Different ways to eat when traveling

While planning vacations, most people focus on things like hotel accommodations, flights, rental cars and other necessities. Little thought is given to when, where, how and what they will eat. Through the years, I've learned that nothing can sink a travel budget faster than being careless about food. Without access to a kitchen, it seems like the options are limited, but the truth is that there are many ways to eat when traveling. By mixing and matching different options, you may be able to spend less and will definitely enjoy a much broader array of culinary creations.

The following options are typically available in most tourist destinations. How many of them do you enjoy while on the road?

• Hotel Breakfasts - Most hotels offer complimentary breakfasts of some kind. They range from very basic to fairly elaborate. Regardless of the offerings, try to take advantage of free hotel breakfasts whenever you can. By loading up on free food in the morning, you may be able to spend less on it throughout the rest of the day. Don't be afraid to grab a muffin or a banana for the road, either.
  
• Ordering Food Online - After a busy day of seeing the sights, you may just want to retire to your hotel room for the night. If the idea of even picking up the phone is too daunting, check out the options for ordering food online in the area. More and more restaurants are offering online ordering, and it's really convenient for road-weary travelers.  Popular adaptations of this are GrubHub, Seamless and EatNow.
  
• Street Food - I don't know about you, but I try to cram in as much sightseeing as possible while traveling. It's sometimes nice to take long breaks to sit down and eat, but I generally try to stay on the go. If it's available, street food is perfect for this. As an added bonus, it's really cheap. There's been a food truck renaissance of sorts of late, so finding decent street food is easier than ever.
  
• Buffets - Long, action-packed days make for rumbling stomachs. When you really need to load up but don't want to spend a fortune, scout out local buffets. This is also a great way to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, so you can get a more balanced meal that you would at most fast food and sit-down restaurants.
  
• Grocery Stores - When money and time are especially limited, picking up sandwich supplies and other quick-and-easy foods at the local grocery store is a great option. Just invest in a soft cooler bag to keep everything edible while you're out and about.
  

Sprinkle in a few meals at nice sit-down restaurants and fill in the gaps with occasional fast food takeout meals, and you will have no trouble keeping body and soul together wherever the road takes you!

(Photo by dgmckelvey via Flickr)

(This article was written by Nicholas Chernih)