Eating out or at home

[mstng86]

I have been thinking about this for a little bit.

We always grew up being told that it is cheaper to eat at home than it is to eat out every night. I pretty much believed that but then started to look at a few different scenarios.

Lunch for instance, I eat a subway sandwich and a bag of chips for $4.30 everyday. Now that comes out to $21.50 for one weeks worth. To have the same sandwich made at home and brought to work would, from what I see, be more expensive. After buying the meat, the cheese, the different varieties of vegetables, etc. It ends up being cheaper to just buy it from Subway.

I don't think the idea holds water in todays economy in a lot of instances.

Now I know for a fact it is really expensive to buy your groceries with the intent of cooking every night, and then going out to eat instead. Which is a struggle the wife and I have on a weekly basis. Sometimes there is no time at night to cook dinner, and then clean the kitchen and have time to relax.

[MutherjuggZ]

I cook breakfast and dinner every night M-F, and breakfast/lunch/dinner on weekends. I grew up with a lot of cold meals, and fast food style things so I want my kids to know what it's like to have 3 squares a day and dinner at the table with family.

[SMKR]

i too had parents that taught me that. But when I started buying solely for a week vs. eating out for a week (then taking it home) it came out cheaper for me personally. (.99 cent menu stuff that is)

[mstng86]

I cook breakfast and dinner every night M-F, and breakfast/lunch/dinner on weekends. I grew up with a lot of cold meals, and fast food style things so I want my kids to know what it's like to have 3 squares a day and dinner at the table with family.

That is why I still want to hold on to cooking at home more often than not. I want my boy to know what you're really supposed to eat.

[Lason]

$4.30? A footlong costs me around $7-8. The lady at the subway across the street changes prices with her mood. I stopped going there and hit up taco bell if Im budgeting or Quiznos if I have a bit more change to spare.

Still cheaper to bring your own food though. If your single then you may break even but we have 4 kids so its cheaper to make a pot of spaghetti with a loaf of garlic bread than it is to eat out. We spend $60 at a local chinese or $30-35 at Mcdonalds to put it in perspective. Spaghetti is about $9. And we end up with left overs to bring to lunch.

[mstng86]

$4.30? A footlong costs me around $7-8. The lady at the subway across the street changes prices with her mood. I stopped going there and hit up taco bell if Im budgeting or Quiznos if I have a bit more change to spare.

Still cheaper to bring your own food though. If your single then you may break even but we have 4 kids so its cheaper to make a pot of spaghetti with a loaf of garlic bread than it is to eat out. We spend $60 at a local chinese or $30-35 at Mcdonalds to put it in perspective. Spaghetti is about $9. And we end up with left overs to bring to lunch.

$4.30 for a six inch sub and bag of chips. A footlong is too many carbs IMO.

If I was going to Mcd's I would be getting my kids food off the dollar menu. Which, is cheaper in the end, but is not healthy.

[lowthreeohz]

i save somewhere around 50 bucks a week packing my lunch. we also buy frozen chicken and salad stuff and eat dinner at home 5 or 6 nights a week. It isn't a huge dent, but every bit helps right now.

[Marisa]

i save somewhere around 50 bucks a week packing my lunch. we also buy frozen chicken and salad stuff and eat dinner at home 5 or 6 nights a week. It isn't a huge dent, but every bit helps right now.

Did the lasagna reheat ok?

[billybob81]

I think eating off the .99 menu would definitely be cheaper, but I prefer to eat healthier foods. So for me it is cheaper to go to Costco and buy meat and buy fresh vegetables at the grocery store. I can cook a whole brisket for about as much as buying 2 plates at a bbq restaurant and have it all week.

[CexMashean]

you'll never beat ramen noodles, or rice when it comes to $.
Never.

[lowthreeohz]

Did the lasagna reheat ok?

Just fine!

[Lason]

$4.30 for a six inch sub and bag of chips. A footlong is too many carbs IMO.

If I was going to Mcd's I would be getting my kids food off the dollar menu. Which, is cheaper in the end, but is not healthy.

Oh yeah, if we need to go out to get dinner its off the $.99 menu most all the time.

[Stunter Bob]

Really depends on what your eating as to how much cheaper its going to be.

If you have to buy all the veggies for the sandwich its going to cost more but those veggies last alot longer and go farther.

I choose to eat at home for lunch during the week because i eat alot of leftovers from the night before.

[GhostTX]

I hear a Wal-mart challenge. Can you spend $21 for fixin's for 5 days of sandwiches? To be more fair, I say make it 10 days of sandwiches ($42), since dressings/condiments are sold in larger containers. I'd wager you get more from the grocery store for $42 for 10 sandwiches.

[stangin4lyfe]

I cook all my b-fast, lunch, and 1/2 my dinner meals each day.
I just spent $280 for myself at Sam's this last weekend.
I usually average $200 a week on groceries, but I do eat very healthy and eat around 6,000 calories a day.