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in Blog on March 7, 2022 by Jayme Sherrod

Feeding Your Family On Vacation? 7 Tips To Save Money On Food

My spouse and I have very different spending habits, and the way those habits transfer to vacation is no exception. Her spending mentality is eager and joyful. Mine is a bit more reserved and grumpy. Add the excitement and chaos of a vacation, and these differences are just exacerbated.

Over the years we’ve had to learn together how to walk that metaphorical fine line between “It’s vacation! Let’s splurge!” and “We can’t spend a fortune on this one trip!” While there are a variety of ways to save money on family vacations, we’ve found that changes to the way we eat and feed our family while traveling can be a major money saver.

So whether you are a bit more like my spouse, an excited spender, or like me, a reluctant one, I hope you’ll find value in one or two of our learned tips below.

Book A Rental With A Kitchen OR A Breakfast-Included Hotel

This may be one of the most well-known tips to save money on food while vacationing, and that’s fair as it makes a huge difference, in a lot of ways. But let’s break it down. Having access to a kitchen allows you to avoid eating out for potentially all of your meals because you can grocery shop and cook everything in house. There are two major things to consider, though, before taking the kitchen route.

First, how much more expensive is the rental with the kitchen versus without? Second, how much time will you be hanging out in the rental versus out exploring and vacationing? If the lodging with a kitchen is outrageously more expensive or you don’t plan to spend much time there anyway, consider a hotel with an included breakfast instead. The hotel choice will guarantee one comped meal a day for your whole family and will likely save money on the lodging side of things as opposed to the food side.

Grocery Shop At Least Once – And Plan Ahead

I’ve found that grocery shopping and meal planning on vacation is an art, and it takes some practice. The first few times we grocery shopped on trips, I overbought. Since then, I’ve taken some time to really think about which meals we will definitely eat at the rental, and which ones we likely will not. And to prevent over-buying, I get very specific. For example, if I know my two kids will each eat a yogurt the three mornings while we are there, I buy exactly 6 yogurts – no more. I’ve almost always taken a second trip to the grocery store, and I don’t mind because it’s often a nice activity for everyone mid-trip.

Plan For Kids To Split Meals While Out (Maybe Adults Too!)

What is the biggest difference I’ve found between eating out at home and eating out on vacation? Leftovers! I never hesitate to bring leftovers back to my home, but it just doesn’t usually make sense when vacationing. Enter the plan to have family members split meals. When you go into the meal with the mindset that you are not taking any leftovers, your decisions on what and how to order are naturally reprioritized.

You Can Still Have Your Cake And Eat it Too

Remember my spouse being all “Let’s splurge!”? Dessert on vacation is when this really comes out, and I’ve figured out a couple ways to keep the whole crew happy without overspending. The first is to buy your desserts at the grocery store (popsicles and cookies are our natural choice) and set the expectation that everyone can have their dessert when they return to the hotel or rental each evening. The second is to avoid going out to a dessert-only shop (e.g. ice cream shop) by splitting a dessert at the end of your restaurant meal. Scoops of ice cream for a family of four or five can add up fast, and I’ve found ordering a special slice of cake at a restaurant for everyone to split is exciting and ultimately less expensive.

Travel Day Snacks Going AND Returning

Now this is a next-level money saving tip and a fun one to strive for. Without a doubt, packing non-perishable snacks and refillable water bottles for the travel day will save a ton for both air and road travel, but this feels much more manageable at the beginning of a trip than the end. If you really want to step up your money-saving game, plan to buy some return home snacks during one of your grocery trips to prevent that inevitable spending on airport and gas station food when everyone is tired and ready to be home.

Consider All-Inclusive Resorts Or Cruises

If you’re a reserved spender like me, you might want to skip the stress of seeing all the food transactions on your debit or credit card a week after your trip. In that case, book your vacation at an all-inclusive resort or on a cruise. We have done both, and I like this set up a whole lot! You can pay for your entire trip beforehand, and the stress of spending money on food (or worrying about whether or not the kids will eat it!) is ultimately eliminated.

Lastly, Choose Water

I know. This is a stretch, but I wanted to throw it in there anyway. Drinks cost a lot. Like, a LOT. Water is usually free and will probably leave you feeling much better than a fancy coffee or soda. This is a tough one for me, and I stand in solidarity if it feels a little too far for you!

As with all tips and lists, pick one or two and relax on the rest. Happy saving! And more importantly, happy vacationing!

Related

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: feeding a family, food, money, travel

About Jayme Sherrod

Jayme and her wife Amanda live in a suburb just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, with their son and daughter. Before her motherhood journey began in 2018, Jayme worked as a Registered Nurse and has since transitioned to being a full-time stay-at-home mom of two kiddos and three fur babies. When able, she loves baking, hiking, and sipping (hot!) coffee on the porch – no matter the time of year.

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Here’s your January reminder to save shoeboxes f Here’s your January reminder to save shoeboxes for February and March classroom projects! Valentine boxes and leprechaun traps are around the corner, and shoe boxes are so much harder to come by these days. Consider this a friendly head’s up from a mom who’s been there.

Want more help and tips, plus reassurance that you’re doing a great job? (You are.) Search for The Mom Hour in your favorite podcast app and hit subscribe!

