Travel Tips

What Food To Buy When Staying In An Airbnb With Your Family

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Traveling full-time with kids gave us the chance to stay and experience over 40 Airbnbs around the world.  We’ve often stayed for a month at a time, but we’ve also had plenty of short stays over the years. 

Now that we live full-time in Portugal, we are back to shorter stays in new countries.  However, on average, we still travel internationally at least once a month.

Why We Stay In Airbnb’s Internationally

We greatly prefer to stay in an Airbnb as a family for many reasons.  One of them being the option to cook food.  While eating out on vacation has its perks, it can be very expensive for a big family like ours and can be unhealthy as well, depending on the restaurant.

There are some really fun and quirky Airbnbs around the world, like in the US and Europe, that are good for relaxation and adventure too!

Let’s face it: eating out with a bunch of kids isn’t always fun, either.  They get bored and act out, you are shoving a phone or tablet in their face to keep them quiet, paying a fortune, and thinking the whole time “when can we leave?”

I’d much rather have the flexibility, when we want it, to cook dinner while the kids play and eat on a beautiful patio.  Or I’d like to be able to make a quick dinner for the kids (think PB&J!), get them to bed, and cook a romantic dinner alone.  

We like to have a house to eat food delivery in versus a hotel room.  We sometimes opt for Uber Eats, which does work around the world, and having a table and fridge to store leftovers can be really lovely!

In some places, you’d be surprised how difficult it might be to find an open restaurant as well.  Like in Iceland, we road-tripped and had a really hard time finding restaurants for dinner.  We had “snack dinners” in the car more than we would have liked.  In Europe, restaurants can close early outside of big cities and you might be out of luck eating out anyway.

You get the possibilities!  We still love to eat out on vacation but like to have the option to also relax at “home” when eating out isn’t going to work with the kids.

What Food To Buy For Your Airbnb Stay

I like to plan about 75% of our days’ worth of dinner.  We will eat out once or twice, or be on the road exploring and getting fast food.  If we are staying for 5 days, I’ll plan for three solid dinners and have enough food for an extra night.  For example, we love breakfast for dinner, so I can easily transition breakfast food into an extra dinner. 

Tip: It’s a lot cheaper to eat out for lunch than dinner!  Enjoy your meal out during the day with the kids and eat in later.

I plan breakfast for every day.  We like to sleep in and often work late at night and rarely go out for breakfast.  Many mornings our kids are snacking or making some light breakfast for themselves while we get some sleep.

I never plan for lunches and instead plan lots and lots of snacks.  I’ll also have sandwich options, like PB&J.  We are almost always exploring during the day or eating lunch out in a new place.  However, lots of driving, exploring, or hiking requires snacks.

Note that leftovers can make great lunch options!  We eat a lot of leftovers for lunch.

We also have found our “comfort” items while we travel, such as herbal tea, Nutella, or chocolate ice cream.  You’ll know these items for your family, so modify that section of my shopping list as it works for you.

My Favorite Go-To Meals For Airbnb Stays with Kids

Breakfast Suggestions

• Cereal and milk (usually 1-2 boxes will feed us for 1-2 mornings)
• Pancakes and bacon
• Oatmeal with Nutella
• Eggs and toast
• Hash browns the eggs
• Egg and sausage casserole (recipe here)
• Yogurt, fruit, pastries (continental breakfast.  Bonus these items can double as snacks)
• French toast (great for using leftover bread)
• Frittata (also great for using leftover veggies and eggs)

