Are you looking for easy meals you can make in a hotel with a fridge and microwave? You’ve come to the right place.
Traveling is fun, but it can be expensive! Especially when feeding a family on the road. Plus, it can be tiresome to eat meals out all the time.
That’s why we’ll eat some of our meals in our hotel room when we travel. They are usually no-fuss meals that can quickly be cooked using the microwave and fridge in the room.
Regarding hotel room cooking, breakfast is one of the easiest meals to make. And it’s one of the biggest money savers.
However, sometimes you want to stay in for the evening to wind down after a long day, so an easy dinner is all you need.
That’s where this guide comes in! You can make many meals in your hotel room using a fridge and microwave. You just need to know what to bring with you or buy at the grocery store.
The guide below shares everything you need to know about making meals in your hotel room, including meal ideas and necessities. These are also easy meals for when you’re on vacation but don’t want to really cook. Let’s dive in!
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Be Prepared for Hotel Room Cooking
Before you even think about making meals in your hotel with a microwave and fridge, make sure you have everything you need!
Dishes and Cutlery
When we plan to make breakfast or dinner in our hotel, we bring paper plates, bowls, plastic cutlery, etc. Most hotels will provide glasses or cups.
Other items you may consider bringing are a paring knife for cutting vegetables or fruit and seasonings, like salt and pepper, in these travel containers.
Food
We need the ingredients if we’re making meals in our hotel room!
If you are renting a car or driving to your destination, bringing food with you is easy. Or you can stop at a local grocery store on your way to the hotel.
If you are flying to your destination but not renting a car, grocery delivery is the most convenient option.
Condiments
Having the right condiments can make or break a hotel room meal.
We save extra ketchup, salt and pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, and other packets anytime we eat at a fast food restaurant or have takeout.
When it’s time to travel, I’ll throw them in a plastic container or bag to bring with us. That way, we don’t have to buy a huge ketchup or mustard bottle for one or two meals.
Trash Bags
Lastly, bring some extra bags to collect trash or reuse the plastic bags from the grocery store.
Trash cans in hotel rooms are notoriously small, and many hotels offer limited housekeeping. You’ll want something to throw your trash and food waste into to throw into a larger trash can in the lobby.
Styrofoam Cooler With Ice
Lastly, keep in mind the size and capabilities of the in-room fridge. Most are not very large, and some don’t work very well to keep foods cool.
You want to avoid bringing a week’s worth of groceries into your room only to find that you do not have space in the fridge.
If you need more space, purchase a Styrofoam cooler and fill it with ice. Refill as needed throughout your stay!
Easy Breakfast Ideas For Your Hotel Room With a Fridge and Microwave
1. Eggs & Bacon/Sausage
Crack an egg into a glass or coffee mug, add some salt or cheese, and throw it into the microwave for about a minute. Add some pre-cooked bacon or sausage for a side, and you have a protein-packed meal.
2. Breakfast Scramble in a Cup
For an even easier version of the above recipe, grab some breakfast cups like Just Crack An Egg or Jimmy Dean Simple Scrambles Breakfast Cup. Follow the directions and enjoy!
3. Hard Boiled Eggs
Some people enjoy a light breakfast, and usually, two hard-boiled eggs and some fruit are all they need. You can purchase them pre-cooked or make some before heading out on your trip.
4. Oatmeal & Fruit
One of the easiest things to make in a hotel with a microwave is a cup of oatmeal! Pick up your favorite flavor, add water, and pop it into the microwave. Have some fresh fruit along with it to make it a little more interesting.
5. Bagel and Cream Cheese
Even if you don’t have a toaster, you can still enjoy a bagel with cream cheese or butter and jelly in the morning. This would pair well with a hard-boiled egg or scrambled egg in a cup.
6. Yogurt with Cereal Bar or Muffin
Yogurt cups store well in a hotel room fridge. Pair your favorite with a cereal bar or muffin for a quick and easy breakfast to go.
7. Cereal and Milk
Just add milk to cereal in a cup for a quick and easy hotel room breakfast. Don’t buy the gallon of milk because that won’t fit in the fridge. A quart or smaller would work best.
Hotel Room Dinner Ideas Using a Fridge and Microwave
Often when traveling, eating dinner out can grow tiresome and expensive. Some nights it’s nice to have dinner back at the hotel, so you can relax, swim at the pool, or rest up for another busy day.
Believe it or not, it’s pretty easy to cook dinner in your hotel room using just a fridge and microwave, thanks to the many pre-made options in grocery stores. Remember, it won’t be a gourmet meal. But it will save you money and time!
