Food budgeting

Are you staying at any B&B, where breakfast is included?

Are you going to be stopping off for lunch (like getting seafood chowder someplace daily, as we did one summer), or grabbing a sandwich on the run?

Multi course dinner, or something quick and cheap?

What I like to do is look through Google Maps for restaurants around where I'm staying that appeal to me, then look up the menu. This will give you some idea of what to expect.

Thank you for replies. Cyn we are on a tour but our lunches and a few dinners are on our own. I imagine we will be doing some pick up lunches on the go and sit down meals when we have time in pubs or restaurants for dinner. Just wondering loosely what to budget.

And yes my husband also relies on Google to see the restaurant’s near by, glad to hear others feel that this works well too.

Hi from Wisconsin,

Don't necessarily wait for lunch time to do the purchases. Any small place the bus lets you off is time to strike.

Here is an inexpensive Irish lunch and a way to meet and talk to locals. This takes planning in advance. You will want to pack a small cheap serrated knife in your checked luggage. Here in the US you can get one at any Goodwill or second hand shop. When the bus stops for lunch, find two grocers. Small shop owners. Buy a fresh loaf of Irish Brown Bread from one and ask where you can get a well poured pint of Guinness. Not just a pint of Guinness but one that is well poured. The bread is a heavy dark wheat bread that has been baked with cuts across the top so the bread can rise and after baking it can be easily broken into quarters. This bread has an amazing wheat flavor. It must be fresh.

From the second grocer buy a nice chunk of Cheddar or other cheese. And perhaps something to drink. Once again, ask the question about a well poured pint.

Find a nice church yard or park to enjoy your bread topped with cheese. This will be more memorable than any restaurant you might hit for lunch. You might as well leave the rest of the bread for the birds because it will not taste as good the next day. Besides, tomorrow you will want to talk to another grocer. The cheese will hold even without refrigeration.

wayne iNWI

Picnics assembled from a grocery store could run about €10 per person - depending of course on what you get, and how much.

Although fast-food type dinners are available, and cheaper, quickie meals(€10-€15 ??), a nice restaurant will probably be €20-€25 for main courses, and with appetizers, drinks, dessert, could be around €40-€50 per person.