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Some of the dishes prepare at home are much better than any restaurant we have found but other dishes are definitely
much better in a restaurant setting.
We are starting to eat out less now but the last 18 months has been a lot of eating out simply because I had the stroke and have been physically unable to cook often and Mr. CSD is not a cook and I prefer not to survive on chicken pot pies from the microwave.
At the beginning of the year I made a New Year's Resolution- no more restaurants, except for special occasions. Why? For health, for money, and to challenge myself to become a better cook. Since then I've:
lost 12 pounds
had my LDL (bad) cholesterol go down 20 points
have better blood pressure
saved more for retirement (extra $2500)
Plus, I can make amazing meals at home I never thought I was capable of. Literally almost any type of cuisine, I can nail it better than what I usually got out. I don't credit it entirely to myself, as I know the quality of ingredients is higher. Less salt, sugar, oil, etc. and ingredients that are high quality and often organic that might not be cost-effective in a business setting.
Do you think this is a trend? How often do you eat out?
Good job! I know what you mean about healthier oils, less oil, less salt and sugar, etc. I've developed more of a taste for my own food for these reasons myself. I don't always want to do that work, ha! But I do prefer my own now for most things.
I love to cook and I love to eat at restaurants. There are so many good ones near me. My husband and I usually sit at the bar and split and appetizer and an entree. We also love to cook. Its a balance. After raising 4 kids and cooking every night its nice to not be responsible for choosing what to make, shopping, cooking, and cleaning.
Living where I do going out to eat is popular. We are in a food and wine centric community. Farmers markets, farm to table restaurants, wineries and wine events. But that can pack on a lot of pounds if you are not careful.
I quit eating in restaurants in August. It was not by choice, and I've been unhappy with it. I'm burned out on cooking but there's no other option if I want to eat.
I would be happy to talk with you. It doesn't have to be a sentence!
I love to cook and I love to eat at restaurants. There are so many good ones near me. My husband and I usually sit at the bar and split and appetizer and an entree. We also love to cook. Its a balance. After raising 4 kids and cooking every night its nice to not be responsible for choosing what to make, shopping, cooking, and cleaning.
Living where I do going out to eat is popular. We are in a food and wine centric community. Farmers markets, farm to table restaurants, wineries and wine events. But that can pack on a lot of pounds if you are not careful.
I understand that. Completely. I turn 36 this month and for a special occasion for my birthday my Dad is taking me to a restaurant that was rated recently as one of the top 20 in the country. I don't even have kids but I know what's it's like to be tired and not want to cook. It's a lot of work, I'm not going to lie about it. And it IS nice to have people wait on you. For me without children I try to relate as best I can. All I know is it can get very laborious even without kids. It's not a fiction. I do it for health and money. But it is not for all.
Eating out is a treat for me, not a mainstay. I eat out once per week with my best friend and colleague at work. I do not watch portions or really care about how much fat, salt, and calories the meal has. On special occasions I may eat out twice per week. I mostly eat home prepared food and overall feel much better, though meals at my favorite joints are great indulgences. So yes, eating food from home has been instrumental in my overall health/weight loss because I know how much salt and calories are in the meals.
I think it's much healthier and less expensive to eat at home. Eating out is a special treat, maybe a few times a month. Not that I like to cook but who can afford to eat all meals in a restaurant? And you never really know what's in the food--probably the cheapest ingredients because they're in it to make money.
I used to make a list of our usual meals and keep it posted on the fridge. That way when I got home from work with my head spinning and couldn't think of anything to cook, I'd just look at the list and pick something. On weekends I might sit down and look at recipes and get new ideas but that list on the fridge saved me a lot of time.
My husband and I are now in our 60s, and we don't eat out nearly as much as we used to. Too expensive, too many calories, etc. Maybe once per week. It is much easier just to cook at home, and then you know exactly what is in your meal. That said we do live in a kind of a "foodie" area, with every kind of option imaginable. There are people here that eat out almost daily, sometimes several meals. I don't know how they do it, all the calories and $$$. it is a fight to keep the figure, you know? lol
Plus, if I make a meal at home, I often have enough for a second meal or turn leftovers into a soup, etc. I do think however as we age I will want to eat out a bit more than we currently do, but try to split plates or order small plates, etc.
Good for you, OP, for doing your own cooking! It is definitely so much more economical in every way.
I struggle with cooking at home. I like to cook but I am not home enough to eat it. It also doesn't help I get free food at work. Which leaves me no time to eat the leftovers. I don't like repeats too much and really only eat dinner at home 4x a week (events and socializing the other days).
Lunch at work can be healthy if you choose wisely. I choose healthy takeout most of the time and cook 1-2x a week.
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