Cheapest Meals On The Road?
Travelling can be an expensive business. On top of your actual transit costs, there’s accommodation, entertainment and eating. Perhaps it’s just me, but it would seem that I think about food more when I’m travelling than in my every day life and, if you knew me in my everyday life, you would realise what a statement that is. So in order to keep my travel costs in this galaxy, I’ve had to learn some tips and tricks of the road. Here are some ways to eat cheap on the road.
Choose Wisely
Travelling is about enjoying yourself, getting out there and immersing yourself in your surroundings. If, like me, you generally interact with the world via your stomach, this could often mean your immersion is food-related. Which is going to get pricey very quickly. Of course you should be able to spend some money on the local fare, but choose what meals you would like to spend it on. Three meals a day eating out is going to eat up your budget, literally. It’s unsustainable, even on short trips. Or shake it up- if you have dinner out one night, then stay in for the next couple of nights and have a brunch at the local hot spot Or stay in self-contained accommodation for a week and splurge on a siesta-inducing feast on the Sunday.
Breakfast
To me, breakfast is the easiest meal to save money on. I love a good breakfast in a cafe, especially the romance of having breakfast ‘on the road’ but with breakfasts in Australia generally ranging from $10- 20, it adds up very quickly. Cutting down on those costs is easy. Most accommodation will have a microwave, so I usually travel with sachets of quick cook porridge- it’s low GI, so has the added bonus of keeping you full for longer. There are travel packs of muesli, or you could make even greater savings by buying in bulk and separating each day’s serve into bags.
Lunch
I spend a lot of time travelling in regional Australia, and have rediscovered the joy of the country bakery. Most particularly, the sandwich bar at bakeries. It would appear to be something that has disappeared from the cities, but you generally can have a sandwich for $2.50- $3.00 that is piled high with whatever servings your heart could desire. It’s as cheap as buying food for picnics from a supermarket and doesn’t involve the usual waste that can attend a big shop in-transit. It’s healthy and will keep you full for ages.
Dinner
Dinner can be a bit tricky for the budget, and it’s also the meal I am most likely to splurge on. Self-catering most nights will allow you the budget to have a really special meal, as opposed to blowing your budget on something mediocre every night. Check out bistros at local pubs, especially the weekly specials like $10 steaks. If you’re eating out, why not skip the wine for the night- you’ll take a chunk off the final price.
Snacks
Preparation is key when eating while travelling. I tend to always travel with trail mixes or high-protein nuts- driving long distances, you can need the boost. Instant noodles is a great back-up if you’ve turned up to a town and everything is closed. Miso soup fits into the same category. Having a couple of snack options, like a piece of fruit from the local grocer, will keep your costs down as you won’t splurge on huge meals purely because you’re starved.
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