How to Eat Well While Traveling (and Not Break the Bank) Whenever I visit the airport or hunker down for a road trip, I tend to give myself a little more leeway when it comes to buying food. Actually, a lot more leeway. That means a burger there, a slice of pizza here, waffles and coffee galore. But a few things have cooled down my enthusiasm for treating myself with food when I travel—mainly overpriced meals and a general lack of healthy, satisfying options. This post originally appeared on ReadyForZero. Eating out for every meal while you travel can take out a huge chunk from your budget. And theres no denying that its tough to find affordable meals when youre on the road or hanging out in the airport pre-flight! But with a little planning it is possible to stay on a food budget during your travels this holiday season (or any season). Here are a few tips to get you started: Check Out Local Grocery Stores Ive often equated travel with eating out. Its strange considering I would never eat out three meals a day when Im in my home town. But I realized that the more I spend on food, the less I spend on experience, or even future travel. So I started doing what I do at home to save money—I bought food at the grocery store. The good news is, there are grocery stores everywhere. That includes grocery shopping in (or on your way to) your destination. If you want to save on food, go about it as you would at home. If youre unfamiliar with an area just ask around! Depending on your lodgings, you can also request a refrigerator in your hotel room to keep anything that youve purchased that might go bad. If youre traveling on the road and have space to add a cooler, you can keep perishables fresh there. Scout Out Lodging with a Kitchen Buying your own food is great. Cooking your own food is even better. Air BnB as well as other apartment renting services can set you up with all the amenities of home and are usually less expensive than even the cheapest hotel. The added bonus of staying somewhere with easy access to a kitchen is your ability to make meals where you lodge. That can save you hundreds on a trip. Purchase the youll need for your stay—but dont overbuy. You wont need to stock up on a rainbow of spices if youre only lodging for a night. Take Advantage of Perks Where You Can I once met a couple who spent $200 on a night for a bed and breakfast but skipped out on the breakfast every morning! You better believe that if breakfast is offered Im going to take advantage of the opportunity. If youre worried you wont like what they have to offer, call ahead and see what you can work out. Its not just B&bs either—many hotels offer free breakfast or snacks. Some restaurants allow kids under a certain age to eat for free. Online tools like Yelp Deals, Groupon, and TravelZoo can also clue you into meal deals and discounts. Theyre particularly convenient because you can change your city easily, letting you scope out a destinations deals even before you get there. There are tons of special deals and these freebies and discounts can help cut costs. Pack Your Own Meals The number one way to save money as you travel is to pack your own snacks and meals. While feasible for most people on a short journey, it can be daunting for anyone facing a long trip. What youre looking for when you pack your travel-friendly meals is something thats easy to carry, doesnt require too much fussiness to eat and can stand in for a satisfying sit-down meal. That rules out some options (have you ever tried to pack a DIY sushi kit?) but gives solid guidelines for other more travel friendly meals. Depending on the length of your trip, youll want to take care as to how long ingredients will keep. A few examples of easy to make and easy to pack meals: Breakfast Instant Oatmeal with banana Granola/Yogurt parfait Protein bar Bagel, cream cheese, tomato Lunch/Dinner Whole grain salad Pesto pasta salad with cherry tomatoes Pre-made pizza from home Good ol peanut butter and jelly sandwich Snacks Nuts/ trail Mix Fruit Whole grain muffin Cheese and crackers If You Are Going to Eat on the Go, Make a Meal of It Even though its a great money saver, its not always realistic to pack a full set of snacks and meals for a trip. If you do decide to spend money on food as you travel try to make it a full, satisfying meal. I cant tell you how many $10 Pringles and peanut M&Ms meals Ive concocted in my travels. Lets just say enough to remember with a shudder. If youre going to buy food, dont hack together a something made up of individual snack items. A bag of chips, a coffee, a scoop of yogurt, and a piece of fruit can end up costing more than a heartier and more satisfying meal. While it might seem cheaper when you look at the lower prices of each individual item, it also adds up quickly. Ideally, youre looking for best value (nutritional and price) which isnt generally found in the snack section alone. Bring a Reusable Water Bottle I know that water isnt actually in the food category, but its definitely something that can cost (or save) you money. Continually buying water bottles at airports or rest stops will cost you big bucks over a trip. A bottle of small water at San Francisco Airport costs a whopping a $3.75! Multiply that by a few and youre looking at big (and unnecessary) spending. I never leave for a destination without a trusty, reusable water bottle. It doesnt need to be fancy, it just needs to be leak free. I fill it up whenever I see an available drinking fountain which means I dont have to add purchased water to my expense list. Another tip: convenience stores on the road will usually have plain, filtered water funnels out of their soda machine. Most are happy to let you fill up there—just be sure to ask first. So go ahead, be the envy of your seatmate as they play with their mysterious meat option as you chow down on your pre-packed meal. Saving money while youre at it is just one of the perks. How to Save Money on Food While Traveling | ReadyForZero Claire is a Content Intern at ReadyForZero. Shes a Bay Area native with an affinity for travel and food who enjoys writing about personal finance and many other topics. Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa. ift.tt/1iZhjYy ift.tt/1dh22Bc Source: Lifehacker
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 14:29:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015