Don’t Let Food Ruin Your Travel Budget – Save More, See More
Traveling costs can add up fast. Almost too fast sometimes. One of the most common (and frequent) expenses that contributes to a trip is buying food.
Hey, we all got to eat! It’s just something we can’t avoid when it comes to traveling, and obviously surviving. However, there are numerous ways to cut down on how much you’re spending when it comes to purchasing food.
With the right preparation and research, we’ve managed to save TONS of money on food when we’re on the road. All those saved dollars go a long way. Like enjoying more activities such as bigger events, guided tours, nature excursions, or even just taking a longer trip!
Learning to save money on food while traveling will keep your wallet happy and extend your adventures. Now, who doesn’t want that?
Here’s our top 17 tips on how to save money on food while traveling.
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Like all travelers, we do like to eat out at restaurants from time to time. Enjoying local cuisines and indulging in new foods is just one of the many exciting experiences of traveling.
Although, many restaurants serve massive portions to their customers, sometimes even double what you would normally eat in calories! To save your wallet (and your gut), split main dishes with your travel partner.
Generally, I can never finish a full plate of food when we eat out at a restaurant. By sharing a dish, we save half the cost and still get to enjoy a filling meal together.
Another tip if you’re looking to order more food – Instead of ordering 1 appetizer to share and 2 main dishes like most usually do, try the opposite! Each order an appetizer for yourself and split one main dish.
2 appetizers is cheaper than 2 main dishes. This way you can order more food if you’re extra hungry and still want to save some money.
2. Limit Eating Out – Once a Day (or not at all)
If you’re traveling on a strict budget then you should set a limit to how many times you eat out in a day. Restaurant prices put huge dents in your wallet if you’re continuously eating out 2-3 times every day.
Main dishes, appetizer, maybe a couple drinks, then add on tax and tip, you’re all of the sudden looking at a meal ranging from $40+ for just 2 people. Now do that a couple times a day or more and you’re spending about $100 or more a day on food!
If you’re like me and love food, then you probably don’t want to exclude eating out completely. It’s definitely part of the fun when traveling! Still, it’s good to be aware of the numerous pros and cons that come with packing food vs buying local foods.
In the end, to help save money on food while traveling, keep it to once a day.
Now if you’re like Nathan and don’t really care to harness your inner foodie, then go hardcore and save the most by not eating out at all! Possible for some, but not for all.
3. Hit A Local Grocery Store
So you decided to limit your restaurant expenses and save loads of money on restaurant quality food. That’s awesome! But, you still gotta eat!
Look up local grocery stores and stock up on food to keep you going throughout your day. Depending on where you’re staying or how you’re traveling will affect what type of food you buy.
If you have access to a kitchen then you have way more options to choose from since you can actually cook. If you don’t have a kitchen, then buying no-cook meals will be your best bet.
Things like cold sandwiches, pre-made pasta or potato salad, chicken or turkey wraps, canned tuna, tuna salad, etc.
Now that you have your own food on deck, go somewhere fun to enjoy your meals. My personal favorite is to have a picnic!
Find somewhere nice to throw down a blanket and enjoy the scenery while you eat. This is my favorite way to save money on food while traveling since picnicking is one of my all time favorite activities.
4. Stock Up On Healthy & High Protein/Fat Snacks
Don’t forget to stock up on filling snacks while you’re at the grocery store! Choose snacks that are high in protein or healthy fats to keep you sustained for longer periods of time.
As much as that bag of Hot Cheetos is calling your name, skip the empty calories. Snacks such as chips and candy don’t keep you full for very long.
Opt for snacks like the following:
- Mixed nuts,
- Granola Bars or Power Bars
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Pita chips and hummus
- Hard boiled eggs
- Healthy beef jerky
- Canned fish – either tuna, or other fish fillet like Kipper Snacks
- Avocados and other fruit
- Protein roll up – deli meat wrapped in slice of cheese
- Pre-made protein shakes
These snacks are good in-between mini meals when you start to become hangry. You can eat these snacks when you’re still a little hungry after splitting a meal with your travel partner.
5. Skip Buying Snacks Out
On the other hand, try to avoid buying snacks or junk food from local food establishments. If it’s not a meal it’s a snack. And that’s money you could be saving. It’s especially expensive if you’re already eating out once a day.
Adding on these “snacks” not only hike up your daily expenses but generally aren’t the most sustaining. Obviously indulging in some of the local snacks on a trip is a must but try to keep it to minimal amounts.
These foods range from pastries, candy, ice cream, fruit, popcorn, and more. If you’re craving a snack your hard earned money will go the furthest at a grocery store.
6. Bring A Cooler While You Travel (if you can)
For those traveling in a personal vehicle, we highly recommend bringing a good cooler with you. By having a cooler means you can store packable meals for long periods of time, instead of having to trash items once it’s been sitting out too long.
We use a rotomolded Pelican cooler to keep perishable food good for as long as 10 days! If you’re wanting to save money on food while traveling then this is the most ideal item to have. It’s one of our Top 30 Road Trip Essentials that gets used frequently every single day on the road.
