Feeding a Crowd on the Ski Trip
Hey friends! I just wanted to tell you a little about our family ski trip. This year we had a total of 22 men, women, and children with us. We rented two condos side by side, so we were just a door away from each other. One condo was bigger than the other, so we used it for meals; however, we had to store some food in the second condo.
The first two days were bright and sunny, so 2 papa and I made sure we skied those two days as a blizzard was coming. Sure enough, on the third day, the snow started and didn’t stop all week. I tried to find the exact amount of snow Park City got that week and the source I found said 28 inches, with a snowpack level or base level of 114 inches. The average for this time of year is around 61 inches and the range is from 38 in 2015 to 89 in 2011. All that to say we got a lot of snow! I’ve reached the age where I don’t like to ski when I can’t see, so I was very happy with the two days of bright and sunny.
Many asked us what we do for food with a crowd that large. That’s a great question. Feeding 22 people is never an easy job. First, we have food delivered that includes the basics like milk, cereal, bread, bagels, eggs, butter, chips, dips, popcorn, sandwich supplies, etc. This is a modern convenience that we didn’t have when we first started skiing. Over the years, we’ve had to make our way by shuttle to a grocery store and haul all the groceries back to our condo. I’m not going to lie, on a snowy day, that’s hard. But, in today’s world, it’s easy to get groceries delivered. What a blessing!
Some days breakfast is “every man for himself” but other days Korie made sausage and eggs and I made bacon and pancakes. Of course, our “bigs” love it when we do that, but it’s not every day. A favorite for our “littles” is bagels with honey on the side. Trust me, we went through the bagels. Lunch is similar. Everyone is on their own. Those skiing meet up somewhere on the mountain; those staying in the condo for the day either make sandwiches or eat out at the base of the mountain.
We are beyond blessed that my son-in-law, Willie, loves to cook and cooks for us most nights. The rundown of the evening meals looks like this: We ordered pizza the first night. (The first day of a ski trip is hard as it often involves a plane trip, then taking a shuttle or bus to the housing. By the time everyone unloads and gets settled, no one wants to cook, so ordering pizza is a great solution.) Willie cooked four of the other nights; one night was declared “everyone on your own”; one night was a sleigh ride that included a meal; and then one night was “eat the leftovers from the four nights of Willie food.”
Willie usually cooks things that are easy to do for a large group. This year he made spaghetti, salmon, quesadillas, chicken noodle soup, corn casserole, chicken salad, and hamburgers. Some of the approved mentioned items were made on the same night; I just wanted you to see the assortment of food he made. He also was great at making grilled cheese sandwiches for anyone in the condo at lunchtime.
Overall, we truly eat well on a ski trip thanks to Willie.
Any trip planned for a large group will have its hurdles with food being a big one, but if families decide to work together, any trip can all be done with ease. After each meal, different ones in the family took on the job of cleaning up. We didn’t have to assign KP duties, even though we’re not above it, as everyone just pitched in to help.
I hope and pray you don’t avoid family trips because it seems “too hard”. It is hard, but don’t be afraid of doing hard things. Our kids need to see us “figuring out” hard things and coming up with a solution. It’s all worth it in the end.
Hugs, Chrys
