self catering?

[wendyc]

Not sure if this should be here but I would like to know what it is like self catering in Fueteventura.  We are going to the Barcelo Castillo Beach resort. I wondered if you can buy food and make things for your self or is it a case of eating out in restaurants all the time? what sort of prices are we talking for food. I know when visiting holiday hotspots you can sometimes find that normal food prices are increased. has anyone any ideas or advice please ?
Thank you

[Can the Man]

Dear Wendy, there are a number of supermarkets in the area, including Euro Spar and Mercadona, all well priced, so don't worry about that.

There are also lots of very well priced restaurants and some slightly more expensive but often worth it ones.

You don't say whether you have kids and their ages this often determines how much you want to spend when eating out, or if you should eat in.

Anyway, go out and explore, try the local cuisines and have a great holiday.

[wendyc]

Thank you for you reply.

We are not taking the children they are all grown up with kids of their own. They would love it if we were lol

This is going to be all about us for once just enjoying the sun and the sea. we don't normally do laying around we like to see the sights but think this one will be all about relaxing, hopefully

[zedzedeleven]

Sometimes you just want to make a simple meal and sit on the balcony with a bottle of plonk, especially if you have had a hard day wandering round in the heat. Mebbe you had lunch out and don`t feel like eating out again. A packet of pasta and a few tomatoes, easy enough and quick. Then just chill. Better than the rigmarole of all inclusive.

[SheilaW]

I don't know your resort at all but just in case you aren't used to self-catering tourist accommodation (anywhere), you shouldn't expect to have every utensil and item of crockery you'd have at home. I've always found the equipment to be a bit limited for anything very ambitious in the way of cooking. Shopping needs to be done with a bit more care so that you don't buy a chicken to roast then find you don't have a roasting tray, or even an oven! But with a bit of ingenuity there's no end of meals you can prepare.

Supermarkets are certainly plentiful and reasonably cheap here in Corralejo. They stock some interesting Spanish tinned meals if you want something very quick and easy to eat with some bread - mixes of beans or lentils with various meats. Quite tasty. You can get a tin, a loaf and a bottle of cava for well under €5.

[peggy]

Self catering is great. Last Christmas I cooked a dinner for 4 people on two rings and a microwave complete with stuffing so, with a little thought you can cook a proper meal. By the way - I cheated and bought a ready cooked chicken. Have a lovely holiday Wendyc. 

[SheilaW]

I cheated and bought a ready cooked chicken.

That isn't cheating, that's ingenuity. 

[wendyc]

Thank you everyone.

I don't intend to get very busy in the kitchen lol

I have been on a diet for the last couple of years. I've lost 8 1/2 stone so tend to eat quite a lot of fruit and salad and veg lol

I'm glad to here there are supermarkets around.

Does the bread taste anything like UK bread? I know American bread is very different. Hubby does like his cheese rolls 

As to buying ready cooked chicken, isn't that what everyone does (don't tell my daughters I'm always telling them they should cook more homemade things!)

[Can the Man]

Congratulations on your fantastic weight loss Wendy, if you are not hiring a car, take a taxi to Mercadona near Caleta, you will pass it on the left as you head from the airport to Caleta, once you have passed the small village of El Matoral, then nextarea you will see is an industrial complex with IKEA on teh left, there is a big Mercadona that sell lots of fresh fruit and veg, huge selections, and also fresh sea food if you fancy cooking.

But lets face it your on hols, the restaurants are all so well priced and varities are endless, treat yourselves.

My wife and I typically cook lunch (bowl of soup & a roll) during the day and then eat out in the restaurants.

Plenty to choose from Fado, El Patio, Nestors, El Capitan, Grill & Garden ..... and many more.

With regards the bread, it tastes even better than the rubbish we get at home (Ireland for me) and also the UK. But dont buy sliced bread - it is sweet.

Buy your bread in some of the small bakeries, and you can get a variety of different breads to try.

Happy holidays 

[jonesesjourneys]

Wendyc

I would suggest that most if not all food in Fuerte is better quality and has far more taste than the UK and like for like is much cheaper.
You will have to try Pan Gallego bread which is a bit like a 'French stick/baton' add some blue cheese (queso azul) and maybe some thinly sliced cured ham (jamon curado) - a perfect butty for himself.
I don't wish to reinstate some of your 8.5 stone but Mercadona's own brand ice cream is lush.
Enjoy - you will !!
JJ

[isleswing]

Self Catering means, for us, -
Breakfast - cereal or meusli, toast (the only thing the sliced bread is fit for, and even then it's not very good toast)

Lunch - either packed picnic of crusty bread, cheese, cooked meats etc if we're going to the beach, or, for a day out and about, a filled pancake or something from the starter menu in an open front restaurant where we can sit and watch the world go by.

G & T time - of course, and with the leftover crusty bread and some Aleoli

Dinner/Supper - different restaurant every night.

I know that some people will make their own dinner, and the supermarkets don't just cook chickens, there's a fair selection of prepared meats. Pasta and a jar of sauce is within the capability of the most basic self-catering accommodation. As is pizza. Waffles go in the toaster three times to cook. I've never looked for plated ready-meals, but that's another good option.

You're on Holiday, she should be spending time sitting with you, enjoying time together, not cooking. In eight holidays, we've only ever made one evening meal. Pizza.

Buy your crusty breads daily. Even supermareket ones are better than UK, but the local bakeries' are best. Sliced is quite unpleasant, but, then, we only have wholemeal at home, because sliced white is horrible, anyway. Vegetables are quite expensive, and our supermarkets would reject them. Plenty of good leeks, surprisingly. Salads are good, but buy every other day at least.

Enjoy.

[Saintsno7]

Wendy. A lovely walk along the beach front to the big supermarket at the Atlantico supermarket is a must. About 20-30 mins slow walk from the Barcello Castillo.(we stay there all the time) . Then a 4-5 euro taxi back and all of your shopping is done. Kitchen areas are nice and we have had pretty much all utensils needed. There is a smaller supermarket on site for your essentials (milk etc) on site and a five minute walk will take you up to The Trafalger for good food at good prices. You can have a nice meal and a drink for two in there for around €20.  So your never to far from anything at the Barcello Castillo.  Have a great time and come back on and tell us all how you got on please .

[SheilaW]

Hubby does like his cheese rolls 

Well, the local cheese is some of the best money can buy - the island's goat cheese (queso de cabra) has won top international prizes. The strongest flavour comes from the curado (matured) ones. The bars do filled rolls (boccadillo), that vary in value. The best include masses of fish, chicken or pork/bacon, a fried egg, melting cheese, olive oil, garlic... When that's priced at no more than 3€, I'm afraid you'll find your diet in great jeopardy.

For fruit and veg, just remember we're a little group of islands stuck in the middle of nowhere, and Fuerteventura is semi-desert. It follows that produce is going to be shipped in and needs careful checking to ensure it's in good condition. We find the quality can be anything between fit only for the dustbin and the tastiest we've ever eaten. And sometimes from the same shop.