Eating
For us, food is one of the main reasons we travel. As a basic necessity, it can take up a big slice of your budget. Most hostels will have a kitchen, which isn’t offered in a luxury hotel room, which helps when travelling on a budget (see Creating a hostel travel budget-section). However, experiencing the local culture through food is also key. How can you navigate this?
Here are some of our thoughts on eating while travelling in hostels:
Local food habits
Depending on where you are globetrotting, food habits and eating times differ. For example, night markets are popular in Asia and you can get a full meal for a fraction of the price you would pay at a restaurant, while also getting to experience the local food culture. In Latin America too, you will find food stands that offer authentic and delicious meals without draining your wallet. Make sure to also check the eating times of the places you visit. In Southern Europe it is not uncommon to eat very late which is also reflected in the opening hours of restaurants and kitchens.
Socialising
Cooking in the hostel kitchen, while being a budget-friendly solution and a way to get a bit of the comfort of home-cooked food on a long trip, also serves as a great place to meet people. If you want to socialise, heading to the kitchen and having a chat while cooking can be a great way to initiate contact with others!
Tip: bring your own mini-pantry
When it comes to cooking on the go, we recommend that you gather yourself a mini pantry with essentials like salt, pepper, oil and something you particularly like (a herb or chili maybe?) in small plastic bags. A lot of hostels will offer those for common use (mainly left by previous guests), but don’t take it for granted. A small extra to carry around but we promise, your cooking will be levelled up so easily. Minimum effort, maximum satisfaction!
What’s our comfort food, you may ask?
“My go-to comfort food to make when I need a piece of home at a hostel is mozzarella pasta. I get some pasta, fresh tomatoes, garlic and a mozzarella, cook the pasta and just slice and throw the rest in with some olive oil, salt and pepper. It’s simple, but delicious and you’re not left with leftovers since everything can be used in one go! ”
“I tend to opt for a sandwitch. When it comes to cooking while travelling, I can get lazy. If I can dodge using ovens or stoves, you know I’m going to. It’s versatile, you can just go to a local market and pick whatever makes your mouth water. A couple of cuts, assembly and voilá! ”
