A Hotelier's Response to Meal Prep in Rooms

[@KristinaHoneyHavenFarm]

When our family traveled as we were younger, all food we took was cold prepared. Milk and cereal, ham and cheese sandwiches...very predictable, but filled our stomachs without the family having to spend extra on eating out.

[@davidschwartz2398]

People need to recall that we are "guests" of the hotel when booking a room and not condo owners.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes! Agree.

[@lauramanion3131]

Such grace, respect, honesty and generosity - in Sarah’s letter, and in Pam and Jim’s response. Thank you for sharing this with us. It is lovely, heartwarming and encouraging. I’m so appreciative too of everyone’s thoughtful comments. May we carry that grace into the new year. Much love, all. 🙏❤️

[@trailgrazers3690]

Loved your comment. Thank you!

[@sunnydayssandytoes4337]

Such grace. Thank you for sharing. "Leave it better than you found it" should be everyone's personal motto. The world would be a better place. Happy New Year!🎉

[@rowdiegurl]

I watch a lot, but haven't commented before. My husband and I seem to be cut from the same cloth as the two of you are as far as travel, adventuring, thrifty-ness, everything that you show on your channel really. I have gained a lot of respect for y'all through the time I've been watching your videos, but this video just took that respect to a whole new level!!! To take a (gently worded) criticism and be humble enough to turn it into an entire video amazed me. Thank you for sharing your beautiful soul with the rest of us.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Wow, thank you so much. We appreciate your comment.

[@diann546]

Cook in crockpot overnight. Then use coffee maker water to preheat one or more thermoses, for 5 minutes. Put your food in it/them. There will be no need to reheat for the rest of the day. My current go to thermoses and water bottles are Hydrapeak. They are 12 hours hot and 24 hours cold. I carry 2 single serving, and 1 extra large in our trailer. The extra large is great for dehydrated meals that need extra hydration. I just put the food in and out we go, either for a hike or even on the road. The trailer movement, while going down the road, helps to mix it!

[@Elizabeth-tg7jo]

This is a great video. I was recently made aware of business POV when a shop owner approached me and thanked me for kicking off the snow from my boots at the entryway. I was thinking, why are you thanking me? She explained that the salt, gravel, and moisture causes damage to flooring and many extra hours of cleaning. In Alaska, it’s our custom to take shoes off at the home but I was a bit disheartened that such disregard was being given to shops.

[@trailgrazers3690]

What a great story--thanks so much for sharing.

[@lindahipple4817]

I got a small silicone collaspable tub to wash dishes..works great..I scrape plates, bowls, etc with our own paper towels..we carry our own dish washing liquid, and dish washing cloth...all our traveling meals are easy to warm, fix, or mix. Our own trash bag to tie off with used paper towel, or uneaten food..our room always looks as nice as when we arrived. I always tip house keeping as well, incase I missed something. We travel with our dog many times...

[@rosa.athome]

Some people are so disrespectful. We were raised to leave the room just as we found it. It takes zero energy to remove food from plates or just use disposables and throw away your garbage.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Great comment. Thank you.

[@SusanOltmans]

You’ve learned many of the tricks we have.

[@diannemitchell5890]

One other thing, think about the aroma of the food you are preparing. Some aromas linger for a long time and other people may not enjoy that. Thank you & keep up the good work! Love your videos!❤

[@Margo5050]

I’m so sorry your granddaughter-in-law was treated so badly. The tip should have been $100. Plus as it was Christmas Eve. We always tip 20% (we aren’t rich at all). You can tell sometimes the wait staff has nothing. They openly insulted HER and devalued her WORK. That’s why many restaurant menus say 15% will be added to your bill if the party is over 8 people (different numbers). Some say 20%. It makes me want to cry for her. I used to own a retail shop and some people would actually try to hurt your business for reasons known to only to them. I must say most people are nice. Some people are just darling. One restaurant owner followed a party down the street to point out they hadn’t tipped the waitress. They said they couldn’t afford it. He told them then you can’t afford to eat in my restaurant. End of story. Also, I’m so glad you posted this video as I was in the travel industry for 23 years and hotels don’t like people cooking in their room for all the reasons you listed. When we go to D. C. we book a room with kitchenette for the week as it saves eating out too much and the do-it-yourself laundry and the exercise room are free. The only thing out of place when we leave a hotel room are the towels and sheets and we put all the dirty towels in one place. Our refuse is in the waste basket. We only leave a moderate tip there. Thank you for this video 😊. Thanks for this video.

[@trailgrazers3690]

You are so welcome and thank you for your detailed comment.

[@irenehaugen6143]

The restaurant should have an automatic 20% added on any bill over 100 dollars. I feel badly for the young mamma of 2 babies. All the suggestions and warnings from the Hotelier are spot on. Sadly, too many careless people live among us now a days. America used to be kinder and more thoughtful a few decades back. Sad to see the societal decline. ENJOY your fabulous trip, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your loved ones. Greetings again from AZ!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for your comment. I think they should have added that 20% as well.

