The Best Quick & Easy Weekend Travel Meal Ideas

One of my favorite getaways is the PNW beach. It’s close to both Seattle and Portland and it’s a very different vibe from the California Coast or Hawaii. These towns are, no offense, sleepy. There isn’t much to do there and that’s the point of getting away from the city.

Though on my last trip I realized there wasn’t anywhere I wanted to go to eat. I didn’t feel like getting dressed to go out or I wanted to stroll the beach instead of sipping a cocktail at a bar.

Table of Contents

The Best Quick & Easy Weekend Travel Meal Ideas

As a reminder, I tend to travel alone. These meals can all be widdled down for one or tripled for a big family. Let’s dive in!

Breakfast

Arguably the most important meal of the day. Depending on if you have kids and you’re planning an active day, I’d say a large meal is in order for this one.

Farmer’s Plate

Honestly, this is my staple at any restaurant but love to make it at home when my family is all together.

Main: Eggs
1-2 Carbs: potatoes, sweet potatoes, hashbrowns, toast, English muffins, etc
1-2 Protein: sausage links, bacon, steak ham, Canadian bacon

Pancakes

Classic and super easy to make, especially for a big family weekend or with kids. Add a side of breakfast veggies or protein and you’ve got a quality meal!

Assorted Pastries & Coffee

I love baking muffins, coffee cake, and banana bread in advance but these items are also easy and inexpensive to pick up at the store. Set out for breakfast with coffee and/or tea and you’re set. It’s also a great grab-and-go meal to eat in the car on your way to an early morning hike.

Lunch

I pack a lunch often when I’m traveling and that’s just because I’m always on the go. Unless I have set lunch plans, this meal is up in the air. Here are my quick and easy travel lunches as well as lunches I make.

Sandwiches

A quick staple that is simple to pack up. I generally pack it with a piece of fruit and a side of chips or a small salad! I love BLTs or BLTAs and they’re effortless with leftover bacon from breakfast.

Garden Salad with Protein

Garden Salads are really easy to make. You can also pick up a salad kit at the grocery store. I prefer a lighter lunch than most because I go big for dinner. For protein, my go-to is eggs, especially if I’m picking up a carton for breakfast. I like boiling them in the morning and they’re ready for lunch. They’re also great as a snack.

Leftovers

Eating half a meal is normal for a lot of us. Especially when it’s from going out to eat the day before or leftovers from dinner. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach and I make too much. It’s a blessing most of the time and I’m happy to get more than one meal for what I’ve paid for.

Dinner

This is the one I go big on but I don’t like complicated. Especially when I’m at the beach. These ideas are fairly painless and guaranteed to have leftovers for the next night.

Tacos or Taco Salad

No-frills, quick, and practically mess-free. Here’s all you need:

Carbs: Tortillas, Chips, Tortilla Stripes
Protein: Ground Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Tofu, Beans, etc with Taco Seasoning
Toppings: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Corn, Olives, Avocado, Cheese, Sour Cream, Dressing

Mediterranean Flatbread or Pizza

You can make this super easy-peezy with store-bought naan, bagels, french bread, or pizza crust dough! Here are two quick recipes!

Greek Flatbread
Veggie Pizza – I make this with dairy-free cheese

Loaded Baked Potato

Baked potatoes are not only fast to make but loading them up with a ton of stuff is also family-friendly! I like piling sloppy joe mix on it, cheese, broccoli, bacon, sour cream, chives, and olives. You really can’t go wrong with packing these full of goodies.

What are some quick & easy weekend travel meals you like to make?