How to eat cheap around the world

When you pick a destination for your next holiday, usually there is a reason behind it. You want to go to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower, the l’Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs d’Elysees. You want to go to New York City to see Central Park, the Empire State Building, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty. Rarely will you say you want to visit a place so you can try every single local specialty and flavour.

If haven’t yet, maybe you should, since food and flavours are such an important and central part to so many cultures that missing out on an authentic meal would cause you to miss a large part of travelling to the country. If you are concerned with the cost of eating out all the time, there are ways to manage your food budget so you get the best of all worlds: authentic meals in the country of your choice and a well-managed food budget. We promise, you can eat cheap (but well) while travelling the world.

Budget-friendly places

Street food

This may go against most advice you receive about food, but if you are travelling the world and want to try delicious, quick and affordable food, pick up some street food. This is especially true if you’re travelling through Southeast Asia. Streets are lined with small food stalls with bright plastic chairs where you can scoop a delicious meal and it while people-watching. The cheapest options will be off the main tourist roads, but be sure to look at how the stall is run. Make sure whoever is cooking the food doesn’t handle the money—that’s an easy way to get sick. Generally, meals at a street stall cost less than a dollar and are an easy way to really experience local cuisine.

Outdoor vendors

Outdoor vendors differ from street food because these folks tend to have a more permanent set-up where they serve food daily while street food carts can easily move location on a day-to-day basis. These vendors can be found all over the world—not just in Southeast Asia. Generally, the stand will sell hot dogs, sausages, small sandwiches and more. They are the perfect place to grab a cheap but delicious meal. Places like Sweden and Amsterdam have especially delicious options, where you’ll be full for hours, but only spend around $5AUD. While the vendors won’t win any foodie awards, they will win your vote for keeping you (and your wallet) full while travelling.

Supermarkets

If you are travelling in the Western world, the supermarket will often be your cheapest way to get a meal. Street food isn’t as popular here as other places in the world, and supermarkets often charge less for essentials than if you were to sit down to a meal. Think of the value meals like bread, butter, cup of noodles, eggs and cold cuts. While this may not offer an authentic meal, it will fill you up and you’ll get to shop amongst the locals and see what kind of food they sell.

Other money-saving tips

Refillable water bottles

Instead of wasting your valuable holiday money on water bottles, buy one refillable water bottle and just drink the tap water. When you’re walking around and sightseeing, staying hydrated is important and by always having a water bottle on you, you’ll have more staying power and you’ll be saving the environment by reducing the number of flimsy plastic bottles that are wasted. As always, be aware of the quality of tap water and should you be travelling in a country where the tap water is undrinkable, then you should opt for the filtered versions.

Tourism cards

Everyone has heard about tourism cards as a great way to save on transportation within cities, but few people know that the same cards can save you money at local restaurants. Generally, the savings are 15-20%, but sometimes lunch specials can be docked up to 50%–adding up to some serious savings!

No snacking

Avoid snacks and stick to big, filling meals. Buying snacks a few times a day will quickly add up, even if it’s “just a Euro!” for a drink, or pastry or ice cream.

No soda

Besides being unhealthy, soda is generally very costly. At $2-3AUD per drink, these “little” costs can quickly add up and sink a food budget. Similar to the snacking idea above, while sodas may not seem like an expensive choice, you’d be surprised how quickly it depletes your budget. Instead, use your refillable water bottle and stick with that.

Cooking

While more often than not hostel kitchens are not that impressive, one easy way to keep your costs down is to cook your own meals. When you are staying in a place for longer than a few nights, this option may become more feasible, because otherwise, travelling with your kitchen kit may be more hassle than help. The supermarkets mentioned above are a great way to get fresh, delicious and cheap ingredients so you can try to make what the locals enjoy without paying for a restaurant.

Keeping to your budget doesn’t have to be a hassle. With tips like these, staying within your budget can be more of an adventure and an excuse to explore and find something off the beaten path instead of relying on your travel guide for everything. You never know who you’ll meet and what you’ll get to try when you broaden your horizons. As you enjoy your foodie tour of the world, consider the importance of travel insurance for your holiday and look at youGo for cheap travel insurance policies that keep you covered without charging you for fluff you won’t use.