Best time/meal to eat in parks if only having one meal there?

[Bayshore]

We're a family of 6 going for a day in August. Food costs in the parks seems really crippling compared to off site so I'm trying to avoid where possible.

I'll probably bring some frozen water and pringles or crackers etc to snack on. Can't see us bothering with sandwiches or etc.

We're wondering what's the best meal to go for if we're hoping to go 10ish and then stay for the fire works? Would you go for a midday Crystal Palace buffet lunch or later, maybe early breakfast at home and a counter service meal 3ish or later in the day?

Wondering what the best plan is. Any/all input welcome.

[halloweenbaby2]

If its a table service restaurant then breakfast and lunch times are cheaper than the evening meals. Is it just MK you want advice on? We have to do Crystal Palace breakfast every time as we love it. If you do the latest breakfast ADR they normally start bringing the lunchtime items out too. If we have breakfast there we usually aren't hungry again until 7 or 8pm.
QS meals are quite large and can usually be shared - we love Cosmic Rays as it has a toppings bar too, which can help the meal go further.

[loldis]

When I'm only doing 2 meals a day, I like the breakfast and then late lunch (3-4pm) approach. I find I then don't get peckish until around 9pm or so. Perfect time to grab a snack (in August - ice cream for sure!) to enjoy during the fireworks.

[Bayshore]

Sorry, yes, I should have said that it was MK we are going to for the day. Might see if I can get an ADR for before lunch in CP. That's probably very unlikely at this stage though.

[Gryff]

We tend to have breakfast at home take snacks and eat around 4 counter service as we find it too hot and to busy at lunch time then just usually just a large popcorn to share with a drink when waiting for the fire works and we do share meals in the parks as they can be too much for me

[Bal]

Last time we took a ruck sack cool bag and filled it up with cold pizza, sandwiches etc. Saved us hundreds over a 14 day holiday.

[Bayshore]

Will definitely be bringing some snack food and hoping to eat one meal there. Will look at a reservation for CP late breakfast, or otherwise bring some croissants with us and eat counter service late in the afternoon.

Thank you all.

[Guest]

Have a look at Skipper Canteen (TS). There's been some fab reviews on in trip reports recently.

[mossyflossy]

We tend to have a meal at 3/4pm on a MK day, call it Lupper (between Lunch and Supper), generally a sit down meal in the aircon so it gives us a chance to recharge and go back refreshed for evening and fireworks. This year we've booked Kona at that time... we like to get away from the madness and will have a look around the Poly. It's not cheap, but only slightly more than eating offsite if you're careful..big breakfast before we go, and a snack later on if we're peckish..and some snacks to munch on in the parks..