[@TheErador]

I don't agree with automatic tipping in general, I feel that it devalues those who do provide extraordinary service which i would be happy to add a tip for - America pay your waiting staff properly! Including a service charge for a big group would be absolutely fine with me, and given that situation i would have been inclined to be somewhat more generous, but equally I wouldn't take such advantage of any service provider on Christmas eve when everyone just wants to get home for the holidays

[@nadinehansen9241]

@@TheErador the federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 per hour. Many states have higher minimum wages for tipped workers, but many (including mine) do not. I think it is unconscionable for the feds to keep the minimum wage so low, and I agree that wait staff should be paid properly, but for now it is what it is, and tips are crucial to keep wait staff earning a reasonable income.

[@veronicageorge7820]

The federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13/hr. HOWEVER, they are required to be paid current federal minimum wage (7.25/hr) including tips or the employer must pay the difference. 8 states require pre tip amounts to be the state minimum wage which is much higher than 7.25/hr. I think it is disingenuous to not mention the requirement that employers match. No one is legally only getting paid $2.13/hr.

[@MoonStone_Empress]

​@@veronicageorge7820Have you ever been a server? This looks decent on paper, but in reality, even the $7.25/hr is not reasonable compensation for what servers actually do. Also, that little tidbit about the 8 states still leaves 42 states that do not. There are also very legal loopholes and corner cutting that restaurant corporations gladly take advantage of to keep their costs low. I was a server for many years and worked in management. There's a lot you can't learn from a quick Google search.

[@dwm1011]

I’m from Vegas and now living in SWFL. Servers work hard to make sure that your dining experience is a good one. I am part of four couples that dine out on Christmas Eve every year. Each couple tips $100.00 to the server in cash. It’s always a surprise to that person when they open the envelope that has a holiday card and the money.

[@dr.gerikruckenberg1165]

Thank you for this video. I am a traveling chiropractor who stays in hotels quite a bit. I bring my own food and heat it up in the microwave to save on money and calories. I am taking your suggestion of bringing the dirty dishes home to wash them there. I bring my own plates, bowls, and silverware because I don't particularly like using paper plates in microwaves because of the possible leakage. You have made me think more about what the hotel owners go through. Thank you for educating me!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Sounds great! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

[@AuntieD.]

There are compostable options for paper plates and utensils now. Also one tip from camping is to use your napkin/paper towel to wipe food/grease off dishes. Much easier to wash them.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes! Thank you!

[@jwalksforfun]

1970s garbage disposal, the toilet. Empty the dishpan in it.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Interesting...

[@Undercoverbooks]

Re: washing dishes in the hotel room, you can wipe them out with paper napkins or t.p. which is then put in the garbage can, leaving little washing to do when you get home. We usually just eat "snack" meals when travelling -- cheese, crackers, cold meats, fruit -- or else find hotel rooms that have actual kitchenettes so we can cook hot meals. The best room we ever had was in Turin, Italy, which had an entire full kitchen that folded out of an armoire.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Great points. Thank you.

[@shiftyswife]

Smells are a big problem in hotels. You may think it is a "good" smell but may not be to others. Smells also can affect a person's ability to sleep, and you can't assume that everyone sleeps at night. Just my experience. Love the video!

[@ninegrtkds]

Often patients going through chemo will stay at hotels during treatments- When smells were mentioned- i couldn’t help but think of how smells affect chemo patients!

[@trailgrazers3690]

This is a great reminder! Thank you.

[@debbihook]

@@ninegrtkds that was me exactly. I had to stay in a hotel for a month after a stem cell transplant. The smells of food cooking just turned my stomach. It had a kitchenette so food smells expected. Unfortunately, the smell of Indian and Thai food literally sent me to the bathroom. We put a towel under the door but eventually had to move to a different room. There was a floor empty and they gave us a room there. I made sure the housekeeping tips were generous as my hair was falling out and the linens had to be changed daily. They were well compensated for the extra work. I was very grateful...as was my husband.

[@KristinaHoneyHavenFarm]

Agree. Watch the smells everyone, please. A person doesn't even have to be going through medical treatment to have smells they react to. There are certain smells that make me nauseated every time I smell them, and some that trigger my asthma due to allergic reaction.

[@Marigold-m2]

Smells are complicated 1) What if you need a special diet due to allergies & it's difficult to get that diet accommodated in restaurants so you cook in a crock pot but it bothers another guest ? 2) Do not food deliveries, (pizza, fried chicken, Indian, Thai, Chinese food, room service, etc), to hotel rooms not leave lingering smells in the hallways? 3) Smells from perfumed/cologned, deodorized & hair sprayed people bother me more than food smells & 4) oh lordy if you smell like cigarette/cigar smoke I almost puke on the spot. Walking past the "smoking" area to get into a hotel is a challenge When does my preference or need take over from your preference/need? Smells are complicated.

[@cbordes1]

I just watched this again for the second time as a refresher since we will be traveling away from home for four days for the first time since the pandemic. This is such useful and helpful information. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you do for this community. ❤❤❤

[@OldSchoolPrepper]

wow! the hotelier (Sarah) is so right!....many things I hadn't even considered...and oh yes, i've seen some of those hotel room 'hacks' like making a grill cheese on the iron...gosh. Thank you so much for the mention, I appreciate the kind words. You and JIm are so righ that we do need to walk in someone else's shoes...I think everyone should work as wait staff in a restaurant, it does open up the eyes to all service industries... be well and Happy New Year to you and yours, Martha

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks, Martha. Keep your comments coming!! We appreciate them.

