Cut your holiday food costs!

by Rachel Robson on 12 August 2009  |  2 comments
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If you’re off on your summer holiday soon, chances are you’ll be looking for ways to cut the cost of your break away.

If you're off on your summer holiday soon, chances are you'll be looking for ways to cut the cost of your break away.

One of the most expensive aspects of a holiday can be eating out all of the time. But according to recent research from the Post Office, in a bid to save the pennies, 23 million holidaymakers will be taking their own food on holiday this year. In fact, the research predicts that the average saving made by taking basic food supplies is £34 over the course of your holiday.

So what are the most popular items we like to stash in our suitcases for our summer break?

Well, apparently, tea bags have gained the number one spot - and really I am not surprised - after all, it seems impossible to get good tea abroad!

However, crisps and cornflakes are also popular, while Marmite is also a regular suitcase item - well, let's face it, you either love it or you hate it. (I love it - mmmm!)

The research from the Post Office has also shown that some of us even go as far as stashing items from the hotel breakfast buffet in our bags to eat later in the day!

Of course, one of the best ways to cut food costs when you're on holiday is to simply go self-catering. That way you can buy produce from the local supermarket to cook in your apartment/cottage at much lower prices than you'd be paying in the restaurant down the road. That said, if you're camping, keep in mind that the shop on the campsite is likely to be a lot pricier than the supermarket further down the road.

What's more, shopping at the local supermarket will mean you can pick up large bottles of water on the cheap if you don't want to drink tap water, rather than paying out a lot of money for water in hotels or restaurants.

And if you are off out for the day, whether you're spending the day at the zoo, off out for a walk, or simply heading to the beach, why not pack a picnic? Throw some local bread and cheese, fruit and juice into a basket and that's a cheap lunch sorted! It's also a good idea to keep a box of cereal bars handy in case the kids get hungry during the day - that way you won't have to keep forking out on snacks from the local coffee shop -which can soon add to the cost of your holiday.

Of course, if you're planning to bring any food back after your holiday - be careful! It's illegal to bring back certain foods into the UK so check out the Don't bring me back website for further details.

If you've got any further food money-saving tips for your holiday, don't forget to include them in the comments box below.