Trying to save money—what do you make when you’d rather have takeout?

[Anonymous]

Get some stouffers frozen dinners.

Getting processed food is not that much cheaper. I know you don’t want to clean up prepared food is not cheap. Sam’s club had ready to heat pastas and salads that are about $15 a pan. You may need 2 pans so you are at $30 already. Add a salad and it’s close to $40 with tax.

I make breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, bacon and toast. Sometimes French toast or waffles. Egg fried rice with frozen vegetables. These are about $10 for a meal. Li

[Anonymous]

I make a vat of spaghetti sauce and freeze it in quart ziplocks. Nothing easier than that.

Roasted salmon and veg with rice takes 5 minutes to prep and 20 to cook.

Frozen breaded chicken tenders are great chopped up on salad.

[Anonymous]

BLT sandwiches (do the bacon in the oven)

Meatball subs (use frozen meatballs and jarred sauce)

Charcuterie/cheese/olives/nuts aka snack dinner

[Anonymous]

Rotisserie chicken with Garlic spread and hummus in pita

Quesadilla with cheddar, green onion & smashed avocados

Rice with fried egg over medium

[Anonymous]

Honestly I make dinner even when I don’t feel like it. I put on an audiobook in my earbuds and do it anyway.

I totally don’t feel like cooking today (chronic heath condition flare) so I am making something easy, cheeseburger soup. Everyone should like it well enough and it takes 30 minutes tops, I clean as I go so there will be no cleanup after except tossing the bowls we eat from in the dishwasher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve been spending entirely too much on takeout and vow to eat out less next month. But sometimes I just don’t want to cook. I don’t want to clean. I don’t want to do anything but throw away a paper plate, at most. I’m looking to alternatives to eating out that don’t require ANY effort or energy in the kitchen. **NOT PIZZA!** We already have a rotating pizza night.

I’ve considered those Costco prepared meals, but they aren’t exactly “cheap”, and some of them take planning (like an hour or more to bake the pot pie/meatloaf, etc.)

Cereal night is another idea but in the past, everyone is still hungry later. And, cereal isn’t cheap either! And nobody enjoys the same cereal. If I’m spending $6 a box, we might as well get Subway.

Help!!!

You are in dire need of a math class.

Subway! Yikes

What could possibly be wrong with Subway? I can’t wait to hear.

[Anonymous]

I listened to a podcast about saving money and it talked about having emergency meals on hand when you're too lazy so you don't succumb to eating out.

Some of mine are: frank n beans, zatarains jambalaya mix and chicken sausage, spaghetti and meatballs (Rao's sauce and frozen meatballs).

I don't even consider this an emergency meal but every week we have breakfast for dinner - roating with one week - banana pancakes, and the next is eggs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I make dinner even when I don’t feel like it. I put on an audiobook in my earbuds and do it anyway.

I totally don’t feel like cooking today (chronic heath condition flare) so I am making something easy, cheeseburger soup. Everyone should like it well enough and it takes 30 minutes tops, I clean as I go so there will be no cleanup after except tossing the bowls we eat from in the dishwasher.

Yes - OP fwiw this is also what i do. It is just not an option for us to eat out when it is just my family of 5. My eating out budget is only for eating out socially or special occasions. That is one change I made after I did a no spend January in 2023 and it's going great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I listened to a podcast about saving money and it talked about having emergency meals on hand when you're too lazy so you don't succumb to eating out.

Some of mine are: frank n beans, zatarains jambalaya mix and chicken sausage, spaghetti and meatballs (Rao's sauce and frozen meatballs).

I don't even consider this an emergency meal but every week we have breakfast for dinner - roating with one week - banana pancakes, and the next is eggs.

This is another super fast recipe that I do that at least 2 of my 3 kids like:

http://www.lizzywrite.com/2010/05/korean-beef.html

[Anonymous]

Pasta— fettuccini with pancetta, egg and Parmesan. I keep some diced pancetta in the freezer for just this occasion.
Nachos

[Anonymous]

The viral feta pasta recipe is easy, cheap, and actually quite good.

We do quesadillas sometimes.

Tuna melts and canned tomato soup sometimes hits the spot.

Nachos, or taco salad night

[Anonymous]

I make this: https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/summer-garden-pasta
Sometimes an easy chili - you dump the ingredients in slow cooker and go. Or a very simple butter chicken or stir fry. Alternatively, back to the slow cooker, put a hunk of meat in it, with a jar of pace picante sauce, shred and serve as tacos.

[Anonymous]

Tacos are super easy actually: just sauté ground beef with some onions and seasoning and garnish with cheese/avocado/salsa/lettuce/sour cream/cilantro or whatever. Serve with tortilla chips.

Breakfast for dinner, whether scrambled eggs with toast or pancakes or French toast with berries and cream

Canned/boxed soup with crusty bread

Heart salad with canned tuna or leftover meat

But here’s my overall perspective: my family vastly cut out on eating out - and nearly never get takeout - since the new year. I just follow a template of meat (chicken/fish/steak), starch (potatoes/rice/polenta/bread) and green (sautéed spinach or arugula/simple salad) and maybe some sliced avocado/cucumber/peppers and it works well. Not every meal has to be a standout, and this is a great and satisfying template for the evening workweek meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I listened to a podcast about saving money and it talked about having emergency meals on hand when you're too lazy so you don't succumb to eating out.

Some of mine are: frank n beans, zatarains jambalaya mix and chicken sausage, spaghetti and meatballs (Rao's sauce and frozen meatballs).

I don't even consider this an emergency meal but every week we have breakfast for dinner - roating with one week - banana pancakes, and the next is eggs.

Our emergency meal is frozen potstickers- I like veggie and kids like shrimp, dipping sauce, and a frozen vegetable. Works every time, and always in the freezer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I keep these lightly breaded chicken breasts in the freezer I love. Also a bunch of veggies and things like Trader Joe’s Mexican style cauliflower rice which you just heat in a pan and it’s done. That’s an easy dinner. If we make
Meatballs we freeze a serving for another time etc.

Anything breaded in the freezer thrown in the air fryer really scratches that takeout itch. amirite?