Eating while on vacation can be one of the most difficult and challenging parts of your trip. Whether you are on a budget, a diet, or have food allergies; not being in your normal town can be stressful to find meals everyone in your family can/ will eat. Once you found places to eat at the stress doesn’t stop, because if your vacation is longer then an afternoon those food bills will add up very quickly. Here are some tips to practice when you go on that next family vacation.
Find a Kitchen
If your vacation is for any amount of time over a day or two, finding a kitchen is a must. When booking your hotel room, you can usually find a room with a kitchen inside for only a few dollars more per night. Having a kitchen in your hotel room, even a small crude type kitchen, can be invaluable for saving money and staying on diet while on vacation. The more children or people in general you are traveling with, the more crucial it becomes to have access to kitchen. You can prepare your own food for one or two of the day’s meals and only have to go out to an expensive restaurant once a day. Having access to a larger kitchen will also allow you keep and reheat left overs from when you do go out to eat.
Pack Snacks
Snacks, especially when kids are involved, can be an absolute life saver. Hold people over so you can make it back to your room, or to stop your young child from crying in public. Packing just a few snacks can save you a lot money over time if it keeps you from taking your whole family in to fast food restaurant in the middle of the day. A few of those unplanned expenses are really what will kill your budget over time. One of the first things you should do when you get to your vacation spot is hit up a local grocery store. You can buy ingredients to make a few meals throughout your trip along with some healthy snacks to leave in your hotel fridge and bring out each day. Taking the time to make a few sandwiches in the morning before you leave your room and putting some fruit or nuts in zip lock baggies can be a life saver on a trip. A good rule of thumb is to always bring more snacks then you think your family will need.
Water
As everyone knows water is vital, this is especially true when you are doing a lot of walking around outside while sight-seeing in a new place. If you are keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day, this will limit the times you run a grab a sugary soda or other drink. It can be helpful and save money by bringing your own refillable water bottle with you throughout your trip, as most places have free water bottle filling stations.