Road trips are great for bonding with the family while having a good time together. However, like any travel, road trips still entail various expenses, including food. So, below we cover how to reduce food costs when on a road trip, so you and yours can have an even better trip.
As an aside statistics indicate that food eaten outside the home has increased by nearly 7% compared to 2021. This means that food can take a huge chunk out of your travel funds. Fortunately, you can reduce food costs wether you’re on a road trip in Albania, or just about anywhere, of course with the right tips, and then have a better time.
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Pack Your Own Snacks
You can feel like eating something even if you aren’t hungry and opt for snacks instead. Buying them at every pit stop may not seem a big deal. However, the costs can quickly build up, and you’d be surprised by how much you spend on just snacks. One way how to reduce food costs when on a road trip is that you bring your snacks from home.
Several snacks are available, and you can easily find those that each family member enjoys. However, while at it, you still want to keep nutrition in your mind. Therefore, you can consider easy-to-pack options like fruit, protein bars, nuts, eggs, meal replacement bars, peanut butter, and vegetables.
Homemade snacks like sandwiches, overnight oats, pita pockets, and tortilla wraps can also satiate hunger for longer periods and serve as lunch, so feel free to consider them. If you’re road-tripping with kids, you can consider beef jerky, dried fruit, raisins, grapes, apples & peanut butter, chocolates, cookies, ants on a log, chips, etc., which can keep them happy.
But you want to avoid choosing snacks without discussing them with your family, as it may lead to waste. Instead, involve each member in the decision process for the best results. Another tip worth considering about how to reduce food costs when on a road trip is to pack varieties to prevent your family from feeling bored, so feel free to consider this.
Easy To Make Breakfasts and Dinners Are Your Friends
This may not be necessary if you don’t intend to spend the night away from home. But if you’re planning a long trip, you’ll likely eat dinner and breakfast on the road. Cooking and packing breakfast from home is a great way how to reduce food costs when on a road trip while also keeping your family satiated.
Furthermore, you’re in control of what ingredients you use, and you can rest assured that your family is getting nutritious, healthy, and tasty meals. The key is to get enough meals to cover the entire trip. It’s also prudent to choose easy-to-prepare meals to avoid stressing yourself and wasting your time.
For instance, you can opt for dry cereal, bagels with cream cheese spread, croissants, breakfast oat cookies, banana bread, and premade egg & bacon wrap for breakfast. Yeast rolls are also an easy and delicious breakfast option, so keep this in mind. You can learn how to make yeast rolls with these helpful tips.
For dinner, you can consider premade pasta salad, cold pizza, pre-cooked roast chicken for wraps or sandwiches, quiches, frittatas, and rice with chicken and veggies. You can also prepare and pack one meal and heat them with a portable hot plate as yet another way how to reduce food costs when on a road trip. You’ll find it helpful to invest in quality coolers to store your food and prevent them from going bad.
Bring Your Own Beverages
Meals aren’t complete without beverages, making it essential to bring them along on your road trip. Indeed, water is the most essential, as it keeps you hydrated and quenches your thirst.
However, you want to avoid bottled water if your goal is to cut food costs. This is because buying enough is more expensive to satisfy your family. Moreover, you risk generating excess plastic waste, which is not eco-friendly.
Instead, another way how to reduce food costs when on a road trip is to invest in reusable water bottles, and refill them at water fountains, gas stations, and other places with drinking water.
Alternatively, buy bigger water containers with taps to help you store enough water. While water is essential, other beverages pair greatly with meals or can stand alone. For instance, you can make lemonade, sweet tea, mocktails, fruit juices, etc., for your family to enjoy. Consequently, invest in a good cooler to keep your drinks cold and preserve them.
Take Advantage Of Money-Saving Restaurant Tricks
Cutting food costs doesn’t mean that you avoid eating out altogether. You can still enjoy a nice family time at restaurants, although you need to leverage a few tricks to lessen your bills. For example, one way how to reduce food costs when on a road trip is you can opt for lunch instead of dinner, as you can get the same meals for less. Asking for promotions and discounts is also prudent, so keep this in mind. Consequently, leverage age-specific discounts like kids-eat-free nights for the best results.