[@dominiquebt]

Thank you for sharing all of this:) I've been going on trips with my campervan for several years now and ultimately settled on using a spray bottle of distilled white vinegar with a paper towel for cleaning dishes. Any vinegar smell dissipates quickly, it saves on water and it has a disinfecting effect.

[@jamiecook4557]

I’ve been there. I was praying on my tips so I could get things for my kids, on Christmas Eve. I made $34 that night, and I sat in my car and cried. It’s the lowest I’ve ever made at that restaurant.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Oh goodness, I am so sorry that happened to you.

[@jamiecook4557]

@@trailgrazers3690 I lived. It was just so disappointing. The kids still got a gift, just not a lot extra. They were still happy. You just always want to give more.

[@tenthousanddaysofgratitude]

I’m so sorry to hear this. 💖

[@lourdescastaneda4072]

I always wondered why relatives ate in the lobby of hotel vs. in their room. I get it now and will follow along.

[@sarahironsbaker5228]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I was a single mother before becoming a hotelier. My family lived about 6 hours from where I lived. I could afford to make the trip once every couple years. I look back at those trips with the knowledge I have now and realize I was not a great guest. I needed to feed my boys on the cheap and probably broke every rule of good etiquette along the way. That experience and my current circumstances led me to respond. I could have written so much more and edited myself to be as concise as I could. If you ever want to do a deeper dive offline, I'd love to help. It's tough for families to travel our beautiful country when everything has gotten so expensive. Preparing your own meals along the way is important to save money and ensure you are eating healthy.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Sarah, thank you for your original comment. As you can see by the comments, it is being very well received. You made so many excellent suggestions and I think it opened eyes for a lot of us! Best, Jim and Pam

[@primrozie]

There's a town we like to visit in eastern PA and always stay at the same hotel. They do have the microwave, refrigerator and coffee pot. We eat the microwave meals in the disposable containers they come in and/or heavy duty paper plates. About half our meals are in restaurants anyway. We strip the beds and add the towels when needed and leave a tip in the room. They've always welcomed us back. Let's pray your GDIL gets abundantly blessed for her hospitality. When we get cheated in any way we make it a gift from our hearts and put it in God's hands. We get blessed out of nowhere and consider it Divine

[@trailgrazers3690]

Lovely comment! Thank you.

[@myrandabrown]

I use to travel for work and would be gone sometimes months and a few times years. I had a mini 1qt crockpot and a little two burger indoor grill. I did all my cooking on a tv tray in the bathroom where the exhaust fan is. Used a wash tub and dumped the water from it down the toilet. Never had an issue or any complaints. I eventually got a travel trailer because affordable hotels that I felt safe in alone as a woman was getting hard to find.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank for sharing your experience!

[@Kat.Williams]

I don't travel any longer, but these are excellent suggestions

[@buckonono7996]

Great video! Another consideration if you cook in hotel / motel rooms or carry in food to be eaten. I always pack trash bags to contain whatever we may eat in the rooms. I don't want the staff to have to deal with more than a normal amount of trash or recycling, so I take it out with me when we go in and out to the car. Ask at the front desk if you can toss it in the dumpster out back and in the recycling bin. They are always so happy to have someone care about being considerate of their staff. Easy to do and just treat others as you would appreciate being treated.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Such a great comment. We will plan to do this as well.

[@stephaniec5064]

My mom and I have found that for our travel trips, using small private hotels or motels are better than using chain hotels. They often have a BBQ area that guests can use, larger rooms, and kitchens. They are generally cheaper too. If we are staying 3 days or longer we try to have at least one meal at a local restaurant to further support the community. Depending on what you choose to eat it can be fairly inexpensive and usually produces leftovers that can be eaten on another day. Also , Let me just say that some of my favorite meals on the road have been from gas stations. Most gas stations and truck stops have food courts where the food is fantastic. They are where I get my favorite tacos.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!

[@lizlee4941]

TY for sharing this story. She's not alone in that treatment. This needed the light shown on this issue of disrespectful tipping.

[@trailgrazers3690]

You are welcome.

[@rikkim4818]

What a considerate and beautiful person you are Pam. Gotta love you. 🌹🥰🥰😍🦋

[@trailgrazers3690]

Wow...thank you.

[@mzritamarie4357]

You can clean dishes with paper towels and a spray bottle. Put vinegar, or everclear, or vodka in the spray bottle. Clean as best you can with the paper towel, then spritz and wipe until clean.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Great idea. Thnanks.

[@Deborah-kh3ur]

Before I retired mid year 2023 I traveled extensively for my career. I don’t like to eat out and even though my company paid for my meals I preferred eating in my hotel. I purposely stayed in hotels with kitchenettes. All the chains have them now and they are very affordable! Just another choice to consider! Love your presentations! 1

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for that info.

[@robertandrobinmilliken5105]

Thank you

[@trailgrazers3690]

You're welcome!

[@audreynanapreps2543]

The same happened to my granddaughter on Christmas Eve. Over a 300 bill and 10 tip

[@trailgrazers3690]

So sad. I just don't understand that mentality.

