How much per person do you budget for food?

[Kittyskyfish]

DH and I average about $40 per person on any given day. Usually we buy breakfast in the park, River Belle Terrace or Carnation Cafe, then split a modest lunch (Hungry Bear burger and fries). A split lunch doesn't leave us feeling overfed by dinner, where we're hungry enough again get our own separate dinners. Or not lol, sometimes we split a dinner at Rancho del Zocalo so we have room for ice cream last.

 

[disneychrista]

Breakfast - free/included in the room

Lunch - $15
Dinner - $15

Snacks/Extra Drinks - $5 each

Total about $35 - $40 per day.

Add $10 if you plan to have breakfast in the park.

 

[californiamomof4grls]

We bring tons of snacks, Pepsi, waters, Capri suns and sandwiches in. The hotel we use has Continental breakfast. We eat dinner outside the park. We are a family of 7 usually we can feed our whole family for about $45 at a sit down restaurant. That's kids eating off the kids meal and Dh and I get waters. Drinks are the most expensive cost in my opinion. So I would rather just drink water. We did a lot of Quiznos the last time we were there.
How I do it is I say $60 a day for food. Then if there is more money left that money goes in to the shopping money. Each girl gets about $40 to spend in the park. We get things that can share with the rest of the spending money. The next time we go we are on the hunt for board games. Last time it was Potato Heads and Small princess sets. The $25 is cups, sunglasses, hats and stuffed Disney Characters that kind of stuff.
We explain to the girls that we are a large family and in order to do something as special as going to DL, we have to be responsible with our money. Then the girls feel like they are part of the adventure and take pride in working together for a bigger goal.

 

[Bungle]

Can you give us more info? Will your room have a mini fridge? Microwave? Free breakfast? As for eating IN the park it depends on if you guys are big eaters. When we bought a meal (like the monte cristo) it was more than enough for a few of us. What kind of food do you guys like? There are a few pizza places close by that would be a good choice for a budget dinner too.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Can you give us more info? Will your room have a mini fridge? Microwave? Free breakfast? As for eating IN the park it depends on if you guys are big eaters. When we bought a meal (like the monte cristo) it was more than enough for a few of us. What kind of food do you guys like? There are a few pizza places close by that would be a good choice for a budget dinner too.

We will have a mini fridge, microwave and free breakfast at our hotel. We're not huge eaters. DH could be, but he is also not a whiny guy and will eat what there is. I could probably talk him into splitting a meal with me at least for one meal a day. We're not picky at ALL foodwise. The only thing that anyone has any sort of huge issue with is me and seafood (and even then, I will eat shrimp and salmon.) So the pizza places are outside of the park? Maybe we could take a dinner break, go back to the hotel and eat something cheaper/pizza/subway and then go back revived. Hmmm

ETA: Actually I lied. I just realized my mother is quite picky. She has a hard time stomaching any type of mexican food or anything too spicy at all. But she usually can find stuff anywhere and doesn't like to limit the rest of us...so I would count her as a deterrent.. So any suggestions including spicy or mexican are still good

 

[pinktink83]

If you eat at the park for every meal expect to pay an average of $10 per person per meal. Counter service runs about $7-10. Mid range, cafeteria style restaurants will be $15-20. Fancy restaurants will be $20-35 per person.

 

[mamaofthree]

We budget $100 a day for two meals in the park for 5 of us. Me, dh and a 9, 7 and 5 yo. We bring our own breakfast stuff and eat in the hotel, and bring waters and snacks in a backpack to the park. We only eat counter service food, and split stuff for the kids sometimes. Last time we ordered a whole pizza at the pizza port for $33ish! LOL. We were so excited, thought it was a bargain to feed us all that cheap. We don't order ANY kids meals anymore. The portions are laughably tiny, and they aren't cheap.

 

[Dobie]

Not including likker, the Dobies average about $30-$35 per person per day on food, and we are eaters.

Our likker bill will remain a state secret.

 

[Cagirl767]

You know you and dh can split a larger meal such as at Rancho del Zocalo, even though it's Mexican, I don't consider it spicy, really. They have the enchilada platter and the 1/2 chicken that you, dh and a lighter eating child could split. You can split snacks if you bring baggies: cotton candy, popcorn, candies. Lollipops from the Candy Palace are great cheap snacks and last a looong time.

I totally agree with a PP, that the kids' meals are so pathetically small, we don't even bother with them.

Your family may not always be hungry for a big meal. Hot dogs are around $6, or just a Mickey pretzel for around $3 and split a bag of grapes. We do that sometimes and that's a cheap meal. Bring in Crystal Light packets to flavor a free water.

There's a lot you can make in a microwave and eat back at the hotel. If they have picnic tables or a dining area, you don't have to worry about messing up the room, and you could make all kinds of things like chili dogs, nachos, tacos, quesadillas, or get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, a bag of microwave rice, steamer micrwave veggies and a bag of rolls for dinner. Somewhat nearby there is Costco for the infamous $10 pizza and Pizza Hut too.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I try to budget $15 PP per meal. Some of the CS meals don't cost this much obvioulsy but we usually add in a TS meal once or twice depending on how long we are there and it all evens out.