While one of the most enjoyable facets of any vacation is exploring a new area and all its culinary treats, there may be days or evenings when circumstances restrict you to indoor activities. Bad weather, aching feet from the day tour the previous afternoon, or even feeling lazy might cause you to stick close to your hotel room. However, you will still need to eat, and if the cost of room service is not within your budget, there are a few quick and healthy meals you can make with your room’s microwave, coffee maker, and some items from your cooler.

Coffee Pot Rice with Pico de Gallo

Most hotel rooms feature a small coffee maker, and with a bag of instant rice and some pico de gallo from your cooler, you can make a satisfying meal. First, rinse out the coffee pot with warm water and measure out one or two cups of water, depending on how much rice you want to make. Run the coffee maker through a cycle without adding coffee to make hot water, then add rice and replace the coffee pot’s lid.

Once the rice is cooked, warm up the pico de gallo in the microwave and then top the rice with it. Add salt and pepper to taste. When cooking the rice, watch its progress carefully so it does not scorch and ruin the pot, as you will likely have to pay for the damage.

30-Second Microwave Nachos

If you are craving nachos but bad weather is thwarting your plans to go out and buy some, there is a simple recipe you can make right in your hotel room, and all you need is some baked pita or tortilla chips, some low-fat cheese slices from your cooler, an avocado, and some pico de gallo (provided you did not use it all up making your coffee pot rice.)

Place the chips in a microwave-safe bowl and then drape the cheese slices over them before putting them into the microwave for up to thirty seconds or until the cheese is melted. Mash up the avocado with a bit of salt and pepper to make a homemade guacamole and add it to the chips. Finally, top it all off with the pico de gallo. The baked chips and avocado are both healthy selections and make the dish lower in fat than most fast food nachos.

Leftover Pasta with Dressing

If you have cold leftover pasta in your hotel fridge or in your cooler, along with some salad dressing, you can make a cold pasta salad that might be satisfying enough to keep you full for hours. This is a versatile recipe, especially when it comes to what kind of dressings you can use, but a vinaigrette or Italian dressing, such as Hamptoncreek Just Italian dressing, which contains no artificial ingredients, typically works best.
This recipe takes just moments to prepare. Simply combine the cold pasta and salad dressing, mix well, and then add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. For an extra kick, top it off with grated parmesan cheese, which may be available in packets from your hotel’s self-serve dining area.

Toasted Garlic Bread

There is one appliance in your hotel room that you may have never considered when it comes to cooking there: the iron. While this might sound strange, with a little ingenuity, you can use your room’s iron to make everything from grilled cheese to toasted garlic bread, and it usually takes less time than you might think.

To make toasted garlic bread on the iron, add unsalted butter to a few slices of whole-wheat bread and then sprinkle it with garlic salt, which you might be able to obtain from your hotel dining area. Set the iron on high and then cover the bread with a piece of foil. Let the iron sit on the foil for several minutes or until the butter is melted and you can smell the garlic cooking. While you might not achieve supreme crispiness, the iron’s heat will toast the bread and provide you with the perfect side dish for any meal.

While cooking healthy meals in your hotel room might sound challenging, with the right ingredients, your room’s small appliances, and a bit of creativity, you can whip a few simple recipes that satisfy the palate and allow to you kick back for a relaxing night at the same time.