[@monicapixley7698]

Great video….❤❤❤ I so appreciate when people think of both sides of a scenario. Manners and consideration are still necessary in all situations. My husband recently had 3 surgeries in a short period of time. We had to leave our home area and go into the inner city to the medical center with each. I was blessed to find a small Motel owned by a family. It was clean and all we needed. We felt very safe there in this not so safe area. They were so kind to me. I knew I didn’t want too many stairs, because my hubby would need a day or two of rest before we could travel home. We also knew we could not afford to eat all of our meals out. I brought a small cooler with some sandwich things, some soups and crackers, and things of that nature. I was also concerned about safety and smells. I had called ahead of time to explain our situation to the hotel manager. They were so kind. They put us in the room right next to the office. They also mentioned that there was a microwave in the small lobby that was available 24/7. I was always welcome to use it. The room had a refrigerator but no microwave. It all worked out just fine for us. The staff was so accommodating. They even went as far as saving me a parking place right in front of our room, because hubby’s surgery went extra long. I truly believe that God was watching out for us and that by calling and discussing our situation with the hoteliers, they were able to know and understand ahead of time as well. We were open and honest, not trying to be sneaky in any way. This worked out to be a blessing for both. We now use this precious home away from home when we go back for further treatments. And I’ve given them a great rating on Yelp! I hope you guys have a great trip ! Monica .. from Los Angeles

[@trailgrazers3690]

I love this story! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@TanteEmmasKitchen]

When we go on a road trip we look for candlewood suites by IHG hotels. They have a kitchenette with a full size refrigerator and an outdoor gazebo with grills. We love these hotels and wherever we stayed so far, we been happy with how clean they are.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Good to know! Thanks for sharing.

[@Theyellowchild]

There is another way to look at tipping ,employers are getting away with paying poor wages for hard work as they depend on people to tip ,in uk this isn’t the norm if you get good service you tip you don’t automatically give money if the service is bad or inadequate

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank you.

[@gcook9221]

I have often said that everyone, at some point in their life, should be a waitress/waiter/server etc. If that would happen more people would realize just how hard these people work and it's really just for tips. I'm terribly sorry for your grand DIL - someone will come along and bless her with that extra special tip when it is least expected. I know of a case where a carhop at Sonic was just working her behind off - literally running from car to the building and with such a good attitude & smile on her face. The person who was waiting for their drink order blessed the carhop with a $20 tip for a $2.00 order. So it does happen.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes, it certainly does. I truly think there are more good and generous people out there than we ever hear about.

[@PatStein-q6u]

Just a quick thought: take regular kitchen garbage bags with you for the trash.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes, those are in our pack.

[@keG1494]

I feel bad just getting take-out or a pizza and eating it in the room and leaving the trash behind! Can't imagine cooking, doing dishes, using the IRON to cook something. For one thing, I'm one of those people that can't sleep if the room smells like food. 😲 Good video with good advice.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank you.

[@tranquillady1688]

This is a terrific video and so needed. We always try to stay at a hotel with a kitchenette like Home2Suites. As a type 1 diabetic, I now have to travel with my own 12 volt mini fridge and portable power Jackery to power it, due to hotels removing or not servicing fridges. Also, Home2 suites now posts a sign saying to contact the front desk to use their electric burners. They have a disposal and dishwasher.

[@MaryWehmeier]

By law you can not be requested to have a fridge in room for no fee because of your T1 Diabetes.

[@trailgrazers3690]

We will be staying in a Home2 room soon so I will look forward to seeing how it works with our food prep plans.

[@robininva]

I have a friend that saves money up all year long….and when she and her hubby go out on Christmas Day at an open restaurant….leaves that huge tip to whomever is their server. ♥️ They do this yearly.

[@trailgrazers3690]

That is awesome! I love that. Thanks for sharing.

[@robininva]

@@trailgrazers3690 and one more bit of info regarding their generosity: they are not well off financially. They have a very large grown family with many grandchildren. Yet, they save what they can and instead of indulging themselves, they give it away. I seem to think a couple years ago she told me they’d saved $500. Off it went to that server on Christmas Day! So cool!

[@reneecopeland1095]

Thank you for sharing that particular information.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Our pleasure!

[@lilwilliams-h4u]

Gone are the days of motor inn cabins with kitchenettes. I was just a child, but I remember my Dad's beloved Route 66 trek across the the country in the late 60's. Historical Route 66, from start to finish. Then on to Disneyland. 😁

[@trailgrazers3690]

Very cool! I remember those days as well!

[@whitestone4401]

Great, responsible, level headed video. Very important information. Thank you.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Wow! Thank you.

[@lightgiver7311]

I would never cook a meal in a hotel room, never entered my mind.

[@audreylopez3851]

I agree. Never even ever thought of that.

[@recoveringsoul755]

Not even boil water with coffee pot and make cup o noodles?

[@lightgiver7311]

@@recoveringsoul755 No. If I can afford a good hotel, I can afford food. I can see taking granola bars, other non cook snack items but cooking food? Nope.

[@RhodaJayne]

We’ve ordered room service or pizza delivery. Sometimes the pizza delivery offers discounts to the motel occupants also.

[@recoveringsoul755]

@@lightgiver7311 well vacations are expensive. On my honeymoon we stayed in a condo type place with a kitchen to specifically save money on food. We had breakfast and lunch there, and had dinner and drinks out. A bit of both worlds. Healthier too. And since my husband made me plan (and pay for the whole wedding, and wedding bands) and plan the whole honeymoon (and pay for it airfare, hotels, rental cars etc), I needed to save money somewhere.

