Don't let gas prices put the brakes on your holiday plans. Use these easy tips to scrimp painlessly on food. You'll enjoy a healthier, less stressful weekend. Use your savings to fill your gas tank or to splurge on rides, shows, and other memory-making activities. Even though I’m an ardent foodie, I have more clear memories of visiting Seattle’s Science Fiction Museum and the North Carolina Aquarium than I do of most meals. They were so much more fun than standing in line for forty-five minutes at Jake’s Fish Shack.
The modest estimated savings below assume a three-day weekend and a family of four. They could be much greater in tourist towns or if you frequent more expensive restaurants.
- Save $15: pick up a Mediterranean meal at the grocery store. Buy hummus, pitas, olives, and salad toppings. Splurge a little by adding apricot nectar and fig cookies. That covers the average gas inflation of 17 cents a gallon since last year for 87 gallons.
Travel with a food bag to make cooking on the road easy
If you’re driving, go green and save more with reusable plates, cups, cutlery, and cloth napkins. Bring a small bottle of detergent, a sponge in a plastic bag, and a towel to clean up. Consider bringing a can opener, bottle opener, well-wrapped sharp knife, and a small cutting board. If you’re flying, pick up paper towels, paper plates, and plastic ware after you arrive. In either case, include hand wipes to clean up before and after eating.
Yelp it up to make eating out easy when you travel
When you do eat out, use Yelp to find the prices, menu, quality, and atmosphere you want. This free app and website can transform your travels by leading you to local gems and helping you bypass tourist traps and worse. You can go thrifty by asking for Yelp to find cheap dinner near your location. Better yet, satisfy a specific craving: Indian, Thai, or pizza. Add local or farm to fork to get a real taste of where you are. Yelp is essential if you have special dietary needs, such as gluten free or vegan.
How do you save money on food when you travel?
Do you even want to? Do you ever cook on the road? Share your tips and comments below.
Sources: Cook for Good price research, Harris Teeter current grocery prices, menus from Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour, Jimmy’s on First, McDonald’s, Neomonde, Sadler’s, and Vinnie’s Steak House.
Learn more about Linda Watson and healthy, affordable food at CookforGood.com
Get more scrimp and splurge tips in Linda's book Wildly Affordable Organic: Eat Fabulous Food, Get Healthy, and Save the Planet--All on $5 a Day or Less