Yes, we know how much easier it is to eat out, whether it’s at a restaurant or eating takeout from our favorite fast food chain. It really can be a lifesaver at times, although if you vouch for this option more than three times a week, then you’re probably overdoing it.
Not only is it the worst thing you can do for your health since we all know that cooking from home is way healthier, but it also racks up our spending, so it could slash your savings, too. Here, we have made a list of the things you can do to avoid eating out too frequently.
Create Meal Plans
Meal planning is key if you want to stop eating out frequently. When we plan our meals ahead of time, then it should prevent us from resorting to takeout or dining out. Here are a bunch of basic grocery lists from Pinterest to get you started.
Compare Grocery Prices Against Eating Out Prices
Once you see the massive differences in these two ways of obtaining your food, you will probably be shocked when you see the massive difference. You can even take it a step further to work out how much you’d be saving every month if you mostly avoid dining out for the most part.
Keep Fridge and Pantry Stocked With Easy to Cook Foods
It’s a good idea to keep your pantry and fridge stocked with staples and foods that are easy to prepare at the last minute. When they aren’t stocked, we usually see cooking as a major chore and may, therefore, resort to getting our meals from restaurants or takeout places.
Meal Prepping
By spending a Sunday or Monday evening preparing some meals in bulk for the coming week, you’re going to make it a lot easier to skip dining out, as you already have food prepared in your fridge.
If you prefer cooking things on the same day, then you can perhaps clean and chop your veggies in advance, as it’ll save you some extra time when the time for cooking comes.
Pack Lunch the Night Before
It can be tempting, and sometimes the only option to get takeout at work if you don’t manage to prepare and pack your lunch the night before. By packing lunch the night before, you’ll eliminate these temptations, and as a bonus, you will also be eating a lot healthier, which will hopefully help you stay focused at work.
Do More Activities That Don’t Involve Food
Meeting friends at a restaurant is an easy go-to activity for most, but why not change it up a bit? Instead of going out to an eatery, you could rather plan for a little hike/walk or simply do a games night in.
Set a Budget for Eating Out
If eating out regularly is not your biggest issue, but you’d still like to cut back, then how about setting a monthly or weekly budget? You just have to be strict about not going over this budget if you want to make a change!
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