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How To Try Out Local Food While Traveling If You’re A Broke Student

A Food Fun Travel Guest Post

So, you’ve traveled to that one country you’ve always wanted to visit, and here’s the deal; you’ve also spent all of your money on the plane ticket, accommodation, but you still have to eat. Sure, the purpose of traveling, alongside experiencing life in a new country, is also trying out the local food, but most of the time, it can be really expensive. Luckily, there are a few ways you can eat well while being tight on cash. For example, as a student, you can save money on the services of companies who provide ‘write my paper for me cheap‘ option. In this way, you will get quality work done and you will have money left over for your needs.

Because sampling the local cuisine is probably the best way to learn about and experience the destination you’re visiting, we’ve decided to make a list of ways you can please your palate without announcing bankruptcy. But, before we reveal the fantastic tips and tricks, make sure to hop over to Edusson in case you need to buy research paper, essay, or you’re simply looking for an assignment writing help.

Local reviews

Before the actual vacation and traveling, it is essential to do some homework. Make sure to not rely on local residents for providing you with the information on the local cuisine; do it yourself, online. Luckily, there are plenty of websites that use links to microsites of local restaurants and places where you can eat. They also provide information on the prices, location, the time the place closes and what type of food the restaurant serves.

These websites are usually available in all languages and offer special discounts for tourists and visitors. So, when you get to a particular destination, you will be ready. You’ll know the exact restaurants and places that serve cheap, but excellent food. Sure, you can also ask around with the locals on some hidden gems, but since you’ll probably encounter a language barrier at some point, make sure to learn a few words, or use Google Translate.

Start Cooking

Another thing you can do before the actual trip is to do some research on the local cuisine. Why? Because that way you will learn about the ingredients, how the food is made and whether you can learn to cook it yourself. That way, when you arrive at the destination, you can buy the ingredients at a grocery store and cook the meals yourself.

This will probably save you tons of money because it is usually cheaper to buy ingredients and cook than to go to a restaurant and eat local cuisine made by chefs. This is also a great way to experience the regular, day-to-day life of the place you’re visiting, or to meet the locals and get some first-hand tips on how to cook their food the best way.

Find the deals

When the money is lacking, it is time to go old-school. Make sure to check the local restaurants, grocery stores and bars for daily deals and coupons. The beautiful thing about coupons is that every country has their own, so don’t skip on the local newspapers or online sites where you can grab your coupons. Look for grocery stores or restaurant advertisements that usually offer coupons for discounted local meals.

Moreover, sometimes even hotels, the airport, bus or train station cater to tourists, so use the opportunity cleverly. Another tip; use your membership cards as well, to save money on food. If you’re a student, a senior citizen, military member, police officer, firefighter, make sure to check if you’re entitled to discounts. Certain airlines offer discounts to students and military citizens, as well as the local restaurants and hotels might do when it comes to meals.

Pull a Sneaky One

Now, this trick I do not recommend always and anywhere, but it definitely works. You can pull a sneaky one and let the waiters and chefs at the restaurant know that you’re celebrating your birthday, anniversary, honeymoon, or some other, special occasion. This way, you can score a free meal, or at least a dessert, which is always welcomed.

Sure, it may be a little bit immoral, but broke tourists do what broke tourists got to do. For example, when I was travelling through Croatia, my friends and I were visiting a local fish restaurant. I may have mentioned that my birthday is tomorrow, but the waiter overheard the conversation incorrectly and thought my birthday was that day. So, he brought free wine and free meal to my friends and me. He was delighted that I got to celebrate my birthday in Croatia, and their restaurant. Imagine the hospitality! So, make sure to try this one out; it’s not like people are going to check whether you are really celebrating your birthday or honeymoon.

Go to Bars

I have had my fair share of traveling, and the one thing I have learned was that at the pubs you pay for drinks, but not the snacks and finger-food. This especially applies if you travel to Europe, but as always, you need to do some background check on the pubs that have this policy. The waiter usually brings a local snack, or two, alongside the drinks, so you can use this opportunity to bite well, while drinking well, for free.

Sometimes, at pubs, you can encounter pub quizzes or some other events, where the winner chooses from the menu, for free. Check these kinds of places online, and see what the deals are for the participants of a pub quiz, for example. In Italy, if you participate in a pub quiz, you get a free pizza; and if you win, you can eat whatever you want, for free, which is a great chance to try out the best local food. So, start googling and write down the dates and time when the pub quiz starts.