Feeding a Family on a Hawaii Vacation

[Bruce Fisher]

It is possible to spend a lot of money on food on any vacation, and Hawaii is no exception, but it’s really not necessary. Even families can cut corners like locals.

The problem is there are so many wonderful places to eat in Hawaii that it is really tempting to try one after another. If you have the money and the inclination, Hawaii is a
foodie paradise. But let’s pretend you’d like to limit how much you
spend on food and you have children. Here are several solutions.

(1) You probably don’t take your family out to dinner in a restaurant every evening at home. On vacation, you can limit the damage to your budget by deciding which
restaurant or cuisine you really want to try and building it into the
itinerary. If you know you have a great dinner scheduled, it’s easier
to have a light breakfast and lunch.

(2) Many hotels offer a free breakfast or at least coffee and pastries or fruit. If yours does not, purchase breakfast food and keep it in your hotel room. If you go to the coffee
shop, it’s just too easy to add a few items for the kids at a premium
price. When my daughter and granddaughter visited recently, I bought
the small, individual boxes of cereal for their morning munchies.

(3) Portions in Hawaii are fairly large. At lunch, split an entree with your little ones. Most places don’t mind sharing, or if they have a plate charge it’s less than
another meal. Another possibility is to see if you can order off the
children’s menu. Big City Diner lets adults order from the child’s
menu for an extra dollar. The children’s meal sizes are about right
for me.

(4) Make a trip to a grocery store one of your first stops. Although there are convenience stores near, or inside, every hotel, you pay for the convenience. (You wouldn’t spend
a week’s food budget at 7-11 back home.) We took the shopping trolley
to Ala Moana and stocked up at the Foodland grocery store there,
getting food bars, crackers, sandwich supplies, etc. Many grocery
items are more expensive in Hawaii than on the mainland so we looked
for local products and sales.