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• How to get the most out of your tickets at this year's Taste

No doubt you’ve been looking forward to the Taste of CU. So much so, perhaps, that you arrive to the festival famished, having savored the prospect of the food you will be eating all day. Immediately after purchasing your tickets, you run over to the first two stands in sight and blow all of your tickets on food you did not really like. Still hungry, you walk around and realize there are four interesting things you’ve been meaning to try. Now you’re left with no money, a single ticket and limited options. But fear not. You can avoid such a pitfall. With a little forethought, you can get the most for your money and leave the event satisfied.

Make a plan

If you’re on a budget, decide how many tickets you can afford, and plan out your food selections ahead of time. You can get six tickets for $5. Tickets are good for the whole weekend and are not refundable. Although patrons will have access to navigation maps at the ticket booths, you would be wise to check out the event map ahead of time online via the Champaign Park District Web site. The map contains a visual layout of the 27 food vendors, along with each vendor’s food offerings and ticket prices. If you don’t have time for any advanced planning, at least walk a lap around the park prior to any purchases to make sure you’re able to hit the stands you really want.

Go for the taste portions

Looking to give your taste buds the full tour without shelling out too many tickets? Consider ordering the smaller “taste” items. These items are often a featured menu item, offered in both small and large sizes. For example, one can order a 5-ounce slider from Junior’s Burgers and Cozy’s Custard for one ticket and get a mini pulled pork or chicken salad sandwich from Bob Evans for just two tickets.

Combine tickets with a friend

Certain scrumptious dishes are only offered in pricey full size, so split these with a buddy. Take turns throwing down the extra ticket when items are not priced at an even number. Get a pulled pork sandwich from Blues BBQ for seven tickets, and then head over to Peking Garden where you can get two egg rolls for three tickets. You’ll save money on the egg rolls by buying the full size since the egg rolls at Siam Terrace and Nitaya Thai go for two tickets each.

Save money, drink water

Pepsi products and most vendor drinks are two tickets, but a lemon shake-up from Fryer Tuck’s or a root beer float from Dippin’ Dots will set you back four and five tickets, respectively. Consider bringing a water bottle so as not to spend a ticket on a beverage. The park boasts two water fountains — one on the northeast corner and one on the southwest corner.