Want to learn more about local cuisine during your travels? Afraid your budget will interfere with your foodie curiousity? These tips for reducing travel eating costs will save you money and increase your knowledge of the area.
Eating while vacationing is expensive. Here are some fun tips that will not only save you money but will also yield a hearty meal while also immersing yourself into the community of the city you are visiting.
Enjoy Local Sponsored Dinners
Pick up a local paper from the city you are vacationing. Most places have small town papers that report the local happenings occurring that week. Browse for organizations sponsoring spaghetti suppers or fish fries. Suppers are generally $5.00 or less and normally give you a full meal and sometimes dessert.
While dining introduce yourself to those people who are serving or you are dining at the table. It is a good way to learn some history of the town or local stories. Most of the time people are helpful in sharing places to visit that are not normally on a tourist list to enhance your vacationing experience.
Throughout our travels, we’ve always found hidden gems by asking the locals about their favorite spots.
Visit Fraternity and Family Lodges
Local fraternity lodges welcome members from other cities to their dining halls with proof of membership. Here you can get great food at a reasonable price and meet local residence. Get tips on inexpensive but quality Mom and Pop motels, cafes and fun places of interest.
If you are a member of the loyal order of the Moose, Eagles or Elks this may be a good time to meet fellow members of lodges in other cities and create bonds and continue the relationship once going back home.
Discover Local Service Organizations
Churches often sponsor pot luck dinners or ice cream socials and welcome visiting guests. Local fire stations and sheriff departments too sponsor fish fries or chili cook offs where tickets can be purchased for inexpensive meals.
Towns often have newspaper offices that share the world news but most also have local small papers that cover community events and hometown news. Those small town papers are filled with community events and dining sponsored by local businesses and organizations. Be sure to pick up a copy for your opportunity to get a great meal at a discounted price while building memories of meeting local residents and learning more about the history of the town your are visiting.
Local farmer’s markets are also fantastic foodie spots. Local foods are super fresh and your dollars directly support the local economy. Again, you’ll find plenty of sources to tap into to find even more great places to visit for reducing travel eating costs along your journey.
