Not Another Cheese Sandwich: How to Eat Well While Traveling on a Budget
How to travel and eat well, on a budget.
While there are some commendable budget travelers who can live for a week off a $1 loaf of bread and $2 pack of cheese, food is too much a part of the travel experience for me to sacrifice.
When I had an income, I often didn’t think twice about going out to eat and what I was spending on food. It was a huge part of any destination - even choosing many locations just for the food scene and prospects of amazing eats.
I wasn’t ready to give this up entirely when I had to reign in my spending and go more budget-traveler, so I found ways to still eat well and enjoy local foods, but on a much more limited budget.
While my days of not caring what I am spending on food and eating out are on pause, these are some compromises I have found that allow me to still enjoy local culinary delights without sacrifices too much.
Zero Waste Food Apps
Zero waste food apps are designed to help eliminate food waste by selling left over grocery and prepared food at a discount. These apps can help reduce food waste by helping users buy and eat what they need at a heavily discounted rate.
Too Good to Go
“Too Good To Go is a social impact company on a mission to inspire and empower everyone to fight food waste together.”
One of my favorite Indian restaurants in Lisbon offers Too Good to Go meals for as little as €5
Too Good to Go is my go-to app for take away deals. I have used it in numerous cities in several countries for great take-out and grocery bag deals at up to 75% off.
It does take being a bit flexible, since you don’t get to choose your food, but there are many vegetarian options, and some restaurants allow a bit of customization. I have always been pleased with my orders and am often given far more than I ordered, which can be extended into more meals.
I most recently used Too Good To Go in London at a small, independently owned Afro-Carribean restaurant and received two full meals, additional “bites” and a small dessert: for £4. It was some of the best food I have had in the months I have spent in England.
The app is very user friendly and offers reviews and customer feedback.
As of August 2024, the Too Good To Go app is available in the United States, Canada, and 16 European countries.
Olio
“Don’t buy it, or bin it
Olio it!”
I was recently introduced to Olio while traveling in the UK and found some really great deals on groceries. There are also several bakery and small business options, as well as individuals with surplus packaged foods (think party leftovers) that are available for free.
Olio also has a huge variety of non-food items including; shoes, clothes, blankets, household items, etc that can be really useful to travelers.
The Olio app is available worldwide and has been used in over 51 countries as of May 2024
Restaurants
Being on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t dive in to the local restaurant scene and enjoy a meal out every now and then, or frequently. While 10 course, fine dining experiences may not be in the budget, there are many ways to make it possible to enjoy meals out without breaking the bank.
First Table (app)
“Early bird dining
Book the first table at restaurants and get 50% off the food bill for two, three or four people!”
First Table is a great option for couples or small groups, offering 50% discount on dinner when booking the first table of the night. While very popular in London and larger cities in the UK, First Table is growing in popularity in New Zealand and Australia and potentially expanding to more countries and cities.
I used the app when meeting a friend in London for dinner and found it easy to use. We were able to have a huge and delicious dinner for a great price.
My only gripe with the platform is it is not solo traveler friendly.
Happy Hour
While Happy Hour is clearly a great way to save money on drinks, it is also a great time to snag some food deals for a late lunch or early dinner. Many bars, pubs, and breweries also offer happy hour food deals in addition to drink deals.
I am not one to recommend chain restaurants, but they are often great places to get happy hour food deals. I have tried some local chains in South America that had great happy hour deals and knocked the socks of TGIFridays and Chilis.
Lunch > Dinner
Lunch is generally far less expensive than dinner (often for the exact same meal served a few hours later). If you are budgeting for just one meal out a day, splashing out on lunch and going budget for dinner can afford you a great meal at a lower price point.
I have found in many places, especially traveling throughout Europe, that lunch specials are very common and are a great way to save some cash and have a great meal. Lunch, especially in cafes, is also a very busy and social time in many cities where locals actually take a midday break and eat and socialize.
Brunch
Along the same lines of Lunch > Dinner, brunch is a great “in between” option to have a great, filling meal at a lower price point than dinner. The key here (and don’t come at me…) is to skip the drinks. 1 or 2 brunch mimosas or cocktails can quickly double or triple the price and blow your budget. I didn’t realize how inexpensive brunch was until I started going just for the food.
