How to plan a week of vacation cooking for your rental house

I see myself as a confident, competent cook, seasoned from years of stovetop fails and the occasional singed eyebrow. So I was surprised at how much anxiety I felt about grocery shopping when I was planning a remote work getaway to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The house was about 45 minutes away from the nearest supermarket, and I wanted to prepare at least four dinners, so it made the most sense to pack most of our groceries before our long drive. This scenario crops up every time I rent a cabin or a beach house with friends, which constitutes most of the vacations I’ve taken in my late 20s and early 30s.

A week’s worth of dishes to make in your vacation rental this summer

After a few days of fretting, I resolved to make a plan. With a little extra research, prep work and an assist from YouTube, I put together a menu of meals that proved exciting yet manageable. I’ve taken what I’ve learned over a decade of group trips to help save you the stress in the thick of summer rental season.

Here are six tips for planning a week of cooking on vacation.

BYO spices and condiments

Don’t assume your host’s cupboard has anything to offer beyond a generic salt-and-pepper set or an open bag of clumpy sugar. You might hit the jackpot with a full spice rack, but if you’re banking on smoky Spanish paprika or garam masala to complete a recipe, you better bring those from home.

Bottles of ketchup, mustard or olive oil might be on-hand when you arrive, but how do you think they got there? The last sap left them after buying a new bottle when they only needed a quarter-cup. I’m less nervous than most — in my family, expiration dates were considered to be suggestions, not rules — but if it’s shelf-stable, it will probably survive a long car trip, even mayonnaise. When in doubt, use your nose.

Here’s how long those condiments in your fridge and pantry are supposed to last

Load up on carbs and starches

Dry goods are an obvious staple for the traveling cook. If you’re with a group, boiling a pot of pasta with a simple tomato sauce is also a no-brainer. I’ve made a giant batch of spaghetti on so many of these trips that my friends now expect it out of me. Just because I splurge on San Marzano tomatoes and packets of ground beef, pork and veal doesn’t mean you should. Dump a jar of your favorite marinara in the pot and call it a day. I like Newman’s Own Sockarooni Sauce; it’s packed full of sweet and sour vegetables (plus, it’s fun to say Sockarooni).

You’ll also want sliced bread for a ubiquitous lunch of cold cuts; cereal or oatmeal for breakfast; and a baguette, Italian bread or ciabatta that you’ll use to make garlic bread, winning the affection of your housemates with very little extra…