How to Save Money on Food While on Family Vacation
Use these tips to help you spend less on your vacation. This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.
Spending less on food and eating on a budget while on a vacation can be difficult but it can be possible. It seems like food prices have gone up. Every restaurant we’ve been to lately as a family of five menu prices start around $16. If we all got dinner at $16 that brings our meals to $80. However, with the additional fees, drinks, and tips, we’re looking at over $100. But as it has been, we all have different taste buds and our individual meals can go up to $30, on the high end (that’s probably on occasion).
If you have been wanting to cut your food budget while on vacation or traveling, follow these few tips below.
- Be intentional
- Plan your food budget ahead before leaving for your trip
- If you can afford it, choose a hotel with a little kitchen (or an Air B&B would already have this amenity)
- Decide how many meals you want to make and how much you can eat out (Yes, it’s vacation, some eating out is fun and part of the experience maybe even to try new local foods or restaurants that you would not find in your area)
- Create a meal plan (think about easy foods you can make while on vacation) – my list of meals are below
- Plan some dinner (biggest), breakfast, lunch and snacks – Sounds like a lot but it really isn’t and it will help for a few days (my ideas below will show you how easy it can be)
- Locate a Grocery Store (do a search for what grocery stores are available in the area you are going)
- Get the grocery as soon as you get settled into your stay – waiting too long will just cause more un-necessary spending buying prepared meals and eating out. If you get there late at night, consider getting the grocery the following day
- Try to stick to your meal food plan as much as possible – Cook on days when you plan to be home
You can also get a hotel that serves breakfasts as part of your stay – not the ones where you have to pay additional charges for breakfasts each time you eat there. Some hotels have both. We just stayed at one where there were free breakfasts for perk members and also, a restaurant to buy food.
Here are Foods I Made on Vacation
You can always change things up based upon your dietary needs – Different types of breakfast, gluten-free and such.
Dinners (or Lunch)
- Rice/Chicken/Mixed Veggies
- Tacos/Yellow Rice
- Spaghetti/Sauce/Garlic Bread
- Pizza/Salad
Added: Chips, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Mangoes, Limes
- Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream
- I also brought along salt, pepper and a bottle of all-purpose seasoning.
Breakfast (or Snack)
The good thing about these breakfast is that they can last for more than one day and some do not even need refrigeration. As and example, I don’t store bread in the fridge unless I have multiple and need a place to keep them fresh (on occasion).
If you like pre-packaged breakfast foods such as muffins, scones, croissants, those are usually out on the stands and can last a few days out.
- Bagel
- Toast
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Eggs
- Freezer Waffles (or pancakes if you’d like)
- Yogurt
- Bottled Smoothies
Add: Peanut Butter, Jam
Dessert (or Treats)
- Brownies/Ice-Cream
- Cookies
- Popsicles
Drinks
- Large Box Orange Juice
- Large Box Juice
- Single bottled juices
I brought along:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Added: Coffee Creamer, Sweetener, Honey
Snack-Time
It doesn’t have to be complicated – just a few goodies your family can snack on whenever you are lounging around at your hotel. The kids will need it. Popcorn is easy and a fun, not junky snack.
I like to have some fruits on hand too but you know, snack bars, crackers, (like cheese crackers), cheese sticks, even some chips (yes chips) can be added to the list.
Hopefully, you got some ideas of how you can save money on food while travelling. It’s can be tricky to try to make food but if you are intentional and start early, it can be done.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness (Provrebs 31:27).
