It is always fun to visit new areas and different cultures, but the super high costs of meals in tourist areas can deprive you of your hard earned cash. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to eat all the good food that one wants without having to pay a lot of money for it.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to taste the local cuisine; all you need is a little bit of research and creativity.
Here are nine tips to help you understand how and where to eat healthily, while also watching the purse strings on your next trip.
Cook Your Own Meals
It can be a huge money saver when travelling, especially if you can find an apartment or room that has a kitchen.
With a refrigerator and a stove, you can stock up on some staples, and cook some of your own meals. This allows you to control your food budget and portion sizes. Even if you just eat one meal a day at your airbnb, it saves you lots of money through the trip.
Eat Street Food
This type of cuisine is perhaps the best way to savor a country’s cooking, and it can also be the most affordable.
Street food is generally cheap, and the stands on the sidewalk often provide high-quality meals at a fraction of the price of sit-down establishments.
For the adventurous tourist, there is no better way to experience new foods and traditions.
Select those vendors with decent work hygiene; clean stations, busy stores and frequent transactions are important indicators that the meal is fresh and popular.
Visit Local Markets
Poking around local markets can be one of the great money-savers on a trip. These markets are stuffed to the gills with fresh fruit & vegetables, little snack treats and local specialties.
All at much, much better prices than you’ll find at, say, a museum entrance.
You might pick up some groceries to make your own lunch, or some ready-to-eat munchies to throw together in a park and enjoy, while you practice your haggling skills.
Take Advantage of Hotel or Hostel Breakfasts
Many hotels and hostels have free breakfasts and what a boost to your daily budget this can be.
Fuel your body in the morning, for free and you won’t need to spend so much later on lunch and dinner.
At the least you’ll be offered pastries, fruit or eggs & cereal. It’s a simple way to know you’ll get a proper meal without spending any extra money. Wherever possible, take full advantage of it.
Dine Where Locals Eat
Stay away from tourist traps and look for where the locals are eating. Many local restaurants and eateries have better prices and more authentic food than tourist orientated restaurants.
You also get a real taste of the area by using this trick as local restaurants often use traditional food. Whether it is the quality of the food or the overall experience, this is one of my favorite tricks when travelling.
Pack Snacks
Doing so will help to keep money in your pocket and tummy rumbles at bay.
Why not pack something like nuts, granola bars or dried fruit before you leave? Keeping something easy to pack and hard to resist will help keep you going between meals.
You never know when you might be stuck in a long travel day with limited food options that fit your budget. A well-stocked snack stash will help you to stick to what you can afford.
Use Food Apps
When you’re travelling and trying to save money on food, certain food apps can be your good friend.
Food discovery apps like Yelp or TripAdvisor can tell you where in the general vicinity you can find discounts and/or bargains. Furthermore, they often carry reviews by other tourists who’ve been there before and can give you an idea of where you might be able to eat affordably.
Food delivery apps like UberEats (or a local alternative) often have promotions and deals that you can take advantage of. With the touch of a button on your phone, you can eat out well and enjoy yourself without having to spend all your money on food.
Drink Water
Keeping your hydration levels right is very important and instead of buying expensive drinks you can carry a water bottle with you.
You could use water fountains in public areas to refill your bottle at any time. Drinking water will not only prove to be good for your body but it will help you save money too.
Make sure to do research to see if the tap water is potable in your travel area. Try boiling the water before drinking if you’re unsure.
Use Meal Deals and Specials
Getting meal deals or specials is the best way to eat well and not break the bank. Research lunch specials and happy hours, or combo meals that are often large portions of food at a steep discount from the normal price.
You can often find them while just walking around. Sometimes you can eat a big ol’ plate of whatever for the price of an appetizer. Bonus points if it’s a local favorite.
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