How To Avoid Overpriced Food While Enjoying Your Vacation

Many people would agree that one of the best things about vacationing and discovering a new city or country is eating the local food. From lobster rolls in Maine to black mole in Mexico to pristine sushi in Japan, every destination has a dish worth searching for. However, eating out for every meal can quickly take a big bite out of your travel budget, especially if you're in a location that caters to lots of tourists (this often translates into overpriced tourist-trap restaurants). When it comes to tips and advice on making the most of your food budget, we couldn't think of a better source than Sherry Peters, an experienced international flight attendant and creator of Atlas + Wild, which generates unique, off-the-beaten-path travel experiences for anyone seeking adventure.

For starters, Peters recommends quickly hitting up the local grocery stores. "If I'm flying to Greece, I head to the grocery store as soon as I land and buy Greek yogurt, honey, and strawberries, and make a breakfast parfait instead of eating at the hotel breakfast buffet," she explained, adding, "There are plenty of shops in Europe that have pre-made food." Most of the time, buying your own ingredients or even a pre-made sandwich or salad from a store or market will be more economical than eating out. That said, Peters doesn't make every meal herself when traveling. In her Greece example, she said, "For lunch, I may drop into a pastry shop for their 'toast' sandwich, which is like a grilled cheese, sometimes with ham, and a salad." With a simple dish like this, you're still enjoying the local cuisine, just in a less extravagant way than, say, splurging in a touristy spot.

Sherry Peters also gave an example of how eating on a budget definitely doesn't mean you can't fully enjoy your unfamiliar surroundings. She recalled a trip with friends to Honolulu, saying, "My friends and I went to the grocery store instead of going out to eat, and made our own 'charcuterie' style board – with everything from French bread, turkey, and cheeses, to crackers and hummus before we headed to the beach." Instead of dining within the confines of an expensive eatery, Peters and her friends sat right on a Hawaiian beach to enjoy their feast.

Vacation food budgeting isn't always just about the food, either. As she told us, "Not always drinking wine with dinner will help you save money, but if you insist on having wine, you can also go to the grocery store and get a good bottle of wine much cheaper than at a restaurant. They may not let you bring it to the restaurant, though."

Peters also saves money by splitting meals with friends. "Oftentimes, there is so much food, instead of taking leftovers to go, it makes sense to split the cost to save money," she said. A great place to do such a thing is Italy, where the traditional full dinner meal features several courses. Once you can correctly sniff out the city's tourist-trap restaurants and navigate an Italian menu, you'll see that it's easy to split several dishes between two people and still have a wonderful dining experience — and the money you save can buy fabulous souvenirs.