[@magsstewart5488]

I always travel with my own coffee pot, coffee cup, and wine glass. 🍷 😅 I’ve seen what people do to the coffee pots in hotel rooms. 😬

[@trailgrazers3690]

Great idea! Thanks.

[@janetstryczek3311]

Have fun !😊

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks!

[@mary1973tx]

Happy New Year my daughters also worked as server although they have moved on from those jobs we now tip as best as we can and always treat our server with respect thanks for all the wonderful work you do be safe 🙂🌻

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for your comment.

[@gailgsgoodies]

At 74, I have NEVER had a cup of coffee. I don’t/won’t eat or drink anything with a coffee flavor. Because of that I always travel with an electric kettle. I can safely reheat leftovers from restaurant meals. We use disposable plates, cups, and utensils. As for tips, I would like to remind everyone that delivery services also deserve a cash tip. For us, we don’t want to go out so we depend on these services. I almost always put a tip on the bill but get cash when they deliver.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for that reminder!

[@barbeewear4240]

I so appreciate your thoughtful comments and research. Happy travels and thank you for keeping our interests as well as small business owners interests in mind.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Our pleasure!

[@SusanOltmans]

I think the complaint of smells is bogus since you can have meals delivered to your hotel door then there would be smells. From our experience anyone planning to do meal prep in rooms needs to make sure they have a roll of paper towels as well as the dish detergent a rag and towel and Ljubljana ziplock bags. You wipe the dishes as clean as possible with the paper towels. You can use minimal water from the sink and the detergent to finish wiping any dish clean. Those paper towels and disposable plates and implements go into the ziploc. There is an abundance of food available in the grocery that is microwaveable as well as salads and soups at many groceries…..as well as fresh meals. You can get rice that cooks in the microwave as well as canned meats or soups to pour on top of the rice. You can buy a collapsible silicon bowl that works well in the microwave. The freeze dried meals are a snap to prepare. After making an abundance of plans ahead for cooking in our motel rooms on our last trip which required a stay in a dozen different motel rooms we found that actually we preferred taking advantage of the free breakfast food at the motel, then eating a large meal at about 2 or 3 and then just having sandwiches or soup in the evening at the motel. (Not so workable with kids admittedly.) There are plenty of ways folks can prep meals in the motel and not be obnoxious to others. Step one is before you leave home take a tour of your local grocery to check out all the options to educate yourself on all the options available on your road trip. As Rose Red is good at demonstrating you must think outside the box. Different situations from your norm ALWAYS require different solutions from your norm.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank you!

[@mariemasters1728]

I can say, I was a culprit. A daughter who had celiac disease and a son with Eosinophilic Esophagitis. They played high-level sports...we were in a hotel very often. This was also 5-7 years ago. I would find the grocery store in the city we were visiting and make food for us in the hotel room. These points are great! I was so lost, and so angry we even had to cook in our room while everyone else was able to eat in the restaurant. Used the crockpot and the crockpot lunch crock often. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

[@trailgrazers3690]

You are very welcome.

[@PASTORSHARON]

Im way off topic here but that dark blue blouse looks wonderful with your hair color.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Oh thank you!

[@amyfeigt6715]

Early in 2023 I was having to travel regularly for work. In order to save money, as well as to have more control over my diet, I always got a grocery delivery, so I could prepare & bring my lunch for work. Yes, I used washable container & travel flatware, but I always washed those items in the break room at work once I had used them so I would not have to try to wash them in the room. Simple things like that made for a much thriftier & healthier trip.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Great info. Thanks!

[@shellamander1]

What about using the soux veed cooker

[@rebelm256]

Easy utensils/dish cleanup can be a take along spray bottle of peroxide & water. Hotels vs motels - most often motels have no other eating choices vs hotels who normally have a restaurant in house or used to anyway??

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks.

[@ArtFlowersBeeze8815]

Using a cottage in winter, if I had food particles from washing, the toilet is a good place to empty your washing. NO grease down drains! Sop up with paper towels and dispose out of your room. (I would burn them in the fire pit outside when using the cottage). Smelly stuff like bacon also has grease particles in the air that can cling to the walls and ceilings. So maybe use the pre cooked bacon crumbles. Costco has a couple good brands.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for sharing

[@cynforrest]

Good advice from Sarah. We do lots of pre-planning for “road/travel meals”. It’s amazing what can be “cooked” in a thermos with addition of hot water (hot cereal, boiled eggs, etc). We also pack Cheese, high nutrient Bread, Fruits n Veggies. Healthy, easy and no cleanup. Longer trips are more challenging, but occasional restaurant meals, and repacking from stops at grocery store usually works just fine. Happy New Year, everyone! ❤️🎉❤️

[@trailgrazers3690]

That would work great! Thanks.

[@rosehemlow1339]

Great advice. I’m hoping people take it to heart. Also, if we cannot afford to tip at least 20% for good service, we don’t go out to eat. If we get bad service we still tip 10%. I hope your upcoming trips are fun and relaxing and I’m looking forward to seeing your videos.

[@sdearing6375]

Tipping needs to be done away with and restaurants need to pay their workers like all other businesses

[@mehtarelingolien]

@@sdearing6375 As long as you eat out and they get theirs, they will NOT change. The current system WORKS for them; you have to make it so it no longer does.

