Eating On Budget

[albert]

I will be backpacking through out Europe, east to west from April on a budget, so staying in hostels and trying to avoid restaurants and cafe's to save money. Can you please give me some advise on getting your fair share of food through out the day while spending the bare minimum.

Also, do all or most hostels have a common kitchen for backpackers where I would be able to prepare my own meals?

Like I said I will be traveling through out Europe so advise and differences between different countries would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

[Eagle]

albert, first of all, welcome! In order to answer your questions, it would help to have some more specific information on your trip. To begin with.....

Like I said I will be traveling through out Europe so advise and differences between different countries would be much appreciated.

It's difficult to provide this type of information without knowing which countries you'll be visiting? Also, it would help to know where you're from, whether you've been to Europe before and what types of Hostels you've checked out so far?

Generally speaking, many Hostels provide a basic breakfast with the cost of the room (the type of breakfast varies by country to some extent), so you'd only have to be concerned with lunch and dinner. Some of the "chain" Hostels such as the Hostelling International locations usually offer a full buffet breakfast (sometimes at a slight additional charge). Many (but not all) Hostels do have a common kitchen where guests can prepare meals.

For meals during the day when you're out touring, an inexpensive option is to pick up light meals and bottled water in local markets or deli's. It's not usually too difficult to find pre-packaged sandwiches or whatever if you just want a light meal. There are also some familiar "fast food" places that offer familiar and predictable food items.

I've found that some of the food items in the markets are a bit different than what I'm used to at home. One example that comes to mind is trying to find milk in Italy (of course that's during the day, as at dinner time only Vino will suffice!). There seem to be several different types of Milk in the markets, and although I can "get by" in Italian to some extent the labelling can be a bit confusing. I usually just pick something that looks close, and go with that.

If possible, you might want to budget for a few inexpensive restaurant meals as some of the food is really good!

Cheers!

[albert]

Eagle, thank you for your reply, I am from Toronto, Canada.

I have only been to London where I stayed with a friend so I did not look into this kind of staff while I was there.

But, I am looking to cover most of the countries that are available on the Eurail pass, so the major destinations. I am not too worries about eastern Europe because I dont think it would be as expansive as I make my way north to Scandinavia and west to Spain, France, Italy, etc. (Correct me if I am wrong?). Another reason is I lived in both Ukraine and Israel, and the food in Turkey and Greece is very similar to Israel (Middle Eastern food) and a lot of the eastern countries are very similar to Russian food - thanks to the good old days of communism .

I am hooked on OLN (Outdoor Life Netowork) and from what I have seen and also read else where is that you can not go wrong with pasta because it is cheap, full of energy and can be cooked in the hostels. On that note are pots and pens provided for general use in the hostels that do have a kitchen?

Thanks,

[Eagle]

albert, thanks for the additional information.

One other point to make is that you didn't specify the length of your trip? Keep in mind that non-E.U. residents are limited to three months maximum under the terms of the Schengen Agreement.

Also, be prepared for higher costs for food and lodgings in the Scandinavian countries.

If you're "hooked" on OLN TV you might also check PBS stations in your area for the half hour show Travels In Europe with Rick Steves. I really enjoy those shows as they provide not only good views of each city but some historical information and details about interesting places to see in each city. I believe the station in your area is WNED Buffalo. Check their web site at www.wned.org for listings and times.

I don't use the kitchens in Hostels (I have to wash dishes at home, so I'm NOT doing that when I'm on holiday!!!) but from what I've seen, pots & pans are provided.

Cheers!

[pointofnoreturn]

There ARE hostels who offer common kitchens for their guests. It's usually mentioned on their website or pages on hostel booking websites. I don't really like cooking in guesthouses or apartments because you can cook the same food at home. It depends really - you can't go wrong with picking up food from the markets and eating out every now and then.

[crystal]

My advice is always to go native, shop at local shops and markets even for things like sandwiches and drinks. That way you do not get the tourist marked up prices. Plus you may try something different that you quite enjoy. Often large supermarkets have cafes in them that offer cheap snacks and meals.

Don't wait until you are hungry to decide what you want. You will always make impulsive often more expenisve buys.

[jessus]

If you're looking to do most of your own cooking, just make sure when you're booking that the hostels mention a kitchen! I've found many do, but many don't too!

Almost every hostel I stayed in on my 2 month trip this fall provided breakfast of some sort (sometimes it was just tea & toast, but others had pretty decent breakfasts).

For lunches I got wild with bread and cheese. Since Brie is so expensive here (I'm in Hamilton, Ontario) it's a special thing for me to get it at home... but it's VERY cheap in a lot of places in Europe (Germany, France, Italy... ). Though bread & cheese may not seem too exciting... on my European odyssey it became exciting (really, there are so many types of breads and cheeses! Fabulous!). Otherwise, generally markets are awesome, supermarkets can have wondrous results too!

Dinners... well, I usually did go for some local cuisine. I figure you have to eat the speciality foods sometimes! (If I wanted to do this more budget though, I'd be happy with half of my dinners local cuisine, and half cooked at the hostels!)

[mslibrarian]

I spent a week in London a few years back with a friend who's not travelled a whole lot. She wouldn't stay in hostels and insisted at eating at some big budget places. I couldn't get over how quickly that added up. By the end of the week she started to run out of money and began to come around to my way of thinking. Too little too late though!

I agree with everyone everyone else has said. Do check ahead about the kitchens. I stayed in a number that didn't have one. Also, if you can, spend the little bit extra and get a place that offers breakfast. I found it really made a big difference in how I ate the rest of the day and it was a great way to meet people.

Be careful of some of the street venders you meet. The food might be cheap but spending a day or so in a bathroom isn't fun.

[lia80]

In Italy (southern Italy but not only) everything is quite cheap. Supermarkets also sell pre-cooked food that you can warm up or even get as it is. Tramezzini (sandwhiches) for example, or you can also ask for panini ( with ham- prosciutto, salame, cheese) directly at the supermarket desk. it is even cheaper than in a local bar!

Fountains for example are everywhere and the tap water is good and free almost all over the peninsula. In tavernas (not upscales restaurants) you can ask for a glass of tap water at no charge. Then: if you are in Venice (as almost everyone make a stop there) eat in local cicheti (they are bars with a long counter where they show all the snacks they freshly prepare every day: at lunch time -about 1pm- they also have primi piatti ( pasta, risotti) ...for a ridicoulous price.
Also: look for the sign HAPPY HOUR in local bars: it means that with the consumption of a drink ( say a glass of wine for 3-4 euros) you get a lot of things to eat beside ( it can be pasta, slices of pizza, deep fried veggies, rice, snacks, chips and so on...) enough to make your dinner! Usually happy hours are between 6pm-8pm.
So hopefully you'll be capable to taste a lot of things!! For me the culinary aspect is foundamental thoug!! ;-))) Enjoy!