8. Rotisserie Chicken With Pre-Made Mashed Potatoes & Veggies
One of our go-to easy meals on vacation is rotisserie chicken with an easy side. Usually, we’ll pick up the pre-made mashed potatoes in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
But you can pick up any side you like! Other good options are Ready Rice or making a baked potato in your hotel room microwave.
Add some frozen veggies on the side, and you have a meal rivaling any from a full kitchen.
9. Pulled Pork Sandwiches With Mac & Cheese
Another easy meal to make in a hotel room with a microwave is pulled pork sandwiches with macaroni and cheese as a side.
You can pick up pre-made pulled pork (or chicken) in the meat section of your grocery store. Brands like Jack Daniels and Curly’s are usually good.
Heat it up, throw it on a hamburger bun, and serve it with some microwavable Kraft mac & cheese in a cup to keep everyone happy. You could put together a salad kit for some greens on the side.
10. Cheese-Filled Pasta and Caesar Salad
Ravioli and tortellini are favorites in our house, so they also make a perfect meal when traveling.
Thanks to brands like Bertolli, we can pick up pre-cooked cheese-filled pastas, like ravioli, in the freezer section and within a few minutes in the microwave, have dinner ready to go.
We like to pair our pasta dishes with a Caesar salad. Thankfully, grocery stores sell easy salad kits that don’t require any cutting or chopping.
11. Soup and a Salad
Confession: I love soup! I could eat it every day for lunch or dinner. There are so many varieties and styles, and it’s a perfect meal no matter what kind of mood you’re in.
Even better, it’s super easy to cook in your hotel room. Purchase a microwavable, pre-made soup, and heat it up. Easier and cheaper than picking some up at Panera.
Add a pre-made salad or a salad kit as a side, and you have a complete meal that will take little effort.
12. Chicken Wraps
Sometimes, hotel rooms have a refrigerator but no microwave. So what’s a good dinner idea? How about some chicken wraps!
You can purchase pre-cooked chicken strips in the grocery store’s meat section. Grab some tortilla wraps and a Caesar salad kit, and you’ve got the fixing for a chicken Caesar salad wrap.
13. Chicken Fajitas
Oh wait, you do have a microwave? Now you can change those cold chicken wraps into hot fajitas.
Buy the fajita-style pre-cooked chicken strips, tortilla wraps, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Heat the chicken and build your fajita with the toppings you like. And enjoy! Add a side of microwavable Mexican rice, and you’ll have one tasty hotel room meal.
14. Meatballs and Spaghetti
A quick and easy meal we make on almost every vacation is meatballs and spaghetti. It satisfies everyone at the table and requires limited effort.
It’s just as easy of a meal to make in your hotel room microwave.
Place frozen Italian meatballs into a bowl and cover with tomato sauce. Heat according to package directions.
For the pasta, try pre-cooked pasta, like Barilla’s Ready Pasta. Serve with some frozen vegetables or a salad kit.
15. Loaded Baked Potato
We recommended a baked potato as a side earlier, but it can also be a meal. Follow the cooking directions for a microwavable baked potato. But after it’s cooked, add your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream, and bacon.
If you need a little more protein, consider topping it with some pre-made chili. Just make sure to buy the pop-top cans and not the kind you need a can opener for.
Cooking in a Hotel Room: Things to Keep in Mind
Even though your hotel room has a microwave and fridge, there are some things you shouldn’t do when cooking in a hotel room.
- To start, don’t use unsanctioned appliances. Most likely, the hotel you are staying in doesn’t want you to use your toaster from home. Plus, specific devices can be fire hazards, like hot plates.
- Speaking of fire hazards, if you ignore the above advice, please do not leave your room with an appliance plugged in! I’ve read many hotel visitors’ stories of putting food in a slow cooker and leaving for the day. This is not only a fire hazard but also inconsiderate to other hotel guests. Can you imagine walking down the hallway smelling someone’s chili cooking all day?
Wrapping Up Easy Hotel Room Meals
This list of meals to make in your hotel room with a fridge and microwave is not all-encompassing, but it’ll give you a head start on planning.
For more ideas, walk around the grocery store before your next vacation and see what pre-made foods they offer. There are many options in the store’s freezer and refrigerated sections.
Feel free to spend a little more on pre-cut fruits, vegetables, and pre-made dishes. You’ll still pay less than you would if you ate out at a restaurant.
Also, another option is to stay at hotel with FREE breakfast and rooms with a full kitchen. We love staying at Homewood Suites (like the one near Disneyland) for this reason.
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