A lot of people think of travel and worry about the cost. Hotels, airplane tickets, rental cars, restaurants. It all seems so overwhelming – and so overwhelmingly expensive. Yes, it certainly costs money to travel, and for some, that is the point – to enjoy a luxurious escape that you couldn’t get at home. But for others, travel has advantages beyond luxury – they are cultural, adventurous and exploratory in nature. And this does not have to be expensive.

Especially on the food front, you really do not have to spend a fortune while you are on the road, so long as you have a mildly adventurous spirit and are willing to try new foods. And after all, isn’t that the point of traveling in the first place?

Over the years, I have uncovered some wonderful ways to eat cheaply and well, mostly because, well, I am not the richest person in the world, so eating cheaply suits me, and also because I am an avid foodie that loves to try new tastes and flavors. In my experience, these two things – eating authentically and eating cheaply – tend to go hand in hand. So here are my five best finds for cheap food on the road.

Street Food

I love street food. I could prattle on about the joys of street food for pages. For days. I have spent entire trips eating pretty much nothing but street food and enjoying every delicious last bite. In the United States, we are suspicious of street food. I chalk that up to our health conscious culture that has made us overly paranoid about germs. I have gotten sick from eating at KFC way more often than eating street food.

In almost every country I’ve gone, there is some local form of street food, from fried noodles to barbecued meat on a stick to freshly baked bread, and I’ve never gone wrong with any of the above. To boot, these types of places are full of ambiance, because often you are literally sitting on the street enjoying your meal and watching the world go by. And it’s always, always cheap.

Farmer’s Markets

Farmer’s markets exist everywhere and they are always a great source of fresh ingredients that you can cook yourself. They are also great places to pick up artisanal breads, cheeses and other yummy gourmet stuff that will keep you going for several days or that you can pack with you in your luggage if you are backpacking. I have found that the goods available in farmer’s markets, particularly produce, is often much cheaper than the same items offered in a local grocery store.

I like to visit farmer’s markets particularly when I am staying somewhere where there is a kitchen available to cook in. In the past, this has included hostels with a common kitchen area, as well as apartments I have rented out for the weekend, or even friends’ homes.

Local Fast Food

Okay, as much as I am loathe to suggest anyone to eat fast food, I do not always feel that it’s a bad suggestion. Whether we like it or not, fast food is part of the world’s culinary scene and there are some quite interesting fast food restaurants around the world that reflect the local culture and eating habits of their home countries. Obviously, I can’t condone making fast food a regular part of your diet, but it is often a fun way to experience some local food on the cheap – just remember that it isn’t necessarily representative of the actual cuisine of the place, but something unique to itself that is still worth tasting.

Ethnic Restaurants

In a lot of places, particularly the western world, some of the cheapest and best food you will ever eat is served in ethnic restaurants operated by immigrants. In the United Kingdom, it’s Indian food. In the US, definitely Mexican. Much of Western Europe is dominated by Turkish and North African eateries, and in Singapore, all of South and East Asia is at your fingertips.

Food Halls

Now, these don’t exist everywhere in the world, but if you can find one, count yourself extremely lucky. Food halls are the original version of a food court – you know, those crappy fast food centers in the middle of American shopping malls? Only, food halls are filled with tiny restaurants and stands that serve absolutely delicious – and of course cheap – food. Sometimes, food halls consist of regional foods, such as the one in Singapore that I visited several times. Others, like my favorite place in Dublin, Ireland, have numerous types of foods ranging from Asian noodles to Mexican tacos.