As I’ve said before I tend to be traveling on a somewhat limited budget. A huge expense while you’re away from home is the cost of eating out all the time. While I understand wanting to experience the local food there is an alternative, the grocery store. A lot of hotels offers at least a fridge and some even a little kitchenette. Perhaps you're more the type that says in an airbnb rental and gets to enjoy a full out real kitchen. Either way one of my favourite things to do while traveling is to visit a local grocery store. Not only are you able to get some inexpensive food to have around the place you’re staying but you might get to find some really interesting food too. I often go for the breakfast type items. Cereal and milk or muffins that kind of thing. We also try and get some snack food and fruit for when we get hungry in the evening hanging out relaxing. I also quite enjoy trying to find some what odd things that I couldn't get back in Toronto or even Canada for that matter. Also don’t forget a bottle of wine, especially if you’re in an area where it’s made.

The only trouble is sometimes you go into a local store where you don’t speak the language and it can be a bit confusing to figure out what you’re really buying. In Israel for example we picked up what we thought was cream cheese. It turned out to be more of a cheese dip which to be fair was still great but not quite what I had expected. There have been some others interesting things we’ve found. There was chocolate milk in a bag in Israel that was amazing. Microwave brownie in Chicago that was kind of easy bake ovenish. San Francisco had some great local cheese and wine.

Over all going to a local grocery store is fun, interesting and reasonably priced. It’s also a great way to take in some local culture, give it a try next time you’re on a trip.