Ecuador Food Tips for Budget Travelers

By Christopher Minster

Ecuador has great food if you're on a tight budget: a true budget traveler can get by on as little as $5/day for food.

If you don’t need a sit-down meal, check out the local fruit and vegetable market. Bargain with the little old ladies selling produce: you can often get deals like five avocados for a buck. Many markets have food stands featuring ceviches, hornado or other local specialties: you'll be rolling the dice somewhat in terms of health, but the food is tasty and the price is right. Some even have seafood like fried fish, which you can try if you're feeling really brave and/or have good health insurance.

If you've had one too many bouts of the runs and don't want to eat street or market food, ask a local to recommend a cheap restaurant offering almuerzos ejecutivos (executive lunches). These are places that cater to Ecuadorians leaving their offices for lunch, and for anywhere from one to four dollars, you'll get a full meal: soup, main course such as chicken with rice, and a small dessert. There is no menu to order from. Everyone gets the same thing, so look around at the signs in the windows to see what each place has that day. Note: vegetarians should not consider this an option, as 99% of almuerzos ejecutivos have meat.

Many of the larger cities have supermarkets such as Supermaxi and Santa Maria. These are good places to shop for food because they have much more selection than the little tienda on the corner, although surprisingly, the price might not be much better. If you want a jar of peanut butter or similar uncommon item, the supermercados are your only option.

Another hint is to familiarize yourself with local foods. A favorite option of this writer is the empanada. In Ecuador, empanadas are pastries, folded-over with chicken, beef or cheese inside, then baked or deep-fried. Yummy and cheap, you can find them in most bakeries for under a dollar each, and there are bakeries everywhere. One is a snack, two are a meal.