Depending on what you get - see eggs-and-greens over waffles, it can also be a super filling mean to fuel you through dinner time.
I also, personally, always feel like brunch is an event and it feels like more than just having a meal, whether I am solo or with someone.
Reservation Platform Offers
Many popular reservation platforms like The Fork and Open Table offer promotions and discounts for participating restaurants. This is a great way to try new places and save some money. Discounts and promotions are most commonly available for early and weekday reservations.
Open Table has a points earning system and The Fork has a seasonal promo (ie: The Fork Summer) that restaurants can participate in.
Trip Advisor also has functionality to filter by price point or “cheap eats” and offers discounts and promotions for booking through their platform.
Be sure to mention any promos or discounts to your server at the beginning of your meal.
Grocery Shopping
Grocery, and convivence, stores seems like an obvious option for saving money saving on food, but there are a few ways to make your money go a little further, even at the grocery store.
Of course, you can get a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter and have “meals” for a week, but if you want some variety (and nutrition), here are some ways to extend your budget and options.
Super Markets
“Reduced to Sell”
This is common in supermarkets throughout the UK and Europe and not only offers grocery items at deep discounts, but also helps eliminate food waste. Items that are close to the “sell by” or “best by” date are marked down significantly to sell before the store would need to discard them.
This is very commonly produce, meat, bread and bakery items, and prepared foods - all perfect for travelers who may have limited, or no, access to a kitchen or want grab and go items on the move.
As a challenge, I decided to eat only from the “reduced to sell” section at 2 grocery stores near a house sit in England for a week (with few exceptions like eggs and other daily staples). I was able to eat balanced, and tasty meals for a week for $29. No cheese sandwiches.
When the grocery store clerk enthusiastically helped me with my "challenge"
“Meal Deals”
These are also very common in the UK, and some places in the Europe at grocery stores like Tesco, Co-op, M&S Food, Morrisons, and Sainsbury’s. These will get you a sandwich or prepared meal, snack and drink for a set amount, sometimes as low as £3.50. These are great for an on-the-go lunch or quick dinner that is far less expensive (and healthier) than fast food.
Pro tip: These prices are also often the same at the airport.
Many grocery stores like Lidl and Aldi, and the ones mentioned above also have family meal kits (some only require a microwave and some require cooking). If you are traveling with others or want to stretch a meal kit across a few days as a solo traveler, this is also a great option
Fresh Markets
These can be hit and miss depending on where you are, but generally offer produce and eggs at much cheaper prices than supermarkets. I have found this especially true in Mexico and South America, as well as the Balkans.
Sometimes, in urban areas (I see you NYC) fresh markets can actually be more expensive than grocery stores, so be sure to do a little comparison.
⭐Prices are often reduced during the last 30 minutes of fresh markets, so this is a great time to snag extra discounts, especially on baked items.
Delivery Apps
BOGO pizza makes for a great, budget friendly picnic
Many delivery apps have introductory discounts or promos with select restaurants that can offer significant savings.
Uber Eats offers a free trial or Uber One that offers discounts and free delivery, Rappi offers initial discounts, Bolt Food also offers sign on discounts, Getir has a ton of promos and many other local apps offer similar deals to new customers. Almost all food delivery apps have promos of free items, buy one/get one offers, etc (just watch those fees and delivery costs, they can add up quick).
⭐If signing up for a free trial, be sure to cancel at the end of your stay or before being charged.
Budget Friendly Destinations
I have no shame in saying I have chosen destinations by how well I can eat for the least amount of money (and a few other factors).
Experiencing food culture is a very big factor in my travels and being somewhere I don’t have to pinch pennies and can eat (pretty much) wherever I want makes the experience that much more enjoyable.
Some countries I have found the most affordable, and enjoyable food: Serbia, North Macedonia, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, Turkey (pre 2024), Romania, Albania.
I have not made it to South East Asia yet, but when I do, I know I will be eating like a queen.
Street Food
Many destinations with the most affordable food, also have an incredible street food scene. So don’t hesitate to try some of these amazing options at great prices. This is also a great way to sample many different options and local bites.
Whether you are a budget traveler or just want to save some money eating on your travels, these are all great options to stretch your budget while seeing the world. Being on a budget doesn’t need to be overly restrictive, or unhealthy, so snag some deals and enjoy the food wherever you are.
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