Vacation Meals - Eating In or Eating Out?

There is no doubt that one of the biggest extra costs when you travel as a family is the cost of vacation meals (both food and drinks). For morning or afternoon tea whilst we would happily settle for a coffee, the children wanted both food and drink - doubling the cost of the break. Dining out in restaurants can also be expensive with children - although many do offer a children's menu (which often package a main meal, drink and dessert). Be prepared to check the menu before committing (and check the age of children). Most places offered children's meals up to the age of 12 or 13 years.

Here are some tips to keep your vacation meal costs at a reasonable level when you travel and helping to balance eating in and eating out .....

Book accommodation with a kitchen (if the accommodation details say "kitchenette" check what facilities this includes) - this gives you control over the cost and timing of meals. Eat a more substantial lunch (e.g. a hot meal inclduing vegetables or similar from a food court), then buy sandwiches or something light for the evening meal. If your accommodation has a microwave, buy microwavable dinners from the supermarket. Look for hotels that include breakfast as part of the tariff Keep a supply of cookies, chips (crisps/potato flakes), fruit, muesli bars etc from the supermarket for in-between snacks Carry water bottles to reduce the need to buy drinks.

One hotel we stayed at was directly across the road from a supermarket, so we had ready access to reasonably priced food. We could even indulge in some ice-cream for dessert. Another hotel had a fabulous spread for breakfast - we liked to cook our own waffles! We could also take cookies/muffins/fruit with us for a snack later in the day. Keeping a healthy diet can be a challenge when travelling. We did eat at well known fast food outlets on a few occasions - it was quick and cheap (which met our key needs at the time). We found (well known) fast food serving sizes were generous in the United States - so found we could share the larger fries and even a drink between two. We found family restaurants mostly have a good variety of mid-priced food served in a very family friendly environment. Obviously a key part of travelling is to enjoy the local culinary specialities. If your budget can stretch to it, allow yourself to experience the tastes on offer.

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