That works great on business trips or any other per diem travel in the States as well. I once fed myself, my wife, and two cubs with money left over from a US govt. food allowance by using an ice chest and the local grocery stores.
Cheers!
...oh, and Happy New Year.
Yep. When traveling by car, the old ice chest is the way to go. We hit the grocery store before we leave — the cost of two huge freshly-made Italian subs (easily enough for four people), plus chips, cookies, and a case of sodas comes to less than the price of four of roadside fast-food burgers and Cokes. Plus we get to eat it at a beautiful rest stop or on the tailgate instead of at a crowded, noisy, and often dirty fast food joint.
There are some unique eating places on the back roads worth stopping at (the Koffee Kup in Hico, Texas comes to mind), but if one is traveling by Interstate, there’s no reason to waste money on the same Hurl’s, Jr. or CracDonald’s junk one can get at home.