It’s been a busy summer, with two cross-country trips. We drove down to Missouri in June, and are just getting ready to head back to Washington next week. We’ve had a great time at Missionary Acres, and are looking forward to moving down here full-time in the future.
With the trip coming up, it’s time to do some planning for meals. By deciding what to eat in advance, we can help reduce the cost of food on the trip. Since there are 11 of us, food costs can quickly get out of hand if we don’t take the time to plan.
There are three main ways we help reduce food costs on road trips:
- Pack food
- Remember to plan snacks
- Be intentional when eating out
Let’s look at each of them in more detail.
1. Pack Food
Do you know what we eat most often in the car? Sandwiches. It’s an inexpensive way to feed the family.
We stop at a grocery store and pick up rolls (they work better than bread in the car). We also buy a small squeeze bottle of mayo, a pack of lunch meat, and a pack of sliced cheese.
The perishable things we keep in a cooler up front in the van. The rolls get stored nearby.
Then when it’s time to eat, I hop into the back so I can more easily pass out food. Sitting here also allows me to be a barrier between Owen and Tyler, so Owen can’t reach over and snag Tyler’s food…
While sitting here, I start making sandwiches. I make one and pass it out, starting at the youngest kid and then moving up.
When everyone has a sandwich, I pass out a bottle of water or a juice box. We typically also pick up a box of individual bagged chips for a special treat. Then everyone eats their chips and sandwiches. I make more sandwiches if requested.
With the cooler in the car, we can also bring along a little more food. Here are some good options:
- Baby carrots
- Apple slices (cured with lemon juice so they last)
- Berries
- Gogurt
We opt for foods that aren’t super messy, and that can easily be wiped up or brushed off the seat.
Outside of the cooler, we can place some other food options in the car. We typically grab muffins or Pop-tarts for breakfast.
This takes care of breakfast and lunch. We pack snacks (see below.) Which means the only meal left is dinner.
2. Plan Snacks
For some reason, traveling in the car makes all the kids hungry. I think it’s because there’s some boredom going on and eating gives them something to do.
So, I always plan on having snacks available. By planning these out and buying them before hand, you can save money. Food at a gas station costs way more than anywhere else.
Here are some of our favorite snacks:
- Spray cheese and crackers (always reminds me of trips when I was a kid…)
- Granola bars
- Fruit snacks or fruit roll ups
- Nuts (especially cashews and honey roasted peanuts)
- String cheese (if there’s room in the cooler)
- Cookies
The key is to buy food that your family will eat. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting money and throwing it away.
3. Be Intentional When Eating Out
Depending on the budget, dinner varies while we travel. If we need to go inexpensive, we opt for sandwiches again. It may be boring, but it is filling and we are thankful for that.
If we are eating out, we don’t just stop at whatever sounds good. That’s a sure way to spend too much money. Instead, we opt for less expensive options. Here are some ways we save money eating out:
- Little Caesar’s – the $5 pepperoni pizzas are delicious. We typically get a couple of these and one or two other kinds. It’s a fairly inexpensive meal for a large family.
- McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets – not everything at McDonald’s is inexpensive. But, we can get three sets of 40 piece nuggets, and a couple of fries without breaking the bank. These are a fun change of pace, and the kids all really enjoy them.
- Kids Eat Free Places – we try to Google before we stop for food to see if there are any kids eat free deals going on in the town where we are. It doesn’t always work out, but if it does, it’s a good way to save money.
- Order online – I’ve found some pretty good deals online or through apps that aren’t available elsewhere. This can save some money!
- Split meals – my two youngest boys won’t eat a whole meal on their own, so they usually get one to share. I just split everything.
- Watch the drinks – it’s often cheaper to go buy a box of juice boxes or a pack of bottled water instead of buying drinks for everyone
- Use gift certificates – we’ve gotten these occasionally, and they’re such a blessing!
Save Money on Food While Traveling
If you use these tips, you can help reduce the cost of food while you’re traveling. If you have any other tips to share, I’d love to hear them!
