Food is one of the most important aspects to take into account when you travel. Indeed you want to enjoy dishes and flavors that you usually do not have back home. But you must also pay attention to other factors, so food becomes one really good experience in your trip, and not something that you will regret, and would perhaps like to forget.
We all want to enjoy each part of our trip in the best possible way. Yet this does not need to imply that we have to spend lots of money unnecessarily. For that reason, knowing how to save money on food may be very useful for your trip, specially in those cases when the budget is short, and the number of places to visit and see is rather big.
The following tips will help you to save money on food without thinking too much about it. This is money that you can later spend on excursions, tickets for attractions and museums, and other small expenses related to your trip.
Find out how much a bottle of water costs
It may sound silly, but the money that you will pay for a bottle of water in your trip is a very good indicator of the actual expenses that you will have. You will drink water anyway, particularly if your trip takes place during the summer. So, take the price of a bottle of water as a point of reference to design your budget. But obviously, do not stop there. It is crucial for the success of your trip that you identify in advance the prices of different items in restaurants and popular supermarket chains. This will help you to improve the design of your daily budget, and decide in that way how much money you will be able to spend on food each day.
Prepare your own snacks
It is always cheaper, and usually has more delicious results, to go to a supermarket, buy some items, and prepare your own snacks for the trip, instead of waiting to arrive to a touristic place and have to pay a fortune for some potato chips and a soda. Preparing your own snacks before the trip should not take a long time. A sandwich or any other small thing to go may be prepared in just a few minutes, and can easily be placed afterwards in an appropriate container to keep it fresh during the trip. In that way, you will avoid the expensive prices that tourists must frequently pay for the same kind of food that you brought with you. And of course, do not forget to bring napkins and something to drink as well.
Image courtesy of Timothy Takemoto at Flickr.com
Take advantage of your breakfast
You probably spent money already in your breakfast when you booked your hotel room, so do not waste that money! Most places have your breakfast included in your reservation, and for that reason, instead of going out for breakfast, get out of bed early in the morning, and eat as much as you can. Remember that the early bird always gets the worm.
Look for the best deals for lunch
Contrary to what usually happens at evenings and nights, restaurants tend to offer very good deals at noon for their customers. You will certainly find several options for lunch, and at very good prices. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to seize the opportunity, and enjoy a really delicious meal for a low price. Keep in mind that meals are more varied in areas surrounded by offices and universities, where the prices are also better.
Image courtesy of Chris JL at Flickr.com
Do not play the tourist game
Locals will immediately notice that you are a tourist, and some of them will try to take advantage of you, at least if you let them do it. Avoid eating at airports and fancy restaurants designed especially for tourists as much as you can. Instead, stop being a tourist and go out. Try to take a walk on the streets to see what that particular town has to offer for you in terms of food. Ask people about places to eat, do some research, enjoy the neighborhood and its surroundings. This is the best way to really know the kind of food that locals actually eat in their daily routine, and the prices that they pay for it. But most importantly, it is also a good way to know the whole town better, and have in that sense a more rewarding experience during your trip.
Forget about your silly whims
We all have that deep tendency to think that life is impossible without our favorite chewing gum, our favorite candy, or our favorite soup. Well, forget about that in your trip, and rather take your time to enjoy all the new things that it has for you. You will not regret it, and your pocket will be thankful to you.