Hi All

We need to live in a hotel for six weeks when we move to Maryland from Utah for a new position.  We received our orders to move to Ft. Meade last week and we move in two more weeks.  We have known for a little while we are moving but just received our orders.  We went house hunting last week and don't close on our house until Thanksgiving.  If you had to live in a hotel for a length of time, how did you do it...esp. for food?  I can't fit much in the car besides luggage and two large dogs.  

Thanks for the help and enjoy your day.

Lisa

I love hotels!  Make sure you get one with a fridge and microwave at the least.  There are some, like Extended Stay America, that has a kitchen set up with dishes and everything.  They are very reasonable, too.
I pack lots of protein powder, some protein bars and simple things like yogurt, cottage cheese, chili, cheese sticks, fruit, all things that don't require a lot of prep.  Also frozen dinners if you eat them.  If you are going to be eating out a bit that should be doable, too.  Just order things like steak and vegetables, stuff you would eat at home.  For fast food I usually go to Taco Bell and get a crunchy taco and pintos and cheese with no sauce.  If I have to go somewhere like McDonalds I get a double cheeseburger without the bun or a grilled chicken sandwich with no bun.  Places like Subway will fix you a sub and put it on a salad.
It can be done, just a little more creativity.

Also, if cost is a factor I go to Priceline and name my own price.  I just put in the neighborhood I would like.  I have always gotten Extended Stay America that way and they are pretty nice.  I think I paid about $40 a day with taxes.  The only problem with doing that is you are stuck with what they choose and they charge your credit card if they accept your offer so you won't know what you are getting.  I have been lucky both times I did this.  In California I wound up in a hotel real close to my brother's house and in Phoenix I was able to get a hotel near the airport that was nice.

 Thank you....I will look into that.  Thank you for the advice...just seemed a little overwhelming since now it seems so close.  

Have a great day.

Lisa

Refrig and microwave will keep you sane. Go to a nearby store and get things you can eat and heat. I lived early on, on Wendy's chili and tostadas, which I now make at home. The shells are in all grocery stores and I use canned fat-free refried beans and canned enchilada sauce and shredded cheese. They give me lots of protein and make up in a minute or 2 in the microwave.
Find a family friendly hotel as they tend to have kitchen**** a nearby grocery store and you should be fine. Good luck!  You can also advise any hotel that due to special dietary needs, you need a room refrig and microwave...then ask in advance if they will accomodate you. If not, move on.

Thank you...I appreciate the advice.

Lisa

Had to live in an Extended Stay America for SIX MONTHS with my two boys (then ages 1 and 11) and my husband was there for the last month or so. There was a kitchenette so we would shop for food to cook (usually one pot meals) right before dinner. Not much room to store those things in the mini fridge. Taco salad, chili, hamburger helper, spaghetti... We had to be careful of the SIZE of the pots because two large pots didn't fit on the stove at the same time. To prepare for my new diet, I would look up one pot recipes in advance and try out the dishes you are unsure of at home first.

We also found a bbq grill at a local park and would grill out occassionally. AND I think a crock pot and rice cooker/veggie steamer would be helpful (I wish I had thought of those back then...LOL).

It was amazing how little I missed all the stuff that I thought I'd die without in my own home. Now that I have it all back, I can't imagine how I would make it without it. But I know I would again if I had to.

I will have to admit, it was a bit of a bonding experience for the whole family...

 OMG...that must have been tough at the time.  Thank you so much for the crockpot/rice cooker idea.  We can probably fit both of those in the car.  I will make sure they don't pack them.  

Lisa

 I have stayed at Ft. Meade before.  Nice place.  Isn't there temporary housing or hotel you can stay at on base?  And all of the suggestions above should work for you.  Plus you can shop at the commissary when you get there.  Just look on the internet for restaurants you may come across on your trip and look at nutritional details so you have some idea where you can eat.  Then get cheeses and stuff to keep you busy on the ride.  

Good luck to you.

 Thank you...it is a large base 45K base population but we don't have priority for base lodging because we are civilians now....my husband is retired military so we can go to the commissary.  I will keep checking though.  I do love to cook but always cook way to much.  We have just a wee****il they pack up our house.  

Thank you...didn't even think about the snacks for the trip.

Lisa