How to Save Money On Food When Traveling

Okay, I know. You're on vacation and you're going to be eating in restaurants, a lot. That's part of the fun of being away from home. Still, if you're like me, you don't want to be spending indiscriminately, especially if you're travelling in a family group. You've worked hard for your money and, even on vacation, you want to make it go as far as it will. You can do that by eating an occasional breakfast, lunch or even dinner in your hotel room, depending of course, on what amenities the room is equipped with.

Here's how dollar stores can help save you money on food when you travel in the U.S.If your hotel room has a little fridge in it, you will want to keep a supply of bottled water, juice, milk and snacks for the kids in it. Hotel gift shops will sell you these supplies, but you'll pay a premium for the convenience.

So, instead of late night snacks from a hotel gift shop or a restaurant breakfast every single morning, search out a local grocery store or better yet, a dollar store where you'll be able to pinch those American pennies 'til they holler. On a recent trip to Texas, I visited four different dollar stores. Here's a sampling of what I found in the food aisles at two of them.

99-cent Only Stores stocks a large selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. Apples, oranges and bananas are all healthy snacks you can keep on hand in your room. There's also a refrigerated section that includes cheese and yogurt and a frozen foods section that includes frozen dinners, if you have a microwave in your room. You can also get other staples like cookies, crackers and other snacks like a four pack of Applesnax apple sauce.

At Dollar Tree, you'll find things like Brunswick chicken salad and tuna salad kits that include a small tin of chicken of tuna salad, crackers, an eating utensil and a napkin, perfect for a quick lunch. Dollar Tree also has frozen food and refrigerated sections where you can buy frozen meals and 20 oz. cartons of milk. They also have frozen ice cream treats like Drumsticks for a buck each to satisfy an immediate craving for something sweet.

The beauty of shopping for food at one of these stores is that nothing is over a buck. At other discount stores like Dollar General and Family Dollar, you'll be able to buy a box of cereal like Honey Nut Cheerios. A package of Nutri-grain bars would be great to keep in your purse to hand out for snacking on when you're in a theme park or watching TV in your hotel room at night.

Marlene Alexander is a writer and dollar store diva. She writes tips and ideas for budget home decor using only items from the dollar store.

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