Dinner Suggestions

• Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, and bread
• Hamburgers or hot dogs with chips and raw veggies
• Chicken breasts and rice with vegetable
• Grilled cheese
• Egg salad sandwiches (great for leftover eggs!)
• Chicken nuggets or fish sticks (easy, can be a good lunch option in case you are home for lunch).
• Pre-made deli options can be fantastic!  It’s hard for me to find them gluten-free, but they are much less expensive than eating out, can be quite healthy, and you can even eat them on the go!
• Fried rice.  We like to take rice and mix it with cut deli ham, cut bacon, etc.  Throw in some pepper or mushrooms or other vegetables if you can get away with it with the kids.
• Tacos.  We LOVE Mexican night, but I’ll warn you that outside of the US it’s hard to find this.  Asia is a no-go, but Europe usually offers a “foreign section” in larger cities and you might find a taco seasoning mix.  If this is a family favorite, you can bring the seasoning packet in your suitcase from home.  I haven’t found it at all in South America and we haven’t been to Africa yet.
• Pizza.  This is a worldwide food option.

Easy, No Prep Items

• Fresh Fruits: Nature’s perfect grab-and-go snack! Bananas, apples, oranges, and pre-washed berries are lifesavers when you’re rushing out the door.
• Veggie Trays: Pre-cut veggie packages are a miracle for busy families. Carrots, cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes can save you when you need a quick, healthy option. Warning: If you’re traveling internationally, check local produce – sometimes pre-cut veggies aren’t as common as in the US!
• Pre-packaged Salads or Wraps: These are absolute game-changers for quick lunches. Look for options in grocery stores, convenience stores, or airport delis. Some countries have amazing pre-made options – in Japan, convenience store food is next-level delicious!
• Frozen Meals or Microwaveable Options: If you have kitchen access, these can be total lifesavers. Pro traveler tip: Check local grocery stores for regional frozen meal options. It’s a fun way to try local cuisine without the prep work!
• Protein Bars and Trail Mix: These are our go-to when traveling. They’re lightweight, don’t need refrigeration, and can survive in a backpack for days. Great for long travel days or when restaurant options are limited.
• Dried Fruit and Nuts: A fantastic alternative to fresh produce. They’re packed with nutrients, don’t spoil quickly, and are perfect for international travel. We always pack a mix of almonds, dried cranberries, and cashews.
• Instant Oatmeal Packets: Just add hot water, and boom – breakfast is served! These are incredible for hotel rooms with kettles or for quick morning meals.
• Canned Tuna or Chicken Packets: These protein-packed options can turn any bread or crackers into a quick meal. Just be sure to pack a small can opener if you’re going international!
• Cheese Sticks and Individual Yogurts: If you have access to a small fridge, these are perfect protein-rich snacks. In Europe, you’ll find amazing individually packaged cheese options that are perfect for on-the-go.

How To Plan Your Shopping List For Your Airbnb Stay with Kids

I’d recommend discussing as a family how many dinners you will plan to eat in, pick your dinners, and make your list from there.

If you think it will be hard to find specific items, like gluten-free pasta, sometimes it is worth it to pack it with you.  You’ll have the room coming home for a souvenir. Thinking of good luggage to fit everything? Check out our family’s favorite luggage here!

I’ve gotten used enough to this that I do not plan ahead at all and usually, just hit the store.  However, I used to plan our meals meticulously before the trip.  

What If I Have Extra Food?

Chances are good you’ll have leftovers.  I’ve handled this differently in each scenario.  Your options are:

• Leave it in the Airbnb and hope the host or cleaner will want it.

• Give it to another family or person you’ve met on your trip.  For example, in Hawaii, we were in condos with lots of other travelers.  We just found someone arriving and asked if they’d like some food!  Obviously, this only applies to unopened items

• Take it on the plane for a snack.  Note that if you are traveling internationally, any fresh produce or meat often needs to be consumed before the customs of the next country.

• Pack it home!  I’ve packed many dry goods home if we have the room.

It may feel like a waste to have extra food, but the money we save on eating out easily outweighs this.  A dinner out for our family is usually $100-150 and eating in can cut that to $20-25 easily.  

Enjoy prepping for your travel and Airbnb stay!

Xoxo,

Leslie

Additional Reading

Airbnb vs Hotels Internationally: Where to Stay for Family Travel

How to Book a Long-Term Airbnb or Travel Home

Best Apps For International Family Travel