Alas, your kitchen won’t fit in your trunk! Eating well on the road can be a big challenge — not to mention a big expense. Pricy, processed convenience foods and constant restaurants stops can leave you and your budget feeling bloated.
Need some fresh ideas to eat well on the road? Here’s how to make your money go farther — and keep your food healthy.
Tips to stretch your travel budget
- Aim for balance. No, you don’t have to give up delicious meals at restaurants — but do alternate them with less expensive options. For instance, bring your own breakfast, enjoy a picnic lunch and have a nice dinner out.
- Plan your accommodations accordingly. Does your hotel room have a fridge or kitchenette? Is breakfast included in the price? Paying a little more for these amenities can save you cash because you can prepare and store your own food.
Also, alternatives like a cottage or vacation rental can cost less than a hotel stay and offer a kitchen. If you’re hitting the campsite instead, make sure there are outdoor grills and picnic areas available.
- Pack your own snacks. You can expect to pay a premium for fast foods and gas station fare — plus they aren’t the healthiest options. Take along some trail mix, fruits and vegetables or whole grain cereals to tame the munchies.
- Plan a picnic or cookout. Make the most of the outdoors with a simple meal of fresh bread, meat, fruit and a little something sweet. You can easily pick up ingredients at the local grocery store, or take advantage of farmers’ markets or bakeries.
Just about anything can go on the barbeque — including fruits, veggies and dessert — and you can usually find one at a park or rest stop.
- Pack your own reusable water bottles. You won’t have to worry about recycling or paying the hefty mark-up on small bottles. If bottled water is a necessity, buy larger bottles for refills — the cost per unit will be much lower.
- Bring empty containers.. Opening cans or packages? Pack a few empty plastic containers to store your leftovers. You can also divvy up snacks into right-sized portions to practice mindful eating.
- Get two meals for the price of one. Most restaurant meals are too big for a single sitting, so package up half for later. (Reusable containers can come in handy here to, as take-out packaging can take up unnecessary space and leak.)
- Plan for food prep. A few tools give you a lot of flexibility. Consider bringing extra water for washing, a small knife with a sheath (for slicing breads, meats and produce), hand sanitizer, wet wipes, plastic dishes, camping cutlery, dish soap and a small kettle.
- Do a little research. When plotting your course, find out what restaurants, markets and stores are in the area — especially if you have dietary concerns. An application for your mobile device or features on your GPS can help, but beware they might miss some of the smaller local businesses.
