Bowen Humphreys, Grizzlies Abroad marketing intern, writes about his tips for lunch out in the field:

Lunch is commonly (in my opinion) the overlooked meal.  You don’t really think about it until you are hungry, which is why students can run the risk of blowing all of their savings on lunches.  Here are a couple of tips to make sure you save your lunch money for better activities (like bungee jumping!):

1) Plan Ahead: It’s easy to forget about lunch, especially when you have so many other things on your mind from being in such an amazing place.  Read through your itinerary and map out when you are responsible for feeding yourself and head to a grocery store early so you don’t get caught unawares.  Studying abroad is much more fun when you’re not scrounging for food at gas stations.  For good grocery stores in Australia and New Zealand, take a look at this wonderful blog post.

2) Keep It Simple (And Quick), Stupid: When you’re studying abroad, you want to be out hiking, swimming or sightseeing, not stuck at a picnic area making your lunch.  So create your meals accordingly, i.e. no foie gras for lunch.  A simple sandwich (baguette and cheese, meat optional) can be surprisingly filling, will keep your expenses down, and get you back on the trail in no time. Just like these students, pictured above, having lunch whilst hiking on the Routeburn track in New Zealand.

3) Get Some Scooby Snacks: You don’t have to force yourself to eat only at mealtime; find some filling and healthy snacks that you can take wherever you go.  But no Twinkies!  Chocolate covered raisins or nuts, carrots, string cheese, or the local variety of snickers can provide that extra brain boost when you’re on the road and need more energy.  Also remember to get the packable variety: chocolate bars are delicious, but it is difficult to clean your backpack if it melts all through it.

Follow these simple guidelines and spend more time out having fun with your mates.  Eat hearty!