There's a particular kind of fun chaos that comes with a big group holiday - grandparents catching up with grandkids over breakfast, someone always putting the kettle on, herding family members or friends in an attempt to get everyone to sit down at the same time. One of the reasons our large holiday homes are so perfect for this kind of multi-generational or friend group holiday is the large spaces specifically built for big groups.
There's a particular kind of fun chaos that comes with a big group holiday - grandparents catching up with grandkids over breakfast, someone always putting the kettle on, herding family members or friends in an attempt to get everyone to sit down at the same time.
One of the reasons our large holiday homes are so perfect for this kind of multi-generational or friend group holiday is the large spaces specifically built for big groups. You’ve got the flexibility to seat your whole group at the dining table at one time, gather everyone outside for the BBQ or decide to feed the kids first and then have a later meal and wine for the grown-ups.
If you’ve not had such a large group holiday before you might be feeling a little intimidated by the idea of feeding everyone without fail every night, but you don’t need a qualification in catering to keep everyone full and happy! We’ve put together a week of dinner ideas that won’t eat into your holiday, perfectly suited to a summer stay with easy and fun foods that the whole family or friend group can enjoy.
Monday: Arrival Night Traybake
Nobody wants to cook after a long journey, and the easiest fix is a big traybake that mostly looks after itself while everyone unpacks, explores the garden, pool and games room, and works out who's sleeping in which room. Bring chicken thighs, chunks of new potatoes, red onion, peppers and courgette or carrots, all tossed in olive oil, lemon and whatever herbs you fancy, then roast everything low and slow. You only need one or two trays depending on your group size, and the second could have a veggie version with halloumi and chickpeas swapped in for the chicken.
Serve it with a bowl of salad and some crusty bread for everyone to serve themselves, and you've fed everyone within only about twenty minutes of actual effort.
If you want to make life even easier, chop the vegetables and mix the marinade the night before you travel, so all that's left to do on arrival is tip everything onto a tray and turn the oven on. You can also buy the chicken locally, check out our guide page on local suppliers for a butcher and some farm shops where you can stock up on supplies during your trip down: Sources For Local Produce
Tuesday: Gas BBQ Feast
Both houses have a gas BBQ set up ready to go, so make the most of it on a warm evening when kids might want to play while the adults ponder whether the burgers are ready to eat or not. You could plan marinated chicken skewers, burgers, sausages, corn on the cob, and halloumi and vegetable skewers for anyone not eating meat. A few salads on the side finish things off - a simple tomato and red onion one, a coleslaw, maybe some garlicky flatbreads warmed on the edge of the grill - and you've got a proper feast with almost nothing to wash up afterwards.
Our local farm shops will provide wonderful quality meat and veg and things like premade coleslaw too, to make this all as easy and delicious as possible. This is also a lovely one to hand over to whoever likes being in charge of the tongs - every group has one!
Wednesday: Big Greek Salad Spread
Somewhere in the middle of the week, give the oven (and yourselves) a night off. A Greek salad with extras needs no cooking at all - mix a huge bowl of tomatoes, cucumber, olives with feta and herbs, and add platters of hummus and other dips to the table. Warm some pitta for on the side, and add some plates of cold meats or grilled halloumi if you fancy it, and a bowl of couscous to bulk it out. Lay it all out on the table and everyone can build their own plate, and come back to seconds too.
It's perfect for a hot day when nobody wants to stand near an oven, and easy to keep vegetarian with the meat as an optional extra on the side.
Most of this meal can be prepped an hour or two ahead and left covered in the fridge, so whoever's in charge of dinner can actually spend the afternoon in the garden or games room with everyone else, or down at the pool rather than in the kitchen.
Thursday: Pizza Oven Night
This is a perfect option for making dinner and enjoying a fun group activity at the same time - get the pizza oven fired up, put out bowls of toppings, and let people build their own! Buy in ready-made pizza bases to save time, or if anyone in the group enjoys a bit of kitchen chaos or wants to make dough-creation into a fun task for the toddlers of the group, make a big batch together earlier in the day. Add simple tomato passata sauce, a chunk of mozzarella cheese and then whatever toppings you fancy - and it's easy to keep a veggie-only board of toppings too for any vegetarians.
When there are young kids involved, get creative with the toppings and plan in ham, chicken, tuna, sweetcorn, and let everyone find some fun new combinations to try. Pizza night has a way of turning into an event in itself, especially with the smaller members of the group getting stuck in with their own toppings.
Friday: Cosy One-Pot Curry
Even in the middle of summer, Somerset can occasionally throw you a grey, rainy evening, so it's worth having one cosy dinner up your sleeve. A big one-pot curry is ideal for a big group – you could make a simple chicken curry, made in one large pot, served with rice and naan. Everything goes into the one pot, and has the advantage that it will sit and keep warm if people are trickling in to eat at different times.
Make it a chickpea and vegetable curry from the start so it's already vegetarian, with meat added to a separate smaller pot for those wanting it.
Saturday: DIY Taco Night
Towards the end of the week, keep things sociable with a build-your-own taco spread. All the fillings can be made in advance – bowls of grated cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole and soured cream can all sit covered in the fridge until it’s time to eat. At dinner time you just need to warm tortillas and cook up a big pan of mince or pulled jackfruit for the vegetarians. Everyone has the fun of building their own, which can be a great way of entertaining the kids, and going back for seconds is easy.
Look locally for quality mince and cheese, at one of the lovely farm shops in the area, to add that local taste to the meal.
Sunday: Final Night Pasta Bake
When your suitcases are half-packed and everyone's a little reluctant for the holiday to end, a pasta bake is an easy way to use up whatever's left in the fridge. Make up a simple tomato and veggie sauce with whatever leftovers you have, add plenty of pasta, grate a generous layer of cheese on top, and pop it in the oven while everyone has one last dip in the hot tub or a few fun sessions in the games room. It's comforting, easy, and a great way of using up all the leftovers you don’t want to throw away.
Tips For Making A Week Of Meals Easy
Shop local. This is a great way of really enjoying the local area – we have some fantastic farms and local produce around Somerset, so build in a stop at some butchers or farm shops on your way to us, or go for a trip one of the days to buy some supplies and explore the local offerings.
Share the load. Plan different people in charge of different nights, with some suggested meals like those above for potential ‘chefs’ to pick from. This way no one person is stuck in the kitchen every night, and everyone gets to cook something they are excited about.
Lean on the extras. Both houses have a gas BBQ and pizza oven built in, so use them - they turn dinner into more of a fun event than a chore.
Bring Tupperware for leftovers. It’s better to have too much than too little, so big meals will often have leftovers - bring some Tupperware with you so that you can put leftovers in the fridge for everyone to pick at during the week.
Keep drinks simple too. A big jug of something cold sat out on the table works well, and saves someone running around topping up drinks – you could plan iced tea, elderflower and soda, local cider or a jug of Pimm's for the adults. The local farm shops will have some great options like this!
We hope these ideas help you turn dinners into a fun and sociable part of your holiday, and another good reason to explore all the local suppliers and farm shops in the area. Get in touch to find out more about our large holiday cottages in Somerset, and start planning your own week away now.