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I eat out frequently, but we also cook at home fairly often. Both my SO and I are in the restaurant industry, so for us going out to eat is a chance to see industry friends and keep up with the local food scene. That said, my partner is a chef and when we bought and renovated our apartment, a good kitchen was high on the priority list. It's definitely not just for show.
I am fortunate to have always lived in places with very good restaurant scenes, so it's never been a case of settling for inferior food when I go out.
I live in Seattle and my wife lives in Charlotte until the end of the year, and I have been eating out a lot more since I have become "single" for a few months. My dinner choices are either a can of soup, hot pockets, or a salad. I usually eat at a local deli everyday for lunch. ( 8 bucks, homemade sandwiches, egg salad, tuna fish, etc.) I always treat myself to a carry out on Friday and Saturday and usually on Sunday I have left overs from one a carryout. I do miss that crock pot!
I've noticed whenever I go to a restaurant or fast-food place --which is rarely-- they are all packed. I went to a German cafe situated inside a deli for lunch yesterday and it was like a mad-house.
Even on week-nights, there are big lines, you have to use those pager things.
I had a young woman neighbor recently who said she never eats in, ever, she eats all her breakfasts, lunches, dinners out. I just can't relate. Of course her kitchen was like a showroom, stunning, because it was never used lol.
Americans have these huge kitchens, and most of the rest of the world cooks at home over little fires and in the tiniest of kitchens. But are Americans using these kitchens?
Are most people eating out all the time, and by this I include ordering pizza etc in, or does it just seem this way?
I've known people like that. Some people, sadly, just don't know how to cook or prepare food. I've seen more than one episode of House Hunters where the woman toured a kitchen and said something like, "As long as it looks nice, that's all I care about. It's not like I'll be cooking in it"
And then some people are lazy, or don't care about their diet. Eating out all meals is unhealthy. We have two kids and we eat out once per week. Even though we are both f/t working parents, we cook dinner every evening. I take my lunch to work as well. It all saves money, and is healthier.
I eat out a maximum of twice per month. I'm on a debt snowball plan so I have just $20 of fun money in my budget each paycheck, I get paid biweekly. Some of that fun money is spent on a meal out, plus one or two coffees at Dunkin Donuts (gave up Starbucks) sometimes my fun money gets spent on other things and not food out.
I eat out a maximum of twice per month. I'm on a debt snowball plan so I have just $20 of fun money in my budget each paycheck, I get paid biweekly. Some of that fun money is spent on a meal out, plus one or two coffees at Dunkin Donuts (gave up Starbucks) sometimes my fun money gets spent on other things and not food out.
If you want to save a few cents more, 7-11 does pretty good coffee as well. DD has, IMO, better coffee than Starbanks, but, &-11 is great brew for a great price. . . and if you REALLY wanna save, if you use your own cup, they discount the cost of like $.15 per cup.
I eat out frequently, but we also cook at home fairly often. Both my SO and I are in the restaurant industry, so for us going out to eat is a chance to see industry friends and keep up with the local food scene. That said, my partner is a chef and when we bought and renovated our apartment, a good kitchen was high on the priority list. It's definitely not just for show.
I am fortunate to have always lived in places with very good restaurant scenes, so it's never been a case of settling for inferior food when I go out.
This is my dilema. . .
I am a Chef, have been in the industry for well over 25 years, when I go out to eat, it's for an occasion. While I order in, or take advantage of specials in my College town, it's not often (maybe 4 times a year) I consider myself "going out to eat".
After a 12 - 14hour day, I don't wanna come home and cook. When I DO want to go out, and dine, I don't mind spending a few hundred bucks, but that is a lot different to me than "eating out". Not to mention, as a Chef, I end up going to the "well, I could have made that at home, BETTER, and saved the 300% mark up". . .but again, it's about really eating out. It's going out for the experience to dine, and be pampered. That to me, isn't the same as a lot this thread leans towards.
And then some people are lazy, or don't care about their diet. Eating out all meals is unhealthy.
Again, this is nonsense.
If you are single, if you aren't home but say for 10 hours a day (if lucky), and you are "eating out", meaning to me: eating at a place that isn't home; you can get a grilled chicken Caesar salad for$8, with maybe a cup of soup for an additional $2. Call that $10 on average, per day, x 7 = $70 a week. For a single person, who values their time, $70 isn't going to get you far in a grocery store. You have to think about prep spoilage, waste. $70 in a grocery store, if you are buying fresh produce, fresh meats, cheese/dairy, "healthy" foods, isn't going to go very far, at all. In that case, it IS cheaper to eat out/get take away.
Going to Chipotle and getting one of their burrito bowl offerings is a 2 meal dish, at around 500-600 calorie dish, and that's with most of the fixings. That doesn't mean you have to eat the whole thing in one sitting, just like ANY meal.
You can eat healthy, it's all about your menu choices, just like anything you decide to put in your mouth.
Last edited by Old Town FFX; 12-22-2014 at 10:25 PM..
Even a small town of 12000 would fill restaurants beyond capacity if they all went out to eat every meal; OP.It should be obvious also by the popularity of cooking shows on TV.
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