Just one trip to the grocery store and packing a cooler full would keep you fed for days, maybe even a couple weeks. Simply buying a loaf of bread, cheese, and some meat, we already have 6-8 sandwiches to make while on the go.
Also, coolers are great for storing any leftovers you have from meals eaten out at restaurants. Sometimes Nathan will get a to-go box right after receiving our food so he can put half his food away for a second meal later. 2 meals for the price of one!
Word of advice – if you’re traveling during winter either to national parks or smaller cities, there may only be a few restaurants open and sometimes none at all.
Winter season is pretty dead in small towns so having a good cooler is necessary to store all your packed meals.
For a full list of our favorite coolers, check out our blog post on 4 Best Coolers for Ultimate Food & Drink Storage.
7. For Cheapest Prices Eat Out for Lunch
If and when you do decide to eat out, choose to have your meal during lunch hours.
Generally restaurants offer discounted lunch prices on the exact same dishes that are served for dinner. Why have the same meal and sized portion, but pay extra? Go during lunch for the best prices!
Also, keep an eye out for any happy hour specials which usually fall between 3pm -6pm. Half priced appetizers or discounted dishes are always a win in my book! Oh, and beer too.
8. Search Online For Deals & Discounts
A little effort can go a long way. Before you head out to eat, make sure to check online for local deals or coupons that may be offered. Surprisingly there are a large amount of discounts at many available restaurants. This is a must if you’re looking to save money on food while traveling!
We like to check Groupon, Yelp, or LivingSocial for all the local coupons and deals. Your bank may also have discounted rates depending on what credit card you have.
Bank of America offers up to 15% cash back at select restaurants where you use your credit card. Groupon offers discounts of 20% – 50% cash back at certain restaurants!
In the end, just doing a little research beforehand can save you a good chunk of money when you go out to eat.
9. Find Accommodation with a Kitchen
Finding a hotel or room that has a kitchen is ideal if you plan to cook most of your foods. Which I mean you should, if you’re looking to save money on food while traveling.
Some hotels do include kitchens but at a higher price of course. Prices that can get pretty steep. If you’re loyal to a specific hotel booking website, make sure you check prices there first.
We’re loyal to Booking.com for all our overnight hotel/motel rooms and will frequently get offered discounted rates for our consistent bookings. Every now and then, we do find some affordable rooms with a kitchen!
Preferably though we like to scope out any local Airbnb’s since these frequently do come with kitchens. Also, the price may be the same or even cheaper than getting a hotel room with a kitchen!
Always check Airbnb first if you’re searching for accommodation with a kitchen! The rooms are not only much more fun and charming than a hotel, but you will save a ton of money if you can cook most of your own meals.
If you’re looking to book, be sure to use our $40 off coupon towards your next Airbnb rental to save even more money!
10. Prepare Meals Before Your Trip
If you prefer, you can always cook and meal prep before you head out on your trip! If you won’t have a kitchen available to you later on, this gives you the chance to make some good meals you can actually look forward to.
Obviously you would need to have a good long lasting cooler (as mentioned in Tip #6 above) if you want this to work out. Gathering food from the store and prepping it on the go can be a bit rough if you don’t have an accessible kitchen.
Skip the stress by making it the day before you leave.
A few times now we’ve made a large batch of breakfast burritos before our trip. This covered 3 days of breakfast for each of us and had us full way past lunch. Other things we’ve prepped were pasta, sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, and even just straight chicken legs to munch on.
Basically if you get a hotel that has a microwave to reheat food then you’re all set! (most normally do)
EXTRA TIP – if you’re traveling by car, we recommend bringing a small propane camping stove. A basic Coleman Camping Stove would do just fine. This is so you can reheat your food in case you don’t have access to a microwave.
We just choose a random park with picnic benches to set up our propane stove and quickly heat our food. Super simple and easy! Plus it’s basically an impromptu picnic.
Just make sure your stove is not an open flame grill. Propane stoves are closed flame which are more accepted in standard parks.
11. Use Those Meal Deals from Your Hotel
Did you know most hotels offer exclusive meal deals or coupons for local restaurants? Well, they do!
Be sure to check in with the front desk of the hotel you’re staying at for any discounted rates on local restaurants. The coupons are either placed in your room or in the main lobby.
If you don’t see any, it doesn’t hurt to ask! Utilize your available options and always check for those hotel meal deals!
12. Skip Eating Out for Breakfast
Eating out for breakfast every morning adds up fast. Breakfast prices aren’t the cheapest at diners and restaurants.
And honestly, a big hearty egg, sausage, hash brown, bacon, and toast breakfast is almost always too heavy to start my morning with. I immediately feel lethargic and ready to go back to bed after eating such a meal. Of course depending on where you’re traveling your breakfast options would vary.
Save your meal out for lunch time when the prices are cheaper and probably offer more variety in different types of food. Meaning more opportunity to dabble in new, exciting foods!
Also, don’t forget to take advantage of your hotel’s continental breakfast! This is normally available from 6am – 9am depending on the hotel. Score free bagels, toast, eggs, muffins, cereal, etc to eat before you leave!
