Tighten Your Travel Belt!

If you're hitting the road this summer, you'll likely drop a lot of cash on flights, rental cars, trains, hotels, and fuel. Add dining out to the mix and your vacation bills might haunt you well into fall. Learn the tricks-of-the-road so you can keep your food budget in check - you'll be amazed how great these tips work!

Arrive Early: Scope out restaurant early bird specials and enjoy a significant savings on the same dishes you would choose later in the day.

Consider Lunch for Dinner: When possible, order dinner from the restaurant’s lunch menu; the same dishes are often on both menus and the evening meals are much more expensive.You can often order lunch right up until 5 PM.

Remember Breakfast When Booking: Choose a hotel that includes free breakfast with your room, most do these days. Or, add $20 to your room charge and stay on the Executive Floor where you get free lunch and afternoon h'ordeuvres. It more than pays for itself.

Coupons Travel Too: Check your coupon apps for deals in the cities you plan to visit.

Fuel from the Farmer: Farmer’s markets are practically everywhere and, not only can you enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, you can explore local, hand-crafted foods, like breads, cheese and preserves, and eat the way the locals do.

Feed Your Room: If possible, request a room with a mini refrigerator and keep fresh food handy. If the room has a mini-bar, ask them to empty it so you have room for your things. If a fridge is not available, bring healthy foods that require no chilling, such as:

·         Instant oatmeal

·         Bread, pita, crackers, rice cakes and whole grain pretzels with peanut butter

·         Granola and whole grain cereals

·         Breakfast bars and granola bars

·         Fruit snacks (preferably 100% fruit)

·         Dried fruit

·         Nuts

·         Sunflower seeds, pepitas and pumpkin seeds

·         Trail mix

Discover Grocery Stores: Don’t feel relegated to restaurants while on vacation, grocery stores (from large stores to mini-markets to pharmacies) can save you a bundle and can be fun to navigate. You can create a gourmet buffet for your room (or picnic blanket) by grabbing bread, cheese, smoked meats, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared salads, wine and/or beer.

Get More than a Drink at the Bar: The concierge staff can be a wealth of information but they often suggest restaurants that are touristy and pricey. Instead, ask the bartenders and coffee baristas where they like to eat.

Appetizing Appetizers: Many restaurant appetizers are large enough to be complete meals, at a fraction of the cost.

Use Your Kids: Seek out restaurants that offer free kid’s meals with a paid adult meal. 

Safe travels!!

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