When you are traveling one of the biggest expenses can be all of the eating out you do on the road. These tips for saving money on food while traveling will help to stretch your budget while giving you all the yummy food you want. Vacation often means great foods that will be out of the ordinary for your family, but the expense doesn’t have to ruin your vacation budget.
Tips For Saving Money On Food While Traveling
Pack your own snacks, drinks and easy meals. For some on the road savings you can easily pack a cooler with drinks and things for sandwiches or quick snacks like yogurt, cheese or fruits and veggies. You can also pack a few easy to heat up meals for the microwave in your room, or things like your favorite soups, pasta etc. that is shelf stable. This will save a few of your meals and a lot of your budget.
Look for discounts on Restaurant.com. One of the best places to find great deals for local restaurants is to look at Restaurant.com for half price or lower costs on gift certificates. You usually will pay $10-$15 for a $50 gift certificate that requires you to spend another $10-$15 in restaurant. Your out of pocket expense will be around $30 instead of $50-$60.
Split entrees. Instead of everyone ordering their own meal, take advantage of those larger portions and split entrees with your family members. Adults and kids can both pick a slightly larger entree to split with each other for half the cost of everyone having individual ones. This is a great tip for saving money on food while traveling, but also works any time your family goes out to eat.
Book hotels with free breakfasts. This is common at nearly all hotels now. Continental breakfasts may not be exactly what you would have ordered or made at home, but they can be satisfying and delicious choices for no added expense. Grab a couple of bananas or apples for on the road!
Book a condo or hotel with a kitchenette. You can book at many extended stay locations and have access to a kitchen in room. This will give you a chance to cook your own meals throughout your stay. Check out local grocery stores and either bring items from home, or shop their sales when you arrive to create low cost and delicious meals for your entire family. Packing staple items from your own pantry will stretch this much farther. All you will have to buy once you arrive will be fresh foods like milk, cheese, meats and fruit or vegetables.
These tips for saving money on food while traveling are sure to keep your budget in tact while your family still enjoys delicious meals out on the road. You don’t have to sacrifice flavor or comfort just to save your budget. Plan ahead, do research and even ask local friends about their suggestions at your destination. Your vacation budget doesn’t have to be so high when you put these tips into place.