Vacation Prep is Exhausting for Frum Moms

amother

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:38 am

I'm in the Southern hemisphere so gearing up for our annual Summer vacation.

We are traveling to a vacation spot far away from kosher amenities, and even regular stores are miles away.

I'm already burnt out from a stressful year, and now I'm putting everything into catering in advance for every vacation meal for our largish family.

What exactly is the point of this, I'm thoroughly exhausted and would actually like to just leave everything behind and go and isolate myself from everyone far, far away...

When do moms get to relax??

amother

Seashell ↓

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:48 am

I am done with vacation, because it’s harder work for me than regular routine.

I don’t understand the longing and romanticizing of vacation.

A few hour get away where I clear my mind and don’t have to pack a suitcase, is enjoyable for me.

LeMortedeLilac

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:50 am

I know the feeling! I find that meals which can be outsourced help. So, for example, one night of vacation we'll have Chinese. I order chicken in garlic sauce, beef and broccoli and sesame chicken from our favorite chinese joint. Then I split containers in 2 (cuz were a small family) and freeze. Rice is made fresh in a pot, along with a salad, wherever we are. So that usually covers 2 nights of our trip. We also freeze meatballs in sauce, sausages with peppers, chicken marsala and beef stew. We make salads nightly and fresh pasta or rice as sides and no one complains. I find make most of these mains as crockpot meals and then freeze in containers. This way prep isn't so bad and we can just pack the yeti and go. I love that we get to travel to cool, off the grid places and see awesome stuff. If the meals are all premade, there's very little to do during the trip itself and I get to relax. Wishing you a wonderful trip with your family!

amother

↑ Seashell

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:51 am

My kids desperately wanted to go on vacation and I told them why I’m not interested.

My oldest was 17 at the time, he said he’d be in charge.
The kids really did the food/kitchen packing and it turned out to be very pleasant.

amother

Caramel

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:53 am

Yup! I'm trying to explain to my family that midwinter vacation this year has to be low key for me. I'm having a difficult pregnancy and can't think of packing everything but the kitchen sink and shlepping around.

Ema of 5 ↓

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:53 am

amother OP wrote:

That does sound super stressful! Is the location and vacation at least going to be relaxing? And will you be getting any help?
For me, the hardest part is that I don’t get much help with the cleaning and packing. Just like at home :-)

amother

Pearl

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:56 am

Simplicity is key. And traveling to place with local Kosher food options.

Granola bars. Sandwich bread. Peanut butter, Tuna, mayo, pickles, tradition soup, beef jerky, microwave popcorn,

Dinner - buy pizza, or do a simple bbq

amother

Wheat

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 11:56 am

Going away with the kids is not a vacation. Especially not for mom! It's hard work.
I work with lists & keep the food easy & simple. No advanced cooking.
I can type you up a list of what we take along later ih.

mha3484

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 12:02 pm

We go with a large group of families each year to an indoor water park for mid winter. I ran into an old neighbor with a bunch of little kids under 8 and she was saying how hard it is to manage it all and she's right. Last year when I had a turning 3 year old, turning 5 year old and then 3 boys 13,9,7 was the first time I felt like it was not a full vacation but also not a trip in the stressful sense.

↑ Ema of 5 ↓

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 12:04 pm

amother Pearl wrote:

When we go away, my husband is in charge of dinner, and he grills every night. Sometimes chicken, sometimes hot dogs and burgers, sometimes steak…

↑ Ema of 5 ↓

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 12:06 pm

amother Wheat wrote:

I disagree. Even though it’s work, I still consider it a vacation. We are all getting a vacation from the regular day to day, even me. It might not be a dream vacation, but it’s still a vacation. The best vacations are the ones where you make memories, and it’s hard to do that when you are alone.

amother

DarkGreen

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 12:11 pm

amother OP wrote:

How old are your kids? Can your husband help you?
No, it should not be mommy does it all and everyone else gets to be on holiday. That is not a holiday.

amother

Chartreuse

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 12:16 pm

amother OP wrote:

I've started differentiating between family trips and family vacations.

We love being able to travel to interesting places all over, but yes, most of those trips are work for me. I travel with pots and pans and chests full of meats and cheeses and cater 3 meals a day. These trips have their fun moments. It's quality family time. But for me I'm still working.

A few years ago I determined that every other trip needs to be a real vacation for me too. Which means easy access to kosher food. Not groceries. Restaurants. B"H there are many more options these days.

amother

Tulip

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 12:24 pm

I know what you mean!

My rule now is that I never cook dinner on vacation. (Except eggs for breakfast) I bring a knife to do fresh vegetables, but thats it. No barbeques, no pots, no raw ingredients.

I start around a month in advance so I don't exhaust myself with preparation. I make pulled beef, fried cutlets, potato kugel, broccoli kugel, muffins, pancakes etc. and I just warm things up or eat room temp. Everybody would rather it this way than not to go at all. And this way, I'm not overwhelmed, I can do things slowly, and I get to enjoy also.

amother

Saddlebrown

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 1:04 pm

We usually do an end of summer road trip and the preparation is exhausting, but I do enjoy myself once we're on the trip. I get to do fun things with my family and not worry about grocery shopping or what to make for dinner because that's all planned out. We have certain vacation staples that I make ahead and freeze and some that DH is responsible for. Plus we bring a Betty Crocker and a crockpot and a disposable grill for some fresh food and DH is usually in charge of that while I make salad.

amother

Oxfordblue

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 1:07 pm

it’s a ton of work. I have to start cooking and freezing for our midwinter ‘vacation’

but I still find it worth it

change of scenery is good for everyone

and we love travel: seeing and experiencing different things and people.

I’m the travel planner and decision maker and I find it worth it

amother

Hotpink

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 1:21 pm

I never cook when I'm on vacation. That's not called a vacation! For a few days the family could survive on pb sandwiches, canned tuna, cereal, frozen pizza and sometimes maybe a barbecue.

amother

Burlywood ↓

Mon, Dec 16 2024, 1:52 pm

Ema of 5 wrote:

It's a family trip. You make amazing memories on family trips. Not only on vacations.