cooking travel tips

• Check out local groceries, farmers markets and mini-marts to see what foods are available and in season.
• Take advantage of supermarket salad bars – get just what you need to avoid overbuying waste.
• Look for individual-sized salad dressing packets at the salad bar. Pick up a few for salads and sandwiches, or to use as a marinade.
• For a handy measuring cup, Extended Stay America provides measurement calibrations on each paper coffee cup, available at our grab-and-go breakfast bar. Just pick one up each morning, or ask a hotel associate.
• 1 teaspoon is approximately the size of soda bottle cap.
• Bring along small packets of salt and pepper (or other favorite seasonings), so you won’t have to purchase a large amount.
• Zip-top bags come in handy for storing leftovers, marinating chicken, or fish. Bring some with you, or remember to add them to your shopping list.
• When eating out, think about what you may be able to use in your next meal. A leftover chicken breast can be cut up on a salad or tossed in a stir fry.
• Save soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and sweet and sour cream from Chinese take-out orders – great for making an extra-tasty sandwich or stir-fry.
• Pick up a mini-veggie tray as a snack and to use as your vegetable supply. It will last several days to a week.
• Take advantage of individual-size containers of items such as hummus, applesauce, fruit cups, and peanut butter. You can use them in recipes or as a snack in-between meals.