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I know how to cook, I'm actually a pretty good cook when I want to be.
For a single person, I just don't see how it's economical to make a big meal. I price things at the grocery store and once I get done buying the noodles, the pasta sauce, the chicken, the garlic bread, etc...I keep thinking it's probably cheaper if I just go out and eat. If I buy a steak, vegetables, potatoes, etc...I've spent damn near $15 already.
I never cook in bulk because I don't eat leftovers. When I was growing up, it seemed that every few nights my mom cleaned out the fridge and forced us kids to eat the leftovers from the past three nightly meals. Now that I'm in my 30's...I really don't like leftovers.
I frequent four particular restaurants in Scottsdale and I'm such a regular customer that the two waitresses who usually have the section I sit in, know me by name and know what I want to drink as soon as I enter. I usually order one of three things on the menu and they know not to even ask if I want a to-go box because honestly...it would just sit in my fridge and get moldy. I don't do leftovers, I just can't after going through what I went through as a kid.
I'm just curious to what everyone else does. Being single, I really don't see it being cheaper eating in versus eating out. I'm almost forced to eat out during lunch because my group of co-workers always try different eateries close to work. With tips included, I probably spend around $30-$40/ day for food. I never think this is unreasonable?
$80 a month?? Please explain this to me, I can't think of anyone who spends that little on food. Are you a vegetarian? I've seen the price of meat lately, you can't eat much of that for $80/ month!
Quite simply... Get over it!
Don't get me wrong, I throw away leftovers sometimes (Ok, feed cats and dogs) but I usually try to share instead.
Try cooking things that don't "taste like leftovers'
Example: the Gumbo I had yesterday was 'leftover' from last week.
Didn't taste like it.
Some things I don't like as leftovers (Mac and cheese particularly)
With your hamburger example, it is simple... make the patties and frieze them. Cook them as needed... there's your $2.50 meal 'FRESH'
I'll do something similar with porkchops tomorrow (transferred one from the freezer to the fridge today) I'll probably take some frenchbread out the friezer, have a salad, and corn or something... total off the top of my head, less then $5 for a very good meal. (Marinate the pork chop all day)
It's harder to 'cook fresh' for one person, but $30-$40/Day is $900- $1,200 a month!
I could Cook a steak dinner every day at home for WAAAAY less than that! (And I eat organic beef)
We can cook and eat-in all week for what one meal at a restaurant cost and we know exactly what is in it.
We eat until full and sometimes there are leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.
A Spaghetti dinner lasts us three days.
We both grew up in houses where going to a restaurant was rare and fast food was maybe a few times a year.
I think what the problem is and it has come out in this thread is some people have no idea how to shop, divide meals, repackage larger quantities of meat and the like, etc.
Last edited by Trackwatch; 12-09-2011 at 01:21 AM..
I frequent four particular restaurants in Scottsdale and I'm such a regular customer that the two waitresses who usually have the section I sit in, know me by name and know what I want to drink as soon as I enter. I usually order one of three things on the menu and they know not to even ask if I want a to-go box because honestly...it would just sit in my fridge and get moldy. I don't do leftovers, I just can't after going through what I went through as a kid.
When we were younger we had basically unlimited funds so we did the "get to know the employees at restaurants" game but now that is an extravagance we can do without.
You do know that some of the food at restaurants is "leftovers" right?
Your mother was frugal and didn't let food go to waste, you should live her example, you probably eat a new car going out every night.
As a single person, I do end up throwing more food out. Maybe because I am spoiled. I will buy fresh veggies, and not eat all of them before they go over. But, it is cheaper to eat at home than to go out. I don't eat meat much, my "staples" are eggs, cheese, bread. It is amazing how many different things you can make with those items, and not feel like you are eating "leftovers".
I guess I don't understand not eating leftovers. A smart cook can plan ahead to use leftovers in such a way that they make a different meal. I think of them more as "planned-overs" rather than leftovers.
I do some of everything. It's just me and hubby, and we enjoy going out, but I enjoy cooking some meals, too. We do eat leftovers and hate wasting food. Some "leftovers" actually improved with time, like some soups! Everyone needs to do what they like and can afford.
One more thing I will add to the mix - I don't always feel like cooking, or spending $$$ to go out, and I have found more than a few all natural frozen alternatives to easily prepare in oven or microwave (i.e. the Amy's organic line of Mexican meals, and Michaelangelo's Italian) These are only about $3-4.00 per meal, portioned just right and very little work involved. I also make frozen pizza (LOVE the Home Run Inn) where I will add a bit more to them ($5.00 per pizza for two).
I'm currently single...sort of. But I usually eat most of my lunch/dinner meals by myself and I think I've come to the conclusion that it's cheaper for me to eat out than it is to buy groceries for myself and make something.
I usually eat out at lunch time as a given because I'm at work, usually myself and a few co-workers go somewhere nearby for a bite.
I was at the grocery store tonight and noticed how much things have seemed to gone up in the past few weeks. I was pricing out what it would cost me to make a simple meal- pound of hamburger (smallest size), 6 hamburger buns, some chips, and a 2 liter of soda...the cost easily exceeded $10. I could easily eat out on that if I wanted.
