Hostels appeal to many backpack travelers because they include a kitchen so that you can cook your own meals and save some money. There are some tried and true hostel recipes that require few ingredients, few dishes, and are hearty enough to get you through a meal or two. I usually like to eat a big breakfast at the hostel before heading out for a day and then a big dinner out to experience the culture (and feel fat and happy at the end of a good day exploring!).
When arriving to a new city, I usually drop my things at the hostel and then head out to a grocery store to buy some of the following, quantity determined by the number of days I’ll be staying.
• Eggs – easy breakfast item
• Yogurt – easy breakfast item
• Cheese snacks like babybels or string cheese – easy snack items that transport well in case you buy too much
• Coffee – either nescafe stir in coffee or ground coffee if there’s a coffee maker there – but be warned, if you make a whole pot of coffee, a lot of it will disappear
• Fruit – east for breakfast, easy to take with you
• Oatmeal packets – easy for breakfast, easy to take with you
Don’t forget to travel with a sharpie so you can label all your own food – people will still probably steal some of it, especially if you leave it in the fridge, but such is the reality of backpack travel.