Backpacking Peru Budget Travel – Eating
Tips for Cheap Eating in Peru to Save Money on Peruvian Food
Oct 15, 2009
A backpacker’s budget can last a lot longer if food expenses are minimized. Knowing where to eat in Peru can save a huge amount of money, especially on a lengthy backpacking adventure. Whether backpacking Peru as part of a longer South American trip or staying solely in Peru, the following tips will help stretch any backpacker’s Peru budget much further.
The following Peru budget travel tips will also apply for many other Latin American countries. And remember, the greatest overall tip for cheap eating in Peru is “eat where the locals eat”. With this in mind, any backpacker budget will last for the duration.
Self-Catering while Backpacking in Peru
Many youth hostels in Peru will have cooking facilities available for guests – be sure to ask before checking-in if kitchen use is available. Hotels, even the budget family owned variety, will not often offer kitchen facilities. Self-catering is the cheapest option available and supplies are readily available in towns of all sizes. Larger towns will usually have a supermarket while in smaller towns and villages a grocery store or market can always be found.
Remember that on Sundays some smaller towns shut down entirely! Shopping for anything can require a trek to rival the Inca trail in order to find a shop which stays open on a Sunday. An unfortunate aspect of self-catering is the occasional disappearance of your budget-saving supplies. Food left in a hostel fridge has a tendency to escape, or perhaps be acquired by other backpackers of a less then honorable nature.
Lunch for Peru Budget Travel Backpackers
Peru abounds with restaurants and family run eateries offering a cheap set-lunch. Between midday and 3pm, look out for establishments offering a menú. A menú is basically a set menu offering a choice of two to three different main dishes. Included in the price is a starter (often a large and tasty soup), the main dish itself, a jug of juice and sometimes a small dessert or piece of fruit.
In the smaller family run eateries, all this can be had for a very reasonable 3-4 Nuevos Soles (just over $1). Some of these smaller establishments are not well marked – look out for the menú sign written on a chalkboard outside the front door, and if the door is open then walk right in!
Many larger, more established restaurants also offer a lunchtime menú. However, the price can often be double that of the smaller eateries with no discernable advantages. Stick with the family run lunches – and remember, if they are busy then the food is good.
Supper – Eating in Peru on a Budget
Once the menú has been and gone, options for supper and late night eating change. For Peru budget travel backpacking, the most important rule here is to avoid the “gringo” or up market restaurants. While they may be tempting, and are definitely nice for a treat, they can suck up a backpacker’s budget in no time.
Instead, look around for some cheaper options. Again, smaller family run restaurants are generally cheaper. Fast food restaurants are generally affordable, but hamburgers and fried chicken have their limits. Also consider the Chinese restaurants, known as chifas. Chifas usually offer set dishes with a starter included and are often very reasonably priced.
Finally, street-side grills can sometimes provide some of the tastiest food in Peru. However, any backpacker has to take a quick peek at the hygiene standards before indulging. The best street vendors usually have a large metal barbeque with a few tables and chairs for customers. The same rule applies: if it is busy and the locals seem to like it then the food is most probably good.
If backpacking in Peru on a budget, eating will be one of the main expenses. Keeping food expenses to a minimum will make any Peru budget go a lot further. Eat where the locals eat, and never be afraid to ask a local for a recommendation. And remember, tipping in Peru is not always necessary – so don't blow the budget over-tipping!
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