Feed The Children For Less On Vacation
The only thing that is bigger than your vacation plans and the travel time that it takes you to get there is your child’s appetite. Kids always seem hungry and they often seem even hungrier on vacation. Between paying for the food and the time and expense traveling to find the food, the money can easily disappear from wallet. If you aren’t careful, it can feel like you are only spending your vacation and those necessary funds getting food. Holiday funds could be stretched to the limit but fortunately a payday loan could relieve the additional pressure on your wallet at this time. By following these simple tips below, however, you can feed the children well and still save money.
Pack Meals and Snacks
One of the best ways to save money on food is to bring your own. Bring a cooler and stuff it full of snacks and meal options that your children would like. A large part of vacationing is eating out or enjoying the local fare, but not every meal has to be spent dining out. Especially on travel days, having your children eat from the cooler in the car for at least one meal can save a great deal of travel expenses and time on the road. If you are adventurous and willing, you can probably make all meals on your own terms, outside of restaurants, but for some, dining out is part of the adventure. However you look at it, having your children eat meals and snacks that you have packed at least some of the time is a great way to save money.
Take Advantage of the Kids’ Menu
The goal for many restaurants is to keep the kids happy so they can keep the entire family happy. For that reason, the deals and food options on a kids’ menu are often a force to be reckoned with. When you do eat out, most restaurants will offer some worthwhile deals with their kids’ menus that can save you some money overall. If you go this route, parents can likely get an inexpensive meal as well or something small and eat a pre-packed meal later in the car.
Eat at Restaurants for Lunch
If you are committed to dining out — it is vacation after all — consider trying the lunch menu instead. Lunch menus at many restaurants are much cheaper than what they offer for dinner, so take advantage. While the portions at lunch for some restaurants might be somewhat smaller, the food is generally the same quality. And, after all, a smaller portion size might be better anyway. Kids’ menus, like the offerings for adults during lunch, feature some great deals that your family can take advantage of. Restaurants want to attract those early bird customers, so remember that when you travel with the little ones.
Eat Breakfast at Your Hotel or in Your Hotel Room
Try to find a hotel that offers free breakfast in the morning. It’s no secret that free continental breakfast options are a wonderful addition to any stay at a hotel. These meals continue to grow in popularity, too, so you should be able to find a great hotel with a complimentary morning meal. Often times, even if the adults must pay a small fee to eat, children can eat for much less or free at the hotel.
Even if you don’t find a hotel with a free breakfast, you can still try eating at the hotel. Try cereal, toast, some morning pastries, oatmeal, or granola bars that you can eat in your room. This will not only save loads of money on morning expenses, but will give you more time to take the morning slow and not have to rush out to the morning activities. Children will really value this added time slow down and regroup before starting a full day of activities.
