Let us help with Grocery Planning!

When it comes to looking for cabin rentals in Wears Valley, the expansive variety of rentals available in our quiet yet vibrant community means you need to quite a bit of shopping around to find the cabin that will work best for you. It can be a draining mental exercise… and then you need to consider things like grocery shopping for the house that you and your group will be having for meals and between-meal sustenance after a day full of Smoky Mountain hiking trails, attractions in nearby Pigeon Forge, or swimming the Townsend Wye river just a half-hour away (bottom line is you’ll need your strength to enjoy the Smokies!) Typically, things like grocery shopping tend to fall to the wayside when on vacation time itself as it doesn’t feel like a “vacation” activity, it feels more like work or chores, and they may account for why visitors contact us for questions of where to shop for food items while staying in Wears Valley.

In this article, we will help you with exactly that. The other planning stuff we may need to get to in different posts, but here, we’ll help take the stress off where to get those food items taken care of so you can have more upstairs real estate for planning all the relaxing fun stuff you’re about to see here in the Valley!

Groceries

* Krogers is located on Wears Valley Road just 2 blocks after stoplight #3 and can’t be missed.
250 Wears Valley Rd., 865-429-0874. At Krogers, you will find florals, fresh produce, full, reasonably priced grocery shopping along with a small deli where you can get Boar’s Head Meats, Premium Selection Meats and Cheeses, Broiled Chicken and more. If you are planning on grilling at the cabin you will find a nice selection of meats to enjoy on the grill.
Also, find a fuel center and pharmacy as needed. If you are bringing a larger group or celebrating a special occasion, Kroger has many opportunities for group trays and cakes.

* IGA is located on the main road of Townsend, TN.

Whaley’s Country Store is a great stop in the Walden’s Creek Area of Wears Valley. Many of the area’s beautiful cabins are located near Whaley’s Country Store and we can highly recommend the specialty items and gourmet branded food selections you will find. Whaley’s offers specialty foods, a fresh Deli, Amish items, Gift items, and a small offering of basic grocery items. This is a great visit and you can definitely find wonderful treats to enjoy in your cabin.

Convenience Ideas

Weigel’s on Wears Valley Road is new and a convenient stop with full offerings for most of your needs. Find a delicious hot and ready section of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, and more. Enjoy that hot dog bar where the jalapeno sausages and all-beef hotdogs roll to that perfect deliciously done state that is hard to resist. Items are reasonably priced. Although there are basic items for cabin needs, this is a convenience and gas stop with excellent foods to enjoy at your cabin. Did we mention their delicious pizza?

Grocery Delivery Services

Have you considered grocery delivery? It’s possible and a great idea! Smokymountaingrocery.com is well known in the area for their grocery delivery service where they will take your order and be sure that all of your items are neatly tucked away and waiting for you upon arrival. Contact them at 865-366-7261 or on their website as mentioned earlier. This is a fantastic way to feel completely spoiled and get a great start to your vacation. If you already have an Instacart account, the Instacart service in the Smokies is very good and highly recommended.

Three Recipe Favorites

Biscuits and Gravy
Jumbo Refridgerator or Frozen Biscuits
1 lb. (we like Swaggertys) pork sausage
1/4 cup flour
2.5 cups milk

This southern favorite is sure to please before a day of hiking or adventuring in the Smokies. Prepare the biscuits accordingly. Fry the sausage ground into crumbled, cooked sausage. Add the flour and then slowly stir in the milk, bringing it to a boiling point as it thickens. Serve hot over open biscuits.

Cabin Chili is a crowd-pleaser any season. This convenient and popular dish can be served for lunch or dinner easily in the cabin or while out on the deck enjoying the view. Make the chili ahead of time and bring it prepared or have the items ready to fix one day in your beautiful cabin.

2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
1 14.5 can of diced tomatoes
2 14.5 cans of rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can Pinto or Chili Beans
2 Tbps. chili power
1 Tbps ground cumin
2 Tbps white sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste.,

Brown your beef with the onions and garlic. Add ingredients and simmer. Serve hot. Great with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, sour cream and other toppings you may love.

Mountain Mom’s Easy Brownies

You might need 2 pans of these! The mountain gals like to keep these ingredients on hand so they can whip these up anytime for the family.
1/2 cup salted melted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
Blend ingredients in order. Pour in an 8×8 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 or 22 minutes. each oven is different in a cabin so do keep your eye on them.

Enjoying time in the cabin while not infringing on your time and vacation freedom takes just a bit of planning but is a highly effective way to save money and time for other things you may enjoy We thought it would be fun to provide a few sure winners for easy vacation cooking.