Cooking in an Eilat Vacation Apartment: Easy Meal Ideas for a Small Kitchen
In short: Cooking in an Eilat vacation apartment is easiest with one-pot or one-pan meals: pasta, shakshuka, omelets, rice with vegetables and salads. The kitchenette in City Apartments Eilat has a fridge, a stovetop or hot plate, a kettle and a microwave. That is enough for breakfasts and dinners without spending your holiday in the kitchen.
Seven thirty in the morning, the kids are hungry, and the line for coffee outside is already getting longer. In the apartment, the kettle is already boiling and the eggs are on the heat.
What the kitchenette has and what it doesn't
The kitchenette in our apartments is built for simple cooking, not for a restaurant kitchen. It helps to know in advance what is there and what is missing, so you can plan a menu that works.
Fridge
Stovetop or hot plate, depending on the apartment
Electric kettle
Microwave
Basic kitchenware
There is no oven, so no baking. Barbecues are not allowed in the apartments. The right menu is built around a pot, a pan and a microwave.
What to cook for breakfast
Breakfast is the meal that pays off most when you make it at home. It is quick, cheap, and you get to the beach without waiting for a table.
Eggs: scrambled, omelet or fried
A small shakshuka in a pan
Bread with cheese, a hard-boiled egg and sliced vegetables
Oatmeal made with boiling water from the kettle, with fruit if you like
Yogurt with granola and fruit
Coffee and tea from the kettle, no line
If you would rather go out for a treat, we have a guide to breakfast in Eilat near the promenade. You can mix it up: one day at home, one day out.
Easy lunch and dinner ideas
After a day in the sun, nobody wants to stand over the stove for an hour. These ideas take ten to twenty minutes.
Pasta with ready-made tomato sauce, garlic and olive oil.
Rice with stir-fried vegetables and an egg on top.
Couscous made with boiling water from the kettle, vegetables and ready-made hummus.
Thinly sliced chicken breast in a pan with vegetables.
A vegetable omelet with salad and cheese.
Ready-made vegetable or chicken soup heated in a pot.
Microwave potatoes with cheese or tuna.
Pita stuffed with hummus, salad and a hard-boiled egg.
Local tip: Choose meals that use the same ingredients. Tomatoes, eggs and pasta can become three different meals, and less is left in the fridge on check-out day.
What to eat when it's too hot to cook
Eilat gets very hot in summer, and even a stovetop can feel like a bad idea. You can check the weather and climate in Eilat before planning your menu.
On those days, switch to cold food:
Tuna, corn and vegetable salad
Sandwiches with cheese and vegetables
Watermelon, melon and grapes from the fridge
Cold yogurt with fruit
Pasta salad you made the night before and left in the fridge
Drink plenty of water, even when you don't feel thirsty. A cold bottle in the fridge is part of the menu.
Grocery shopping in Eilat: what to buy on day one
Grocery shopping in Eilat is easiest on arrival day, after check-in from 3:00 PM. You can buy at a supermarket or grocery store in town and head back to the apartment with everything.
A basic list for the first two days:
Eggs, bread and cheeses
Vegetables for salad and tomatoes for shakshuka
Pasta, rice, tomato sauce and oil
Yogurt, milk and fruit
Coffee, tea and sugar
Bottled water
Dish soap and a small sponge cloth
Buy for three or four days at a time, not for the whole week. That way the food stays fresh and you are not stuck with leftovers. If you keep kosher, look for a kosher certificate on products just as you would at home.
Local tip: If you can, bring a small bottle of olive oil and your favorite spices from home. It saves you from buying whole bottles for a single spoonful.
More ideas on what to bring are in the full list of what to pack for an Eilat vacation apartment.
Cooking in a vacation apartment on a budget: how much it saves
Cooking in a vacation apartment is one of the simplest ways to manage a budget holiday. Breakfasts and quiet evenings at home mean fewer restaurant meals, without giving up the holiday itself.
The biggest savings are for families. When five of you are around the table, a light home-cooked meal costs far less than three courses each at a restaurant. Don't try to cook everything. One or two meals a day is enough.
When to cook and when to eat out
Morning: cook at home, since it's quick and you can get to the beach early.
Lunch: pack sandwiches and fruit for the beach, or grab something small out.
Evening: cook on regular days, and head to the promenade on a special night.
Arrival and departure days: eat out or make something very small.
Want to know where to eat well without paying a fortune? Read about cheap restaurants in Eilat.
Save money: Make sandwiches or pasta salad in the evening for tomorrow's beach day. That way you don't buy expensive food at the beach, and you don't hunt for a spot in the midday heat.
Which City Apartments Eilat units are best for cooking?
All nine of our apartments have a kitchenette with a fridge, stovetop or hot plate, kettle, microwave and kitchenware. The difference is in the size of the apartment and how many guests it hosts. The apartments are in the hotel area in central Eilat, behind the Club Hotel, and the walk to the promenade and the North Beach is five to ten minutes.
Studio #1: 18 sqm, up to 4 guests, Tzofit St. 6. Suits a couple or a small family cooking simple meals.
One-bedroom apartments #2 and #3: 28 and 33 sqm, up to 5 guests, Tzofit St. 6. A bedroom and a living room, with more space to sit and eat.
Garden suites #7 and #8: 37 and 32 sqm, up to 5 guests, Nevi'ot St. 23, with a private garden. You can sit in the garden with your plate, but no barbecues.
Palmore Suite #15: about 60 sqm, up to 5 guests, huge balcony, Topaz St. 3.
For a family of five, we recommend an apartment with a bedroom and a living room. You can see one-bedroom apartment #2, garden suite #7 and the Palmore Suite #15, or browse all the apartments.
Parking: there is free public parking near the entrance. On Nevi'ot Street there is also free private parking, subject to availability. It's handy when you come back with heavy grocery bags.
How to keep the kitchenette clean and comfortable
Washing dishes after every meal saves you from smells and hassle. Apartment cleaning takes place every fourth day of your stay, so the kitchenette is your responsibility on the other days.
Wash dishes right after eating
Don't leave food uncovered, because of the heat
Clear out the fridge on your last day, and don't leave spoiled food behind
Smoking is not allowed in the apartment, and neither are barbecues
For more information about the apartment rules, you can contact our team before you arrive. For fun things to do besides meals, visit the site for the city of Eilat and its tourist attractions.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an oven in an Eilat vacation apartment?
No. The kitchenette has a stovetop or hot plate, a kettle and a microwave, but no oven. Plan meals around a pot, a pan and a microwave.
Can I barbecue in the apartment or on the balcony?
No. Barbecues are not allowed in the apartments. If you're craving meat, cook it in a pan or eat out.
What is the easiest thing to cook in a vacation apartment?
Pasta, shakshuka, omelets, rice with vegetables and couscous. All are ready in under twenty minutes with very few dishes.
What should I buy on the first day of my holiday?
Eggs, bread, vegetables, cheeses, pasta, rice, tomato sauce, yogurt, coffee and water. Buy for three or four days, not for the whole week.
Is it worth cooking on a short weekend break?
Yes, but in moderation. For a weekend, one or two breakfasts and a few basic groceries are enough. You can eat out for the other meals.
Want your own kitchenette, a quiet evening after dinner and a short walk to the promenade? Check availability and prices on our site. Booking directly at cityeilat.com gives you an automatic 5% discount.
Comments