[@DutchAlaskagirl]

@@sdearing6375, I agree. People don’t realize that in most states employers are allowed to figure in the tips as part of their salary. It’s a disgrace. So when the restaurant menu has 15% already figured in as tip - the servers don’t really get that - it’s deducted from their already meager wages. The same goes for delivery drivers. Thankfully, Alaska isn’t one of those states

[@trailgrazers3690]

Interesting thread. Thanks for your comments.

[@SusanOltmans]

@@DutchAlaskagirl my friend who was a server for decades told us to ALWAYS tip the server with cash. If you figure it in to your credit card bill then the server has taxes taken from that meager tip and then the owner can easily deduct your tip from their salary as well.

[@goingawayguide]

An Outin is fantastic for making espresso/coffee and is portable, even when camping. Bringing freeze dried options is one way - just hot water and you're all set. I travel with a mini kitchen bag when we're on the road and have never had an issue using the items we bring (ie. an electric skillet and small rice cooker) to cook - using the bathroom plug is definitely important, it can take the load of a hair dryer, so can easily manage an electric skillet. If you bring your own small appliances, it's important to bring ones with low wattage, rather than big heavy duty items you'd use in your home kitchen - there are plenty of good options too!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for your tips.

[@ivegottabeme1]

My heart broke over your story about your granddaughter. That is so wrong. I work for tips and have experienced similar situations. It is demeaning. We typically overtip. Can’t afford to tip, then can’t afford to eat out or get delivery service. Anyway…thxx as no you for your travel videos, they are so appreciated!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank you for your heartfelt comment. We appreciate that.

[@neilmunro6683]

Great Lochness Scottish Highlands..

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks.

[@missreynolds3637]

Simply momma cooks did a great video on making lunch in her car where she took those pre made salads with meat and put those on bolio rolls. I thought that was a great idea. She also bought the ingredients and made her own chicken Caesar salad, with a rotisserie chicken and bolio rolls and did it that way as well. Just another great idea I am adding to my arsenal.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks.

[@pamharkins4601]

Oh gee, I have never thought of cooking in my hotel room. My thought is if you can afford a hotel , can’t you afford to go thru a fast food place or their restaurant. But I have also been where I did not have the money for hotel and took rest in car, ate nuts and snacks . I worked at a k mart years ago at the service station, and as a cashier. The amount of rude and disrespectful people will always be there. I had to deal with them so much! People feel entitled sometimes ! Anyway, I am glad you showed us how to safely do this . I worry about fire in hotels and I always always check where all exits are when I arrive . They have them on the inside of most hotel rooms as well. Restaurants are trying to have foods for people with special food needs. I hope everyone now knows how to be safe with your so good and informative videos! Thanks!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Great points. Thank you!

[@SusanOltmans]

About that comment about the smoke detector. When we stayed at the motel from hell this summer the smoke detector kept chirping. We called and asked for another battery three times…no response. As this was our like geeeee 8 or 9th problem with the motel my husband climbed up, took the darn thing off, walked it down to the desk…..where no one responded to the call buzzer and left the dang thing there. That was 1 AM

[@trailgrazers3690]

Oh goodness. Jim would have done the same thing!

[@donnamullins2089]

Good warnings from Sarah. We need to be respectable for other peoples property. Thanks for the information Pam. Happy New Year Jim and Pam.

[@trailgrazers3690]

You are welcome. And Happy New Year to you as well.

[@kathyzdrill7300]

Epicure makes several sizes of silicone steamers that we use daily to cook many things including full meals in the. microwave. Cooking food with steam preserves more nutrients as well. I HIGHLY recommend these. I have a couple of each one because we use them every single day many times over with our family of 6. Also, they make Rice Krispie squares the easiest thing EVER!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for the info! I will check those out!

[@rosemarie6545]

Thank you for all the valuable information, although I don’t get to “go on the road” very much. You are such an eloquent speaker, it’s a real pleasure to listen to you. (I know you’re a very educated person and have had lots of lectures over the years.) “Happy trails to you.”🎶

[@trailgrazers3690]

You are so welcome and thank you for your kind words.

[@annazimmerman864]

I love this video so much. It is so helpful, and so great to have new ideas for being self-reliant and respectful at the same time. I love the care you guys have for how your efforts affect the community. And I love your advocacy!

[@trailgrazers3690]

You're so welcome! And thank you for your kind words.

[@danniemcdonald7675]

I don't eat out or use others' services very often, but when I do, if the service is good, I tip well. I think of the work that is involved ... getting the order right, keeping a good attitude while being treated badly (not by me). As you said, you don't know someone's circumstances. But there is *never a reason to treat someone the way your granddaughter-in-law was treated. The fact she was able to do an excellent job (and it sounds like she probably had a hard time with that party if the "host" was any indication) showed that she has more class than the "tipper". IMHO, anyone who can't afford to leave a tip can't afford to eat out. My grandmother used to always tell us, "It doesn't cost anything to be nice." 😊 Here's wishing you and Jim a Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year!🥂🍾🎆🎇

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank you--we appreciate your comment.

[@marygallagher3428]

Good points!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks, Mary.