#kindergarten #firstgrade #valentinebox #leprechauntrap #shoeboxcraft #roomparent #roommom #classroomvalentines #parenting #momlife #parentingtip #tipsformoms
Looking to implement daily "quiet time" for presch Looking to implement daily "quiet time" for preschoolers? Even for kids who want to GO GO GO all day long, having a built-in pause in the day can help develop independent play skills, encourage rest, and - of course - give caregivers a chance to reset as well.

Since this week's podcast episode is all about kids and alone time, we thought we'd revisit this resource on the blog by Sandy Hsu:

👉 How To Encourage Independence In Preschoolers With A “Quiet Time” Routine. 👈 

Sandy (@hopefulsmiles) give tips for implementing a successful quiet time routine AND rounds up products and activities that help make independent play more likely - even in young preschoolers. Check it out by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#quiettime #parentingtoddlers #parentingpreschoolers #momoflittles #stayathomemom #stayathomeparent #activitiesforpreschoolers #activitiesfortoddlers #threeyearolds #fouryearolds #fiveyearolds #momlife #sahm #sahmlife
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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
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Shoutout to our NEW sponsors:
🍳 @caraway_home (10% off gorgeous, non-toxic cookware!)
💪 @futurefitapp (risk-free trial of 1-on-1 personal training!)
🔪 @prepdish (2 weeks free of healthy, prep-ahead meal plans!)
🎨 @minted (design marketplace with art, bags, gifts & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (deals on the easiest photo books ever!)
😍 @fabletics (2 stylish workout bottoms for $24!)

And welcome back . . . 
⭐️ @stitchfix ($20 off your 1st purchase!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off full-season calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (50% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on cute, comfy shoes!)
Braces on, braces off. First phones, driver's ed, Braces on, braces off. First phones, driver's ed, high school registration. As we discussed in this week's episode, we still get all the feels when older kids meet cultural or developmental milestones - even if they cringe when we celebrate and share.

Would love to hear what you're celebrating about your older kids! Everything from learning a new skill to blossoming independence - leave us a comment! 

PS - Listen to the episode in your favorite podcast app, or by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#parenting #parentingbigkids #parentingteens #parentingtweens #bigkidmilestone #teenagers #tweens #momoftweens #momofteens #momofteenagers
Turns out, when your last baby approaches double-d Turns out, when your last baby approaches double-digits, you find yourself staring a different milestone right in the (puffy) face:

It's been a decade since I was pregnant for the last time. 

This photo was taken the morning of my scheduled c-section, just a few hours before we'd meet our third and last babe. It's hard to remember, but I'm SURE I was ready to be done. Constant braxton-hicks, heartburn I hadn't experienced with the other two, food aversions that lasted the whole 39w5d, and physical exhaustion trying to keep up with a 2- and 4-year old: all part of an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy, but still nobody's idea of easy.

I don't miss it - being pregnant. Grateful to have had the experience, absolutely. But I've never really pined for another go-around, at least not seriously. Still, a whole decade removed feels as significant a milestone to me as does the notion that that double-dimpled babe will blow out ten candles this weekend.

Time, like, whoa. 

-Sarah
If you're looking at school options for Fall 2023, If you're looking at school options for Fall 2023, you might be feeling overwhelmed by school tours, open houses, registration deadlines, or the all-too-common "red shirting question". That's why today we're revisiting an enormously detailed resource on our site: 

➡️ What Teachers & Educators Wish Parents Knew About Making School Decisions ⬅️

This piece is a collaboration between four educators on our team whose careers span preschool through middle school. They weigh in what what they wish parents knew about things like...

...choosing “the right school” 
...what it means to be “ready for kindergarten” 
...visiting a school for a tour or open house 
...learning to read 
...kids and friendships; playground politics
...making school decisions for a special needs student 
...becoming part of a classroom or school community 
 
Click this image at the link in our bio to get the guide. Bookmark it, send it to your co-parent or mom friends, and use it as a starting place as you wade through this tricky time of year! 

@lisaapayne4 @ashleydawn519 @thepaperdart @cafedumartin
C-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-e good times, come on! Today’s e C-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-e good times, come on! Today’s episode is number 400! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate hitting a big podcast milestone than talking about how we honor birthdays and milestone celebrations in our families – especially as kids get older. Join Meagan and Sarah as we offer insight into making birthdays special for big kids, tweens and teens; how kids getting older hits us differently as moms, too; and how honoring big kid milestones gets tricker, but still gives us all the feels. 

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Y'all's reaction to our entire catalog now being a Y'all's reaction to our entire catalog now being available has been so fun! Listeners have told us that they're now able to re-listen to old favorites, or - amazing for us - share them directly with friends.

(If you missed it, previously, podcast apps showed only our most recent 300 episodes – less than half our catalog. The rest were only available on our website.)

Just for fun, we rounded up a few more of our team's favorite episodes from the early days of the podcast. Here are five MORE oldies that have stood the test of time, and that make for great entry-points to our early catalog.

You can listen from our website by clicking this image at the link in our bio – but EVEN BETTER, you can find the episodes in your favorite podcast app - just search by episode title, or keep on scrolling until you find them!

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