Enjoying the view
Everyone likes to save money where they can. And with recession and austerity measures filling the headlines in recent years, it’s no surprise that more and more skiers have been choosing self-catering options when going abroad.
That’s exactly what I did last week. Eight of us jumped in our cars and headed for the Alps (do you know how much easyJet charge to take your skis?!) and 24 hours later arrived in our chalet for the week.
There’s nothing better to come home to than an open fire.
Those of you who have tried to fend for yourselves in a ski resort will already know how limited the choice can be in the convenience ‘supermarkets’ and how expensive it is. Those of you who haven’t had that experience yet – the answer is very.
And when you also consider the limited space and facilities of some self-catering apartments, plus utensils and cooking equipment that have definitely seen better days, you may:
- Wonder why you bothered
- Make a half-hearted attempt to concoct something edible, then
- Eat out for the rest of the week, thus defeating the whole point of saving money.
So here are my top tips for surviving a week’s self-catering holiday in the Alps (although most of them apply in any holiday situation):
- Take your own knife
Whether you’re driving or flying then my top tip is to take your own knife. Note: don’t carry the knife in your hand luggage if you’re flying. Come on, you’re not an idiot. Knife maintenance is not top of people’s priorities when sorting out properties, and have you ever tried to cut an onion with a glorified butter knife? It’s not fun. (A tin opener is handy too!) - Pack a big pot
The ones provided will probably be minimal and not big enough – especially if there are more than four of you. This clearly doesn’t apply if you’re flying somewhere, there are far more important things to put in that precious space. - Share the load
If you’re travelling with a group then arrange to cook a night each. Not only does it spread the load so that one person doesn’t get lumbered with it all, but it’s more fun and saves you money as you only have to provide the ingredients for one or two meals. - Plan in advance
Whether or not you decide to spread the cooking load it’s always wise to take some essentials with you. Obviously if you’re driving then you can bring much bigger quantities, but even on a plane you can take some essentials. The last thing you want to do is to spend a small fortune on things that you’ll only use a small amount of – so measure things out in advance if you can. - Spice it up
Herbs and spices are expensive at the best of times and you don’t want to be re-buying things that you already have at home. Take your essentials – salt and pepper a must – and wrap them up individually in cling film. - Pack your own lunch
Lunches on the piste can be notoriously expensive so pack your own sandwich and eat it, enjoying the view. As you can see from the top photo, it’s well worth it. - Be ready to clean
Lots of self-catering apartments expect you to clean at the end of the week, but don’t always provide the equipment or products to do so. Now I’m not suggesting you bring your hoover with you, but some multi-purpose cleaner and some scourers and J-Cloths will set you in good stead. Washing-up liquid is also mighty handy to have. - Do your research
No matter how prepared you are, there will always be things that you are unable to pack and plan to buy locally. Be aware of things that you can’t get in the places you are staying. I once brought all of the ingredients to make some lovely fajitas when I was skiing, unaware of the fact that blocks of cheddar cheese and sour cream are virtually impossible to come by. Crème fraîche and straggly grated Emmental does the job, but it’s always good to know these things!
See also our features on creating the perfect chalet supper, Austrian cooking and Swiss cooking. Enjoy your holiday!
Bon appétit!
14 Responses to “How to Survive a Self-Catering Skiing Holiday: 8 Top Tips”
December 10, 2013
@welove2skiTop tips for self-catering this winter: https://t.co/bCeKy3UtAf
December 10, 2013
@chaletwengen“@welove2ski: Top tips for self-catering this winter: https://t.co/uvIZfXqpmp” – great tips but not all needed when staying with us!!
December 10, 2013
@skiingrhinoRT @welove2ski: Top tips for self-catering this winter: https://t.co/OK3pGPgy6t
December 10, 2013
@skiingrhinoDon’t > RT @welove2ski: Top tips for self-catering this winter: https://t.co/OK3pGPgy6t
December 10, 2013
DeniseAlways had to self cater, but swear by it for our family of four. I swear by one frozen home made meal wrapped and wrapped, and then defrosted thoroughly the next day! Always travel down by car too – you can stick the odd onion in / salt and pepper etc as point 5. Also load up on crisps and snacks which can be pricey locally. Love it and looking forward to the trip down in 2 weeks time!!
December 10, 2013
Erica AnsellI invested in an electric cool box for the car, fill it with loads of easy to cook meals and off you go. Also always take our own mugs, wine glasses and pillows, makes for a home from home holiday.
December 10, 2013
Alanwe have pots,knives, tin openers and bottle openers in our place. If driving shop in LIDL in the valley before coming up the mountain. We will even arrange for your cleaning to be done.
December 10, 2013
Michal Wlodarski9. Pack 10 dishwasher tabs – they always only have those large packs in local shops.
10. Take a corkscrew with you – you plan to need it, right?
December 11, 2013
Felice HardyGood idea about dishwasher tabs – and you’re so right: the packs in the local supermarket are always too big.
December 17, 2013
paul hodgettsWe sent a pallet of food and drink to last eight of us a week in france , direct from our home in cornwall to the front door of the chalet it left the day before us and arrived the day after we got to france just in time for breakfast ,the cost was 15 pound each plus food and drink the pallet will take a ton in weight, we only had to buy fresh bread , a great saving
December 17, 2013
Felice HardySounds like a great idea. Would be interested to know how you sent it? Was it through a French or UK company? Could you give us some more details?
December 28, 2013
paul hodgettsstarted with westfeilds transport of cornwall final delivery was with a French company , I think most transport companys are working together to keep cost down
September 1, 2015
mahalakshmiNice article about self – catering. I like your blog. thanks for sharing this wonderful post.
November 4, 2016
Robert LoblawI found these guys a few years ago: http://www.chaletkitchen.com They do a meal delivery service which takes the hassle out the kitchen which since I am always left with the cooking I really appreciated. 🙂