[@wendyr435]

First of all, happy new year Pam and Jim! I am always appalled at the gall and ignorance of people when it comes to servers and bartenders. There is no excuse for what those people did to your family member. My son is a bartender and was a server for years, his stories always shocked me. Anyway, just know there are some of us who tip larger (much larger) than the original bill was! We usually pay it and run lol. We had one server who we tipped $100 for a $25 bill, when we visited next she cried and told us she used that money to buy some new clothing for her kids who were starting school. It wasn’t much but to her it was everything! You never know how your kindness will land but I am repaid more than 100 fold when I hear stories like that. Be kind everyone!❤

[@trailgrazers3690]

Love this! Thank you so much for your generosity toward others.

[@recoveringsoul755]

I have a little backpack stove that i only use outside the room, with freeze dried food or instant noodles. Haven't been to a hotel in 10 years

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks.

[@maddscientist3170]

Most "hoteliers" have efficiancy motels in tourist trap areas that have a "kitchenette" ( fridge/microwave)

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes, many do have those appliances.

[@ruthmcbride1778]

My cousin ised to put a can pg soup on the engine. Lock of his truck. When he pulled over for lunch his can p ofspup was hot and ready to eat. I wouldn’t do this with home jared food.

[@ruthmcbride1778]

Auto correct can be a pain

[@trailgrazers3690]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@dianaw248]

Thank you for this very important posting. We love your channel. How awful about what happened to your granddaughter! Some people are so very selfish and shallow!

[@trailgrazers3690]

You are welcome.

[@donnarodriguez4755]

I occasionally book a staycation to get some writing done and have found a crock pot invaluable. It's amazing how inconsiderate some people are with other people's property.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Agree! Thanks.

[@dang495]

My understanding is that GFIs do not protect against overload. Their purpose is to kill the power in the event of a ground fault. E.g. you dropped your curling iron in a sink full of water. The GFI will detect the electricity flowing to ground and disconnect the power to your curling iron. Then you won't be electrocuted when you reach into the sink and grab your curling iron.

[@trailgrazers3690]

That prooves I am not an electrician! I just know that it cuts the power in my trailer when I sometimes use my hair dryer! LOL. Thanks.

[@donnamerritt9634]

Prof Pam⚘️ A thought--- wouldn't the MRE flameless bags be a good choice for hotel rooms too? Happy New Year-- 🎉 Always #teamcantrell ❤

[@randyweber6576]

The MRE heater in those MREs the heat is a chemical reaction between the water reactive material inside the bag. You have to be careful because either the vapors from the reaction or the water reactive material could cause a fire. They are designed to be used outside in the open. Randy, Packaging Specialist.

[@donnamerritt9634]

@@randyweber6576 Thank you... I appreciate your info.

[@Elizabeth-tg7jo]

I was traveling from Anchorage to Denver last XMas 2022 and the weather was super bad. Cancellation after cancellation. I threw a cold weather MRE into my carry on for good measure. Didn’t need it until coming back to ANC and got stranded in Seattle and got put in a budget hotel at 11 pm. I was starving - everything closed. I was sitting pretty w/ that MRE + coffee maker.

[@trailgrazers3690]

I agree with Randy on this one! Thanks.

[@SusanOltmans]

@@Elizabeth-tg7jo and not all MRE’s have the heater. We have a couple that you just sit in hot water. Does take awhile but needs must

[@Sciayam]

Very good advices!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks.

[@Patrick-rj9oi]

How did you decide what materials to use for your kitchen remodel. Such as countertop, back splash? How did you decide on your copper sink?

[@trailgrazers3690]

We went to supply stores to see what was available and selected from their inventory. I have always wanted a copper sink, so that was a must for this remodel!

[@aussiefox2000]

We travel with a picnic basket, esky or travel fridge. We use our own everything. 😊 We have pre prepared meals, so no cooking. And yes, Pam, we do the same. ❤❤❤We take our dirty dishes with us.😅 We do a lot of camping and we freeze our meals and just heat them when needed. I HATE cooking when on holidays😅

[@SusanOltmans]

Yes yes yes we have learned to do that when camping as well. And we freeze meals for the first two days of motel stays as well.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for your comments!!!

[@reenyny9502]

Great vid!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank you.

[@reesewhitt5495]

Good tips

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks.

[@pamelabranch5865]

I travel for a living. I am in hotels more than at home. My food hacks are…I try to prepare things ahead of time when possible and keep it in a ice chest. I use leak proof containers and put fresh ice on it daily. I only take into room what I need each night and leave the rest in truck. When needed, I try to buy already cooked items from grocery store and just put them together. Things like rotisserie chicken, boiled eggs in a bag. Jars of pickle relish, mayo etc.. I make things like tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, sandwiches. On the days that I make a grocery store run, I will pick up something that can be popped in the microwave for that night. For the nights that I am lucky enough to get a kitchenette, I will try to do as much prep for following days as possible.

[@trailgrazers3690]

So helpful! Thank you.

[@kyhilltophome3153]

There is a device/adapter you can buy that is to plug into a wall outlet that has a 12 volt socket on the other end. I have used mine that I keep in the glove box in a pinch when I have forgotten my phone charger end thing. We have a cup holder 12 volt device and I can use the wall plug-in with that if I need to. I hope that makes sense.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes it does. Thanks for sharing those great ideas.

