How to save money on food while traveling

It's so nice to get to know the culinary traditions of different countries while traveling. Zurek in Poland, croissants in France, Munich sausages in Germany... Each country has its own taste. But, at the same time, tourists spend up to half of their total travel budget on food. So sometimes you want to save up on this expense item a bit.

Luckily, there are life hacks that help you eat deliciously and cheaply while traveling. And they work in almost all countries. Let's talk about them.

Prepare for your trip in advance

We've written about this many times before, but never in this context. While traveling, you will most likely eat full meals three times a day and have small snacks once or twice more. So you can buy them in advance.

Just don't take chocolates or other sweets that will melt in your bag. Instead, pack nuts, dried fruit, or other healthy snacks that you can fill up on. Protein bars are also good, but read the ingredients carefully to make sure they don't contain any harmful ingredients.

It probably doesn't need to be explained separately, but you shouldn't take sandwiches, sausage, cheese, eggs, meat, and other perishable foods. All snacks should be light, small, and healthy.

Look for establishments for locals

All establishments with the prefix "tourist" always sell their products at a higher price. Therefore, move away from the central squares and famous sights and explore the city. Finally, ask the locals where they like to dine. This way you will find many cozy restaurants with very reasonable prices.

In addition, find out in advance what dishes a particular town on your way is famous for. This will broaden your gastronomic horizons and help you discover new delicious delicacies for a reasonable price.

Read reviews and recommendations

Today, there are many websites that help tourists plan a trip. Among them, for example, are Tripadvisor and Yelp, which work almost all over the world. On them, you can find recommendations for specific restaurants, photos of menus with prices, and reviews from visitors. This is a large amount of information that will help you choose the best places for lunch and dinner.

In addition, each country has local apps for choosing restaurants and cafes. They have good functionality and help you find the perfect place for any budget.

Don't ignore roadside stands

You've definitely seen them while traveling by car, both in Ukraine and abroad. These are single vendors standing on the side of the road offering homegrown fruits and vegetables. Do not drive by them because it is in such places that you can buy quite inexpensive food.

In addition, there are many roadside markets in Europe. They can be found by special signs along the highway. These are full-fledged trade pavilions where they sell not only fruits and vegetables but also fish, meat, and even ready-made meals at a much lower price than in supermarkets. Moreover, almost everything there is environmentally friendly because the farmers themselves sell these products. So this is a good opportunity to buy something tasty and healthy at the same time.

Organize picnics

It sounds trite, but picnics are a great way to save money. You don't have to pay for meals in expensive restaurants when you can shop at one of the local markets, find a nice place, and have a lunch in the open air.

By the way, you can find picnic tables in many parks. In most cases, they are free, and eating at them is very convenient.

Buy prepared foods in supermarkets

Another way to save money that many tourists use. In supermarkets, simple and satisfying meals will cost much less than in restaurants. In addition, some stores even have tables where you can eat in peace. This is a great way to save money, which is often overlooked.

And one more important point. In almost all supermarkets, the ready-to-eat department offers very good discounts on all dishes after six o'clock. Prices can be reduced by almost half.

Take a few useful little things with you

A travel knife, a thermal bag, a reusable bottle... These little things are often forgotten when packing your suitcase. And they can save you a lot of money.

For example, in some countries, you can drink water directly from the tap or ask restaurants to fill your bottle. This saves you several tens of euros a week. And with a thermal bag, all the fruit or snacks you buy will last many times longer.

What can we say about a travel burner, which allows you to cook your own lunch in the field, or canned or freeze-dried meals that can keep you full for several hours.

When trying to find ways to save money on food, don't forget that each country has its own "signature dishes" that are worth trying. You don't have to order them in expensive restaurants because you can find the same delicacies in local restaurants. But do not deny yourself the pleasure of getting acquainted with the culinary traditions of the country you are visiting.