Can I get a rough estimate for a food expense budget for trip to the US?

I'll, hopefully, be going to Fairfield, CT (from Trinidad and Tobago) next month with my wife, a 2yo and a 9mo.

What's a reasonable amount of money to budget per day for somewhat healthy (or home-style) food for the 4 of us?

If were to spend a day in Manhattan, how much should I budget for the same kind of food?

Edit (covers Karlson's questions about the question):

1. You need to know where you will be shopping if you cook at home. 2. Are you talking about restaurants?

I'll be staying at a hotel, so cooking is not an option. That pretty much covers both questions.

3. What does somewhat healthy mean to you?

Anything that's fast food I assume is not healthy, hence I mentioned "Home Style" food on the original question. Anything that makes a reasonably balanced meal I consider healthy food. eg rice + veggies + grilled chicken.

Best Answer

Ok. Based on your location there are a few places within a walking distance.

Circle Diner (website no longer works)
Bangalore which might be good for lunch but will run $30pp for Dinner for adults.
The King and I which may be decent.

But you can look at Yelp for the reviews.

When it comes to Manhattan there are options galore. I will give you some of the better chains, but you can probably find a lot of other small restaurants on Menupages that will suit your fancy but here goes:

Europa Cafe - good for breakfast and lunch
Chop't - makes for a pretty good salad.
'wichcraft - soups and sandwiches.
Cafe Metro

And the list goes on and on and on.

There are also a lot of places not part of the chain like Cafe Duke which have a hot/cold food bar as well as other possibilities in them.

One thing to suggest is to try and find places slightly away (2-4 blocks away) from main tourist attractions. Quality may be the same or better but prices will surprise you.

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How much should I budget for food on a trip?

Overall, Americans spend an average of $33 per day on food when on a vacation within the U.S. In aggregate, more than 80% of that amount is spent in restaurants....The Cost of Food on Vacation.Average Food Costs Per VacationDomestic Trip (4 nights)International Trip (12 nights)Food prepared at restaurants$108$3781 more row

How do I calculate food cost for a trip?

Budget the cost of food on the road: as a general rule, figure $20/person per full day of travel. If traveling with teens or others with large appetites, increase that budget to $25/per person per day of travel to and from the destination.

How much money do you need for food in USA?

The average annual cost of groceries for U.S. households is $4,942, according to 2020 figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That puts the average monthly grocery bill at about $411 a month. While that may sound about right for some households, for others it may be way off the mark.

How much does the average person spend on food on vacation?

Key vacation cost statistics The average nightly cost of a double-occupancy hotel room in the U.S. is $204. The average cost of food per person per day in the U.S. is $45.

Chapter 5 Estimating Costs A

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