Eat at Home

**emily_hope** · 01-31-2007, 09:55 AM

During the month of January, I did a lot of cooking. We only ate out 4 times out of 31 days! I am proud. One of the times we ate out was for my birthday and the other 3, we ate from the concession stand because DD16 had basketball games. I have almost got all my menus made out for February. We do go out for Valentine's Day, so I know we will eat out at least once. We'll see how it goes.

**Dedlered** · 01-31-2007, 09:57 AM

Great Job! I really need to get better at menu planning. It's so difficult though because of my commute to and from work

**Emerald_Mommy** · 01-31-2007, 10:09 AM

WTG!

We ate out 3 times (including once for Philip's birthday) and were invited over to friends once. That's pretty good for us - we usually eat out once a week. I know we'll be going out in February for Valentines & also for our church Valentine Banquet.

**i.m.cheap** · 01-31-2007, 10:14 AM

We have been eating at home for years! We go out usually (but not always) on our anniversary, almost never on birthdays (I even cook on mine). We might have Wendy's or some other fast food once or twice a year. We never order pizza, I think the last time we did was at least four or five years ago!

The longer you do this, the easier it gets.

**Neeley** · 01-31-2007, 10:15 AM

WTG!!! We also have been making an effort to only eat at home. In January we ate out only twice - every single other meal (brakfast, lunch, and dinner)for all four of us was from home. Both times we ate out it was lunch and only Chris and I since the kids were with their grandparents. We spent a total of $28.63 for the two meals.

**i.m.cheap** · 01-31-2007, 10:18 AM

We are also in the habit of packing food and drinks if we are going to be away from home for hours. It really cuts down on the temptation to pull into the fast food places.

**nodmicks** · 01-31-2007, 10:28 AM

Way to go! We did pretty well in Jan also!!!! I plan to do only 1 time in feb though!

**Hollyhandi** · 01-31-2007, 10:33 AM

We will do it 3 times in Feb.
Valentines DS 18th birthday Friday night.
Ate out only 1 time in Jan

**Neeley** · 01-31-2007, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by i.m.cheap

We are also in the habit of packing food and drinks if we are going to be away from home for hours. It really cuts down on the temptation to pull into the fast food places.

I keep a rubbermaid box in the back of my Durango filled with individual bags of chips, cereal bars, and diet sodas. You are right, it keeps us from being tempted to stop by a Micky D's or a convenience store for a snack or soda.

**Marie78** · 01-31-2007, 10:57 AM

Good job on so many eat at home days! We ate out once this month and we plan on eating out one more time in February. It will be around Valentine's Day, not sure if it will be on that day.

**pkellyc** · 01-31-2007, 11:07 AM

I have been cooking up a storm myself, I have been trying out new recipes and using up those leftovers. Not only good for saving money but also a healthier!

**Ani** · 01-31-2007, 11:49 AM

*hangs head in shame* We are SO bad compared to all of you! We ate out about 10 times in January. We are planning to cut back to 8 in February, I'm shooting for 4 (once a week). We've cut down significantly from what it used to be though. We used to be realllly bad about packing our lunch for work, and in the last couple months we've only not packed it once or twice.

**Cricketlegs** · 01-31-2007, 12:09 PM

Now that dh has gotten sick(he had high blood pressure, now he has high cholesterol and diabetes!) I am having to totally change what I buy, what I cook, and how I cook it.

Eating out is so low on the totem pole for us now.

I don't want my dh to die over double meat cheese burgers and enchiladas!

**acidcookie** · 01-31-2007, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Ani

*hangs head in shame* We are SO bad compared to all of you! We ate out about 10 times in January. We are planning to cut back to 8 in February, I'm shooting for 4 (once a week). We've cut down significantly from what it used to be though. We used to be realllly bad about packing our lunch for work, and in the last couple months we've only not packed it once or twice.

I have to ask: Is going out to eat one of the main recreational things you do? While it does add up and there are cheaper options, I don't think you should beat yourself up too much. My boyfriend and I are both busy grad students, and I think it's totally fair of us to go out to eat once or twice a week (this doesn't even mean fancy meals, just Olive Garden or even a sandwich shop at lunch). We don't go out and party, we don't go to many concerts, we aren't going to a lot of movies, so eating out is mainly where this money is spent.

Besides, I figure lots of couples spend time together watching TV or a movie, but at least at dinner we can have good conversation. So it may cost a bit more, but it's real quality time to me.

**tlenad** · 01-31-2007, 12:42 PM

I'm bad compared to most of you all. I'm really good about eating dinner at home but lunch is another story. THis month I probably at out 15 or 20 times. Next month my goal is to bring my lunch and breafast everyday except 1 to work. I'll probably have one day that as a group will get together and go out.

I'm also working on cutting down on the numbers of times I eat on the weekend. This weekend which will be the first an February we already have meals planned and all the ingredients bought. So I'm hoping for 1 weekend meal out as well depending on what the plans during the weekend are.