I’ve learned from bitter (and messy) experience, that there’s very little point in trying eat out in the evenings with smallies. Lunch is fine, if you’re not on the beach, but dinner just doesn’t work for two little girls who hit their witching hour at 5pm. The older they get, the easier it is, but I still love the idea of going somewhere nice for lunch and then pulling something simple together in the evening.

These are lists that I’ve put together from the last few holidays, the most recent of which was in West Cork during wet, cold weather. The same basics apply, though, whereever you are; seek out the good stuff, share the work, feed the kids fast - and make sure there are plenty of treats in the tins for all.

Self-catering essentials to bring or buy

  • Porridge oats and muesli, milk, butter – breakfast is sorted

  • Natural yoghurt – for breakfast, salad dressings, dolloping on couscous.

  • Cheese – we had a combination of North and West Cork: St Gall and St Bridget from Fermoy, Natural Cheese supplies, plus picked up Gubbeen and Durrus locally.

  • Eggs – because you can do anything with eggs!

  • Quality sausages, rashers and chorizo: lots to choose from in West Cork, lots of easy meal potential.

  • Couscous or bulgur wheat, wholemeal spaghetti – things that cook fast.

  • Squeezy bottles of relish and pesto (Ballymaloe or Sacla do good versions) – these bottles make packing less messy and are perfect for beach picnics if you have the weather. If not, they’re good for all kinds of quick meals indoors.

  • Hummus – for pre-dinner “I'm STARVING” moments with bread sticks, pepper strips, carrot pieces.

  • Condiments – cider vinegar, olive oil, pepper mill, flaky salt.

  • Dark chocolate – hot chocolates and morale boosting, when the weather just isn't behaving itself.

  • Decent ground coffee - essential for survival. And a stovetop mocha pot for brewing it.

  • Apples and bananas and oatcakes and Brazil nuts – for the beach.

  • A tin of chocolate chip buckwheat cookies – the best base for an ice cream sandwich or just for eating with juicy Rosscarbery strawberries and Glenilen crème fraîche.

  • Crackers/rice cakes/bread sticks/oatcakes – general snackology.

  • As much craft beer/cider/wine as deemed necessary. Up to you!

    • Seven simple self-catering meal ideas

  • Meal-in-a-bowl couscous/bulgur: reconstitute couscous/bulgur, add chopped spring onion, nectarine, feta, toasted seeds – dress with pesto, cider vinegar, olive oil.

  • The Husband’s bangers & mash: Rosscarbery Recipes' sausages, new spuds from Kildinan Farm and lots of butter, Glenilen if you can get it.

  • Carbonara-style spaghetti: lots of garlic, streaky bacon, chopped tomatoes, drizzle of pesto, egg whisked with grated St Gall and mixed through hot spaghetti.

  • Sausage rolls: a rainy afternoon kind of cooking – more of those Rosscarbery Recipes sausages, wrapped in Field’s of Skibbereen puff pastry, with some relish, grated apple and chopped spring onion. Good cold too.

  • Gubbeen chorizo: fried until crispy with strips of green onions and fried eggs. Lots of toast needed.

  • Woodcock Smokery smoked haddock: topped with grated cheese, yoghurt, mustard and baked on stewed peppers and tomatoes. Thin crispy potato wedges for dipping. Satisfyingly warming on another wet evening.

  • Mushroom burgers: from the barbecue, with barbecued streaky Ummera bacon, spring onions, red pepper. Served in a toasted ciabatta roll, dollop with relish and lime chilli yoghurt.

    • More recipes from Caroline

    Baked Brie with Caramelised Maple Pecans

    Chocolate, Porter and Potato Cake

    Reinvented Coleslaw