How to Feed Your Family on a Budget Around The World

Avoid fast food and enjoy the local cuisine!

  1. Don’t eat out for every meal: Food is an important part of travel and experiencing other cultures. Don’t avoid eating out altogether just do it intelligently.
  2. Cook with your kids: If you can take a cooking course make sure to bring your kids along with you. We did this in Chiang Mai Thailand and not only did the kids love the experience, but afterwards they were much more open to trying the variety of local dishes.
  3. Shop at local markets: Night markets can be hit and miss for kids and adults alike. But often shop owners will see kids and offer tasty free samples that will get them very excited. There is often something the kids will get excited about and you can use this to entice them a bit.
  4. Eat out during lunch, rather than dinner to save money.
  5. Be brave and hit up the Outdoor vendors:  Everybody knows the cheapest food always comes from the street food vendors. Although after a long day it can be nice to sit down for a formal meal, grabbing some chicken Satay on a stick along with sticky rice and making a picnic out of it can be tasty and save big money!
  6. Skip tourist areas.  Would you choose to eat at the disneyland front gate? Rule of thumb is that the same is true around the world. (that being said in places Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam) the tourist attractions often offered very well priced food and more food options.
  7. If you want to save money Never eat at a place in a guidebook. 
  8. Explore the side streets. This goes along with rule number 6.
  9. Ask a local, “where do you eat?” This can be hit and miss, but when you have found someone in the know you will be rewarded with spectacular culinary results, usually at a great price.
  10. Ask around at the hotel or hostel. If you want to know where to eat ask around. Hotel staff often give horribly touristy recommendations though so be careful. If you are staying at a budget hostel with English speaking staff, there is a good chance they will lead you in the right direction.
  11. Carry a reusable water bottle and take water with you to all your meals. DON’T PURCHASE WATER. Do the environment a favor, treat tap water with your Steripen, we did this for 1 year and never got sick once from the water. The pen works!

Food Safety Tips

  1. Look for places where women, children, and old people eat.
  2. Bring your own silverware.
  3. Be smart about what you’re eating and where.
  4. Use hand sanitizer or pack soap: Often bathrooms will not have soap. So why not pack your own!
  5. Go when it’s busy, you are much more likely to get the fresh food that has not been sitting out for hours.
  6. Stay away from street produce in areas with bad water

steripen-freedomAvoiding Worldly Water

  1. Use a Steripen to purify water: Not only will you be  but this little guy is so small and so handy every traveler should throw one in their pack.

Consider Eating Social Websites like Airbnb for Food

  • cookening.com – Dinner parties to live new experiences with new encounters
  • feastly.com – Authentic food in local homes. It’s like dining out, but better.