[@DanielleDurand-q6l]

Great video again, very good points and good advices. I am sure some people don’t do it to be bad, probably they don’t know. I will share your video with my friends because I think it is very important. Otherwise hotel or motel owners will simply ban cooking or preparing any food in their establishments. Sorry for your grand-daughter in law, this is so inconsiderate… especially in a case where the waitress or waiter is serving all night one big group of people… each should have given $20 or more, especially at this time of the year and with our economic situation, it’s the same in Canada. However more and more restaurants here are paying adequately their personnel and saying no tips required, so that the tips that are probably given anyway sometimes for sure for the utmost service. I don’t think this system of tipping should be encouraged anymore as not every customer applies the same rules… which in this case become unjust. Of course prices will rise but at least, employees will be adequately paid. Many people travel in hotels, so it is very important to act responsibly. We have a motorized home that we were unsure if we were going to keep, but the more I hear about this the more I want to keep it… who knows what happens in hotel rooms… at least in our RV, I know everything is cleaned and we can cook anything we want anytime. We also have an oven and fireplace, and washing machine, the fireplace was optional, but the rest we really wanted it, it allows us to be totally independent and at home anywhere we go. 😊

[@carolleimbach6407]

Thank you for this important video. We just use their microwave to reheat restaurant leftovers. We eat out of the container and wipe off utensils. I had no idea people did those other things😮

[@trailgrazers3690]

Sounds great!

[@SCook49]

I am sorry your granddaughter experienced such rude patron such a special day ! So many people feel if whatever it is, if they don’t own something, they don’t have to take care of it- whoever owns it will pay for it. Parents, please teach your children to respect others items- it is a learning process when they are young.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Amen to that! Thanks.

[@Ginger-sm5ed]

Some hotels don't allow crock pots. You can do meal in jar. Just add water. Wait for it to rehydrate. You could do them in a Thermos. I've done that. And cook in parking lot. Made kd in kettle that you could cook in. It's never anything messy. My husband says I camp in hotel rooms

[@trailgrazers3690]

Good ideas! Thanks for sharing.

[@stillwatersfarm8499]

Sometimes we split the tip, and I always worry the cash tip will be missed when looking at the lower tip on the credit card receipt later on. I hope that’s what happened. $20 is not nearly enough. They sometimes have to split the tips with other staff too.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Good point. There was not a tip on the card for her with this transaction, sadly.

[@stillwatersfarm8499]

😔

[@lindacowan3279]

Bacon on the iron! Hahahaha😅

[@deniselogan2733]

I figure if I can eat in a restaurant, the server should at least be able to EAT so my tipping practices have always been uber generous. Breakfast always tips at least $5 (even if all I had was tea & toast), because if that server could, they’d work a more lucrative shift. Reading Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich opened my eyes to the hardworking service people who can barely afford to eat while serving those of us lucky enough to eat OUT.

[@trailgrazers3690]

That is a wonderful philosophy! Thank you.

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

I take meals in a jar to HEAT up when I travel. I enjoy my own cooking & prefer not to eat "resteurant" food that basically is commercial food from a truck. Freeze dried would be an option too.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes!

[@miarosie]

Sous vide? Freeze dried food only needing boiling water?

[@trailgrazers3690]

Yes.

[@k.p.1139]

Ms. Pam, unfortunately, today, people do not CARE about anyone but themselves. Everyone KNOWS better, but to many choose to ignore it. That woman KNEW what she was doing with that receipt. She was being a jerk, on purpose. Happy New Year to you and Mr. Jim!

[@trailgrazers3690]

Sadly there are many people like that, but we have run into some wonderful people as well so we are thankful for that.

[@randyweber6576]

At the very least for the minimum 15% that should have been a $75 tip if not $100.00 tip or more.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Agree! Thanks.

[@LittleLady633]

I certainly hope they don't remove the fridges. We have medicine we need to store when traveling. I have only reheated meals in the microwave when traveling.

[@jholcomb9532]

Ice in the ice bucket might help keep meds cold.

[@janarichards5511]

You can usually rent a refrigerator from the hotel if needed. Call ahead.

[@sarahironsbaker5228]

I own a Best Western. We aren't removing them in our main brands. Some of the boutique brands aren't being built with them though. Also, most of us will keep insulin or other meds in our actual fridge for guests who ask.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thanks for this thread--good comments, all!

[@lifewithlisaa337]

I just finished watching the rest of the video... I was shocked, angry, saddened, hurt, and sick to hear what had happened to your granddaughter-in-law 💔😢😡! Leaves me at a loss of words.. Words that I can say and still speak like a lady. You wonder how these jerks were raised! To work your butt off on Christmas Eve and to be stiffed like that is pretty darn low! I am so sorry that happend to her.. I feel so bad.

[@trailgrazers3690]

Thank you for your caring words. I will pass that along to her. Overall she came out OK in tips for the evening, but she was in tears over that one group.

[@lifewithlisaa337]

@@trailgrazers3690Heartbreaking to be in tears especially on Christmas Eve! Even my mother in her 80's was upset when I told her the story.. Way way back in the day we were all servers paying our way through schooling or trying to put food on the table. Some people don't realize or care if they hurt people.. Sad to say but sometimes I don't recognize our country any more..