3 easy strategies + 1 that may be wildly unpopular(?)…
The yummy food is one reason why Vegas makes our list of favorite destinations. But meals can get pricey. Read on to learn how we save money on meals in Vegas. We eat cheaply but splurge a little too!
Plus, if you eat wheat-free like me, check out my tip for a gluten-free lunch in Vegas.
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Strategy #1 to save money on meals in Vegas
I’m going to start with the strategy that may be unpopular with some travelers. But it works for me:
I pack an electric kettle in my suitcase when I fly to Vegas.
Yes, it takes up a lot of suitcase room, but here’s how it helps me save on the cost of meals:
Soup-mix-in-a-cup on vacation?
Sometimes when we are in Vegas, it is because my husband is working at a convention. So while he’s at the convention center all day, I’m fending for myself for lunch. Rather than going out and buying an expensive lunch, I enjoy soup-mix-in-a-cup. (And I make sure to pack the kind that you just add hot water to.)
Along with my Kindle and some crackers from home, it’s a cozy break away from the hustle and bustle.
Gluten-free meals in Vegas?
Sometimes a quick sandwich or slice of pizza might be a cost-effective lunch in Vegas.
But with me eating a wheat-free diet, it is sometimes hard to find a sandwich or pizza-by-the-slice that is (1) gluten-free and (2) affordable.
Eating lunch in the hotel room is one less meal I have to scope-out in advance for gluten-free options. I can put that energy into planning yummy gluten-free dinners on the Strip.
And I’m happily enjoying my light lunch of gluten-free soup and crackers knowing I have a big dinner ahead!
Bring on the creme brule!
No microwave or fridge in Vegas hotel rooms?
We have stayed in three different Strip resorts, and none of our rooms in Vegas have had a microwave or fridge. So making a quick lunch with the kettle saves the day. If you decide to bring an electric kettle, be sure that you buy convenience foods that can be made with hot water, not foods that are microwave-only.
Also, in the morning, thanks to my kettle, I can stay in my jammies to enjoy my first-light steaming mug of tea. The caffeine is super-needed if we’ve been lucky enough to catch a show the night before!
And speaking of morning tea, I can’t recall if any of our hotel rooms in Vegas have had coffee makers, but I’m pretty sure not. At any rate, I don’t use hotel room coffee makers to heat up water for tea – I’m suspicious that they aren’t quite clean. I’m usually not too germ-phobic, but on this point, I’m happy to bring my own electric kettle.
I’m not a coffee drinker, so I can’t recommend any particular instant coffee to pack. But if you want to enjoy coffee first thing in your jammies, it may be an option. My hubby is a morning person, so he just gets dressed right away, goes downstairs, and buys a coffee from a shop inside the hotel.
For me, one of the joys of vacation is lounging in bed with hot tea and not having to see other people in the morning!
So far I haven’t felt the need to take the electric kettle to any other vacation destinations. But it is just a good fit for Vegas and makes the trip with us each time.
Packing list to save money on Vegas meals
For your lunch:
Tea kettle
Soup mixes
Organic tea bags
Protein bars (gluten-free)
Gluten-free crackers
Comforts of home:
- Mug per person
- Spoon per person (tea spoon and/or soup spoon) (I’m not a fan of plastic spoons…)
- Sugar for your tea – if you have a sweet tooth like me!
Clean up:
Give your mugs and spoons a quick wash in the sink:
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile liquid soap (travel size)
An unexpected use of the electric kettle
On our most recent trip to Vegas this past winter, the humidity seemed lower than usual. So much so that I ended up getting nose bleeds! My Pittsburgh noggin (usually facing rain, snow, or muggy summers) wasn’t used to that much desert dryness!
So we ran the kettle in the hotel bedroom just to add some moisture, and this helped. It was an unexpected bonus of packing the kettle!
I chose this Hamilton Beach electric kettle because it has an automatic shut-off. That made me feel comfortable with leaving the hotel room and not wondering if we had left it on. The one I chose is glass (I’m trying to reduce my use of plastics), so I pack it in the box it came in and nestle clothes around the box in my suitcase. So far, so good!
Strategy #2 to save money on meals in Vegas
To save money on meals, we usually don’t eat three full meals a day out and about in Vegas.
Here’s our game plan:
- a big brunch – bonus points if brunch includes a Bloody Mary or mimosa
- a snack or light lunch (see our Packing List above)
- Happy Hour for appetizers and drinks
- a nice dinner out
Strategy #3 to save money on meals in Vegas
There are lots of great places for meals along the Vegas Strip. But I enjoyed one of my tastiest and most affordable meals when I ventured off of the Strip.
Ellis Island Casino & Brewery is one block behind the Paris casino and an easy 10-minute walk. Ellis Island is our go-to place for an excellent – and affordable – breakfast or brunch. The casino has a “paper-placemat” restaurant, and as I always say:
A paper-placemat restaurant always has the best breakfasts!
There are yummy-looking options for dinner too – which we’re hoping to try on our next trip to Vegas.
Strategy #4 to save money on meals in Vegas
Here’s a fun way that I save money on meals in Vegas:
I play the free MyVegas game on my phone or laptop to earn rewards that I can use at MGM Resorts properties. We’ve earned free meals for brunch or dinner!
A Vegas buffet is my favorite way to get a meal that is jam-packed with healthy fruit and veggies, a nice piece of chicken or turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, and a yummy dessert. Plus, most buffets label if an item is Gluten-Free.
It’s the next-best-thing to cruise food!
There are also MyVegas rewards that can be used at individual restaurants. Our hands-down favorite (non-buffet) meal reward is for lunch or dinner at Nine Fine Irishmen, the Irish pub in the New York, New York casino. My hubby loves the ginormous chicken pot pie.
And we both love the outdoor seating and the evening live Irish music! Slainte!
As of this writing, many buffets in Vegas are closed. (And Nine Fine Irishmen isn’t back to being open their regular seven days a week yet.) It remains to be seen if the all the buffets will re-open post-Covid. I imagine that as more tourists return to Vegas, the MyVegas app will re-load reward options for more restaurants if not buffets? Stay tuned!
Vegas has lots of yummy food choices, and dining in Vegas doesn’t have to drastically cut into your travel fund.
How to save money on meals in Vegas:
- Pack an electric kettle to enjoy a hot lunch or beverage in your hotel room
- Chow down on Happy Hour appetizers
- Check out restaurants within walking distance of the Strip
- Play the free MyVegas game to earn rewards that you redeem for free meals
♠ How many of my strategies have you tried?
♣ What are your strategies for saving money on meals in Vegas?
♥ Is there a restaurant within walking distance of the Strip that you love for cheap eats?
♦ Is there a particular Vegas resort on the Strip that you’ve stayed in that has a microwave and/or fridge in the room?
Please let me know in the comments below!