Being single and even when I was seeing someone, I found it fairly pointless to cook a meal for one or two people. The prep, cooking time, the mess/cleanup...just isn't worth it for one or two.
Once in a while I just want to go home and crash so I skip supper and just munch on whatever I have, but usually I go to a few local restaurants for whatever I'm in the mood for. For a burger/steak/pasta/whatever sounds good plus a Coke, I usually eat for less than $20 (plus tip).
What does everyone else do if you're single or married w/o kids?
As much as it seems eating in is as expensive as eating out, if you shop right, take a little while to prepare meals (even maybe a day over the weekend and freeze things) it is much cheaper to eat most meals at home. I certainly doubt you would eat a lb of hamburger, use a pack of buns and eat a bag of chips all in one meal. You buy the lb of hamburger and devide it into 2 or 3 portions (freezing what you won't use) do the same with the rest. The chips should last quite awhile in the cupboard if sealed tightly. Singles should be able to eat breakfast and dinner, at home, for a week without spending more than $50.00 a week. You can not eat 24 meals out for $50.00. So, learn to shop, learn to cook economically and enjoy that one or two dinners a night out.
Now that I read your reply to what others have said, and about no leftovers, it sounds like you are just here to vent for a minute or so, which is ok, but of course you know, even without eating left overs (which btw can be really good) you can still eat cheaper and healtier at home. You have to be willing to put some time into it. Sounds more to me like you are trying to justify eating out all the time than really wanting our opinions. Even if you buy a steak (8 to 12 oz) depending on the kind it will run somewhere around $5 plus a potato (don't say you buy them one at a time) about .50, add a head of lettuce and a tomato plus onion or whatever; you are eating for no more than $10.00. you are not going to get a decent steak dinner for $10 plus add a tip.
Nita
As much as it seems eating in is as expensive as eating out, if you shop right, take a little while to prepare meals (even maybe a day over the weekend and freeze things) it is much cheaper to eat most meals at home. I certainly doubt you would eat a lb of hamburger, use a pack of buns and eat a bag of chips all in one meal. You buy the lb of hamburger and devide it into 2 or 3 portions (freezing what you won't use) do the same with the rest. The chips should last quite awhile in the cupboard if sealed tightly. Singles should be able to eat breakfast and dinner, at home, for a week without spending more than $50.00 a week. You can not eat 24 meals out for $50.00. So, learn to shop, learn to cook economically and enjoy that one or two dinners a night out.
Now that I read your reply to what others have said, and about no leftovers, it sounds like you are just here to vent for a minute or so, which is ok, but of course you know, even without eating left overs (which btw can be really good) you can still eat cheaper and healtier at home. You have to be willing to put some time into it. Sounds more to me like you are trying to justify eating out all the time than really wanting our opinions. Even if you buy a steak (8 to 12 oz) depending on the kind it will run somewhere around $5 plus a potato (don't say you buy them one at a time) about .50, add a head of lettuce and a tomato plus onion or whatever; you are eating for no more than $10.00. you are not going to get a decent steak dinner for $10 plus add a tip.
Nita
I'm one of those people who is deathly afraid of grocery stores- I get lost and confused wandering down the aisles aimlessly looking for things that I do or don't need.
The reason I started this thread was to gauge what other people spent on food because I actually wanted to justify what I spent in comparison to others but evidently the cards have turned on me and I feel gluttonous! During the holiday season, I feel I should trim my spending a bit on food so I guess if anyone has anymore constructive suggestions, I'm all ears!
The thing about leftovers...I haven't ate leftovers for years. Maybe I should give them a try (selectively) again. The images of sitting down on Thursday night at the dinner table when I was 8 years old and my mom having three distinctly different things on the table that all looked like the mush which the high-school cafeteria served on "mystery meat" day. I remember looking at my day with fear and he's looking at the phone book trying to remember the number of the nearest pizza-delivery place to get out of eating this stuff.
I suffered through that until I became smart enough to tell mom, "Mom, you work too hard and come home and make us kids supper so tonight, instead of you slaving over the stove, we're going to order out and serve you!" Worked GREAT, no more throw-together meals!
Maybe after work tonight I'll venture to the grocery store and attempt to make myself a good, home-cooked meal and see how much I'd really pay versus eating out...although I'll have to call the Italian restaurant I visit on Friday night and tell the waitress not to worry about me.
OP, I am single and I live alone too. You got some pretty good suggestions already. Basically what I do is similar. I'm not picky about eating the same thing for dinner 3 nights in a row, LOL. So that's what I will do. Also, I don't bother eating out every other day b/c it's way too expensive, what if you don't finish the meal, and it's a one shot deal -- no leftovers. Sometimes I buy 'high end' TV dinners (hey, don't gotta buy 'em for the whole family) and eat those when I don't feel like cooking.
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I know how to cook, I'm actually a pretty good cook when I want to be. 
Worked GREAT, no more throw-together meals!