Or, if you have leftovers from the day before, throw them in the microwave in your room for a quick and easy “breakfast.” Numerous times we’ve chowed down on leftovers from the night before which is generally more than enough to start our day.
13. Avoid Eating at Popular Tourist Spots
To save money on food while traveling, choose to eat at restaurants that are not in touristy areas. Food prices are jacked up in these heavily trafficked locations, sometimes almost reaching double in price.
Restaurants know this is where the main crowd usually hovers and people got to eat. It’s basic supply an demand principles. People will pay higher prices for convenience. Kind of like being stuck paying $15 for a corn-dog at Disneyland when there are no cheaper options around.
Check Yelp or TripAdvisor for other food establishments in different areas. Compare prices with their menu online and find a much better deal by choosing an area away from the tourists.
14. Eat The Local Foods for the Best Prices
If you’re traveling to Japan, you’re going to find an exuberant amount of, you guessed it, Japanese food. Generally the local foods of wherever you are will be much cheaper than other more popular foods. So basically, choose a travel destination that either has food you like or are willing to branch out and eat!
Many tourists will travel to new countries and search for their personal comfort foods like burgers or steak, and many other westernized meals. These meals are attainable but will definitely be much pricier than the cuisines local to the area.
Branch out and try new foods! Indulging in the countries popular dishes is part of the fun of traveling and experiencing a new culture. You’re wallet will also thank you later.
15. Order To Go Instead of Dining In
Maybe you want to eat out twice in a day but are still looking to save some money. Consider ordering food to go or getting take out to help lower the overall cost.
Dining in means you should tip in most places, but if you order it to go, you’re already eliminating maybe $3-4 from your bill. Feel free to still tip of course, but it definitely doesn’t have to be as steep as you were dining in with full service.
Enjoy restaurant quality food from your hotel room or once again go have a picnic at the park!
Also if you can help it – don’t choose to have your food delivered. Most restaurants will not only add on a delivery charge of $3-4, but then you’re also expected to tip the person delivering your food. It basically becomes more expensive than dining in!
If you order to go, be sure to request pickup and go get your own food. I know, I know, after a long day this might be the last thing you want to do, but you’ll save a lot of money just from skipping delivery.
16. Carry a Reusable Water Bottle
Having a reusable bottle helps immensely with saving money. Do you see how much water bottles cost?? It’s crazy how some places can get away with charging $5 for a bottle of water.
Carry a refillable water canteen or bottle with you on all times and fill up water whenever you can for free. We like to always have around 5-6 insulated canteens in our car at all times. Or one large water container to fill up a few smaller canteens.
When we travel, we like to use Hydro Flask canteens. These double wall vacuum insulated canteens keep our water and other drinks cold (or hot) for up to 24 hours!
To me, nothing is more refreshing than sipping on ice cold water during a long and hot day hike. Well in general, we also just love having ice cold water rather than room temperature water.
We like to carry the 40z canteens which last us both quite some time. Just having 2-3 in our car at all times is enough to keep us hydrated all day, or longer.
The best places we like to get water are at fast food establishments, parks, or grocery stores that offer water refills.
Plus, the more water you drink the less frequent you will get hungry! Filling up on water is a great way to keep those hangry moods at bay.
17. Skip Buying Alcohol at Restaurants
As much as it’s fun to have a drink with your meal, this is what generally spikes your bill up through the roof. A standard drink ranges around $6-8/drink, cocktails being even more pricey at around $9-12.
If you’re cool with skipping the drinks, then keep it off the tab. Just ordering a few drinks can add up to be more pricey than the meal itself!
For those really craving that evening drink, consider buying it outside of restaurants. Buy from grocery stores or liquor stores to save over half the price of what it would be in restaurants! You can spend $6-8 on a single craft beer or $2-3 grabbing one from the store.
Enjoy a drink before you go out to eat either at your room or somewhere safe where you’re preferably in walking distance to the restaurant. It may be a little more work and time involved, but this is where you’ll save huge on your bill!
Travel Smarter and Longer – Learn to Save Money On Food While Traveling
If you’re like us and crave adventure and travel but don’t like spending loads of money to do it, then learning to save money on food is essential. It’s pretty insane how much the average person spends a day on food, especially when you travel!
As much as the next person, we do love eating out and experiencing the finer foods in life. However, to ultimately save and increase our overall travel budget, it’s crucial to cut costs on something as regular as food.
To save money on food while traveling will keep more cash in the bank and allow you to be a lot more flexible when it comes to pursing other activities.
A lot of these tips also apply to our top 35 ways to save money for a cheap road trip. Practice similar methods for a budget friendly road trip and you won’t regret your spending once you’re back.
With these tips, we’re sure you’ll soon see a substantial increase in your travel budget and over time discover new ways to spend less all around. We certainly do! It’s slightly addicting to be frugal and see your savings grow instead of diminish. “It hurts to have savings” said no one ever!
How do you like to save money on food while traveling? Do you have any expert tips that we missed? Share with us below in the comments!
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