, matches and firelighters. Although most places provide tongs, sometimes they are terrible. Braai-ing is a way of life in South Africa and you need to be well prepared.
Oil – we usually pack olive oil, sunflower oil and non-stick spray oil. Put them in a Ziploc bag so they don’t leak.
Mineral water – always take at least 5 litres of spring or prepared water. You never want to be without potable water.
Shopping list – pre plan your meals and write out a shopping list. It will save you lots of time and lots of space too! Holiday accommodation usually has small fridges, freezers and cupboards and you don’t want your shopping to take up too much room in the car. If you are staying off the beaten track, you want to avoid having to trek to the shops during R&R time because you forgot something.

We hope these 16 useful items help make your next holiday that bit easier. Do you have any items you think we should include on our list? Please let us know in the comments section below.