Welcome back to our ‘Budget Travel’ series where we’ve covered almost everything a budget-savvy traveller needs to save. Of course, we’ve left the best ’till last, which is why, below, you’ll find top tips for eating (and drinking) like a local while you’re abroad.
Pick and choose
Escape the tourists when you head to markets for your everyday eats. Whether they’re farmer’s markets set up on the edge of town for just a few hours of the day, or permanent markets (usually undercover) in a central location, you’ll get a taste of regional foods you won’t find anywhere else. If you want to mix with the locals, head there first thing in the morning. If it’s next-to-nothing bargains you’re after, lurk around toward the end of closing time when specials dominate the tables. Most fresh food markets also offer little caravan cafes, so go prepared to grab a coffee to accompany your stall-bought pastry, perch on a seat, and take in the sights, smells, and hustle and bustle of local life. Tip: don’t be a shy Kiwi when at the market – accept the little tasting offers that will come your way, completely free!
Prep for a picnic
While the tourists are queuing up at the top-dollar establishments in town, head to the park, river, or beach to check out what the locals have packed for a picnic. If you’re in Jordan, it might be falafel and salads, if you’re in Italy it could be Focaccia and prosciutto with a cheap (and delicious) Tetra Pak of vino rosso. Once you’ve got the vibe, take yourself off to the closest supermarket and choose your ingredients, a packet of serviettes, and some paper cups. Soak up the sun and dine like a local while you let the world (and the tourists) go by!
At home night
When booking your accommodation, always opt for a hostel or apartment offering access to a kitchen. When you arrive, whip out your phone, and Google up a local recipe. Then, with your list of ingredients, take yourself and a day pack to the closest supermarket and shop for everything you’ll need. If you’re in a shared kitchen setting, don’t be surprised to find other guests enjoy watching as you cook up with your very local cuisine creation!
Love a lunch
As a budget traveller, you’ll still want to enjoy eating out from time to time, and when you do, the meal to aim for, is lunch. Any time from midday onwards is a favourite hour to dine in many of the most foodie nations in the world, and also the cheapest. When you eat as the bulk of the locals do, rather than in the evening, you’ll get to watch extended families gathering together at one long table, and experience the joie de vivre which comes from outdoor dining during the day.
Evening nibbles
Just as daytime dining is popular abroad, inexpensive evening nibbles is also a thing. In Japan, you’ll find them at the ever-popular ‘izakaya,’ casual pub-like bars serving little tasters with budget beers and soft drinks. In Greece, you’ll find your nibbles at open-air tavernas where a simple bowl of olives, feta cheese doused in olive oil and sprinkled with oregano, and slices of toasted, crusty bread come with a glass or two of local wine. Eating out in the evening should be a social experience that doesn’t put a dent in your wallet.
Water, water, everywhere!
Water comes with a cost – and not just to your purse. Each time you buy a bottle of water, you pick up a pile of plastic! Save money, and the environment, by carrying your own water bottle with you when you leave home in the morning. Fill it at drinking fountains along the way, and thank your lucky stars you’re not paying tourist prices to quench your thirst!
Eating cheaply while you’re travelling isn’t simply a saving, it’s an introduction to local life that you’ll remember for a lifetime.