Least expensive fast casual restaurant for family dinner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 3 (one teenager). In Bethesda, we go to Don Pollo or Moby Dick and get a family meal. Both are around $50 but the food provides 2 dinners plus 1 lunch so it's roughly $7 a meal and I think that is reasonable.

We can also do roughly as well by ordering Chinese food or pizza.

I think the best strategy is ordering the larger portions/meals and then breaking them up to stretch them over several days. Cost savings is tied to volume.

This! There are so many foods that keep and reheat well. We almost always order enough for multiple meals.

Great point!

[Anonymous]

Probably peruvian chicken, buy a half chicken platter and get an extra side

[Anonymous]

Whole Foods prepared food dinner plate is a protein and two sides for $12-$14 depending on whether you pick a premium protein. I got one tonight with shrimp, green beans, and a beet salad. There were easily 15 shrimp and I have leftovers for tomorrow. I also have a big appetite so this is saying a lot.

[Anonymous]

Well, I think we need to know your neighborhood. Many restaurants have different deals on different days. So, you could patch together a few different places depending on their deal night. My husband and I are wealthy but kind of thrifty ( cheap) so we do this.

[Anonymous]

Whole Foods near me discounts their unsold prepared foods in containers 1/2 price. The best selection in the morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chipotle. A bowl is 2 servings, so you can either split one or make two last two nights. They're as heathy as you make them - load with cheese, sour cream, and high sodium beef = not healthy. Stick with lots of veggies, beans, and guac = the best you're going to get for filling and healthy fast casual. Going with veggie/beans only means means free guac and is cheaper. It'll be ~$11 for one bowl. You can add chips or tortillas on the side if you want to stretch further.

DP. And use the brown rice instead of the white.

Makes zero difference.

If you prefer to add rice, request half the serving instead of the full. Interestingly, the brown rice at Chipotle does not seem to have much more of a nutritional advantage than the white rice. It has the same amount of calories as the white rice (210 for 4 ounces), higher total fat (5.5 g compared to the 4 g the white rice contains) and higher calories from fat (50 compared to 38). It does have a lower amount of carbohydrates, though. The brown rice has 36 g of carbohydrates compared to the white rice, which contains 40 g.

The brown rice probably has slightly more protein but a lot more fiber. Fiber is important as high fiber foods help your gut create a healthy biome which is super important for brain health and fighting disease. It’s not really about the calories.

Isn't brown rice full of pesticides or something like that? White rice is cleaner in that regard.

all rice has arsenic. it's in the soil.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read the whole thread, but the Corner Bakery family meal is a good deal, because you get 4 entrees. With my kids, they will only eat half an entree so I end up with dinner and lunches the next day.