We're on vacation, but trying to keep it frugal:
* Took all of our own road food in a cooler.
* Staying in inexpensive Air BnB's. Brought an air mattress to ensure enough beds for the kids (Good call. This first one has a great master bedroom, but the other bed is an uncomfortable sofa bed. Kids declared the sofa untransformed great for one, so the other is using the air mattress happily).
* Primarily self catering. Did bring some one offs, like condiments, from the store at home instead of buying teeny-tiny expensive jars.
* Ordering wisely at our few meals we do eat out: DS13 is not a fan of most restaurant food -- it's always too something - too greasy, too cheesy, too salty. Instead of forcing him to get a #10 entree he won't eat, we told him to order what he would eat. Last night he decided he wanted a cheesecake at the restaurant and a sandwich back at the room. Great! He actually ate it and enjoyed it and we saved $6 on food that would have likely been wasted. We also skip drinks and appetizers at restaurants to save :)
* Full day planned -- going on a hike in the morning (free), using a groupon for lunch (saving 30% plus cheaper lunch prices), strolling the historic downtown in the afternoon, and hiking/walking a coast trail in the afternoon, with dinner back in the room (frozen lasagna. I don't cook on vacation). Right now I'm brewing coffee to fill our flasks, then I'll fill the car water cooler back up. Every one's backpacks have snacks stuffed in them, too!