We're off for 6 days in the Norfolk Broads (two adults +doggies)
The off peak site prices are steep enough but when I looked at the menu for an on site pub I could not believe it.
Soup £4, Sandwich £12, Grill £24, and that was without extras or drinks.
I'll be taking my own supplies inc drinkies, and eating out...side the tent.
What about you?
Post last edited on 21/08/2022 13:08:39
------------- Knowledge is recognising that a tomato is a fruit: experience is not putting it in a fruit salad.
We rarely eat out now because you can't see how food is prepared in the kitchens disregards the cost. Even though staff have certificates to prove that they have been on a food safety course and passed a test doesn't mean to say that they strictly adhere to the standards and I've known two people in the past 18 months go down with food poisoning after eating out or a take away. It's no different to a person passing a driving test as they may drive perfect on the day of the test but very few will drive to the same standards afterwards.
Fish & chips to take back to the MH are about a tenner now. A carry-out coffee is £3.
We always buy local though, only take the first night’s meal. We prefer to put back to the local farmers, butchers, fishmongers, bakers, fruit & veggie growers etc.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 21/8/2022
Fish & chips to take back to the MH are about a tenner now. A carry-out coffee is £3.
We always buy local though, only take the first night’s meal. We prefer to put back to the local farmers, butchers, fishmongers, bakers, fruit & veggie growers etc.
Last time I went to the chippy it was "cash only" and £15 for cod & chips twice. I now cook Birds Eye cod in batter with McCains Chips in the Halogen cooker for under a fiver.
------------- Knowledge is recognising that a tomato is a fruit: experience is not putting it in a fruit salad.
That's a bit of a trek for very little price difference. With my trusty pressure cooker, Halogen cooker and grill, I'll come up with meals to match whatever the pub dishes up. (plus the food will be cooked rather than running around the plate) ;)
------------- Knowledge is recognising that a tomato is a fruit: experience is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Not the most outrageous prices I've ever seen, but like many a 'on site' facility you pay a bit extra for the convenience/captive audience factor!
Whether good value depends heavily on portion size and quality, but a way up the 'pub-grub' pricing for sure. Sadly many pubs now have pretensions to being classy restaurants but still only offering basic pub fare (which generally I'm rather partial to), it's only the prices that compare!
I tend not to eat out much when I'm caravaning, usually take a good stock of frozen home cooked meals and/or tinned/dry ingredients to cook from scratch, I've got a fully featured kitchen in the van and enough skills to cook, so see it as an opportunity to relax, have a beer or wine without having to think about driving, and eat well for minimal cost. All told, likely to have eaten and drunk well for a few pounds and saved £35 or more from not having someone else do it for me. Big chunk of deciding to get a caravan was to be self contained/independent in a fair degree of comfort, and I've pretty much cracked it.
If I do eat out, it's usually when I meet up with friends from the area, when you really want to be socialising with them, not slaving over a stove and almost talking to them over your shoulder.
Part of the enjoyment of camping for me is to cook while I am on a site.
So I normally carry provisions to cook, and plan the menus in advance.
When I was a tenter, I would normally dine out at least once, or opted for something from a visiting food van, like fish and chips or pizza.
Nowadays, I don't particularly like to have to pack everything away before driving off to go somewhere to eat now that I have a van.
I would only go out to eat if I am going out for something else, like off to take the dog to a beach, and stop somewhere along the way.
I spec'ed my van with hot and cold running water as well as a 2-burner induction hob, and well-stocked tins, cans and herbs and spices.
I carry a Cobb and a Weber Go Anywhere BBQ, as well as a gas stove and a Ridge Monkey XL, and have a 80L fridge with a freezer compartment.
I have been known to take an additional thermo-electric coolbox to keep salad items (they risk being frozen in the fridge) and beers/ciders chilled.
Therefore, personally, food during camping is cheap for me as I love to cook!
Each to their own and all that.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
We don't eat out much when we go away, and when we do it's likely to be fish & chips at the beach. We do very occasionally go for a pub meal, but maybe only once in a 2 week holiday.
We tend to avoid sites with on-site pubs, bars, etc because as well as tending to be noisier than those without, they are usually more expensive, just because they do have a bar on site. I wouldn't mind if the food and drink was included in the site fees!
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 23/8/2022
We don't eat out much when we go away, and when we do it's likely to be fish & chips at the beach. We do very occasionally go for a pub meal, but maybe only once in a 2 week holiday.
We tend to avoid sites with on-site pubs, bars, etc because as well as tending to be noisier than those without, they are usually more expensive, just because they do have a bar on site. I wouldn't mind if the food and drink was included in the site fees!
The two cider pubs I stayed were very good.
One had a curry night on Fridays and the food was decent for a fiver.
They also brought someone in to do BBQ/cooked breakfast in the barn where they had entertainment regularly.
Prices for ciders and beers were decent too and not inflated. Lots of locals went there when I stayed.
The site was Tucker's Grave Inn in Somerset. I have not been back yet as they only have a handful of pitches with 6A EHU, and have planned to go back for certain once they have upgraded to 10A hopefully next year (delayed due to Covid).
At the other site recently, they did burgers on 2 nights, and had a pop up pizza for 3 nights, no food on Sundays and Mondays.
I did not try their burgers, however I saw them making their own coleslaw which was a good sign in my book; and the food smelt nice.
The pub is tied to their own cider and perry brewery and sells their products from their shop. Again, decent prices at the bar without feeling they were inflated.
The site was Yew Tree Inn in Ross-on-Wye. My pitch was closest to the pub and was quite noisy at times - a case of adult-only site does not mean it is completely child free!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
We see eating out as a part of the trip away/holiday. It's a treat not to eat the same food that you can at home and not to have to cook too!
Yes things are becoming more expensive but having read of restaurants/takeaways that have had to close because they're not making enough money to cover their fuel bills perhaps it's not surprising?
Quote: Originally posted by MrWez on 23/8/2022
We see eating out as a part of the trip away/holiday. It's a treat not to eat the same food that you can at home and not to have to cook too!
Yes things are becoming more expensive but having read of restaurants/takeaways that have had to close because they're not making enough money to cover their fuel bills perhaps it's not surprising?
I'd be inclined to agree if we could afford it, but unfortunately we can't. To afford eating out more we would have to cut down on the days we spend away even more, and we have already cut right back. Everything for us is done on a shoe-string these days. We actually have less money coming in now than we did at the turn of the century, and the cost of living for us is more than double what it was then, and set to get worse.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Eating Out
via mobile 21/8/2022 at 1:08pm
