I stopped eating out and I don't think I'm going back

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible that the food is the same garbage, but we are more aware of it? With the rise in people spending more on food (emphasis on produce, humanely raised meats, pasture eggs, etc), have our taste buds finally shifted back from processed foods a bit? Most restaurants are just serving warmed garbage food that came off the national brand supply truck.

You’re going to the wrong places,,babe.

[Anonymous]

We also don’t really go out much anymore. There are few places that can exceed what we can make at home and the cost just isn’t worth it. Roses Luxury would be one; we also like Planta. It doesn’t have any impact on us and we can afford whatever we want. We also don’t entertain ourselves by sitting around passively consuming food. We will have time for that in our 70s and 80s when we can’t be active.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would be ok eating out more because I’m lazy. But everything is so low quality and greasy and soooo salty. I looked up a somewhat upscale chain near us and some of the dinners had 2000+ mg of sodium!

Obviously. Chains just heat up frozen over-preserved slop so they are consistent at all locations.

I guess I shouldn’t have said chain. Local chain that has a few locations, and offers lighter bites and health conscious food, not like… Outback Steakhouse.

Doesn't sound that light or health conscious if a bunch of their food as 2000+ mg of sodium.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For January, I wanted to eat exclusively at home, which I mostly accomplished save a couple of small things while traveling and a very lavish dinner for a friend. Otherwise, all meals for the family have been prepared and eaten at home, and my wallet is fatter, I'm slimmer and SO much happier. I don't see myself going back to takeout/eating out multiple times a week anytime soon. Anyone else?

Anyone else... a homebody, strapped for cash, with an empty social calendar?

[Anonymous]

I'd rather spend the calories and the money on my own ingredients and cooking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take out is not the same as dining out. Take out is *rarely* good.

Most takeout is disappointing. Even more disappointing and something I don’t get is Door Dash/Uber Eats. Food takes forever, is usually cold/soggy by the time it arrives and cost twice the price if you were to pick it up youself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For January, I wanted to eat exclusively at home, which I mostly accomplished save a couple of small things while traveling and a very lavish dinner for a friend. Otherwise, all meals for the family have been prepared and eaten at home, and my wallet is fatter, I'm slimmer and SO much happier. I don't see myself going back to takeout/eating out multiple times a week anytime soon. Anyone else?

Anyone else... a homebody, strapped for cash, with an empty social calendar?

That's me! We've been able to save money so we can retire and move to a friendlier area.

[Anonymous]

DH took the kids to visit his parents this weekend, as they all had Monday off, but I don’t. It was 100% worth it to go out to a Mexican place with my aunt and cousin last night, and enjoy delicious tamales and margaritas that I don’t make myself. And it was great to get Chinese for myself tonight: Crab Rangoon and chicken fried rice.

I’ll be back to eating more healthfully, cooking, and saving money tomorrow, as per the usual routine. But man, a night out and a night in, I’m happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For us, the biggest shift was during the early pandemic when you didn't even know if takeout was safe. we went 6 weeks where we didn't eat a single meal that we hadn't cooked ourselves.

Now, it's a bit of a balance. We love food in general (both cooking at home and dining out/trying new things) so we definitely cook more than we did pre-pandemic, but we still enjoy going out. We are fairly elaborate home cooks though, and do wine pairings, etc. for our at-home dinners so it's not necessarily a huge difference in the finance department.

Respiratory viruses aren't spread through food. We always knew that, even if you didn't.

[Anonymous]

I have stopped going out to just eat meals because I am too lazy to plan and cook. I am trying to only go out for occasions, like date night with my spouse or to meet up with friends.

[Anonymous]

The food and service is so crap half the time I feel like we're being trolled. And yet, the restaurants are full and there's a wait to be seated. It amazes me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no eaten out at all since 2020 not even fast food. I don't miss it one bit and I feel healthier too.

My last meal out was Feb. 2020 then covid hit then we realized we could cook better, eat healthier and have much more energy. We've kept it going. Just like the another PP said too we pack lunches and snacks for the car. We can still do better than gas station snacks and junk food or even worse fast food. Saves money and our health. I keep hearing over and over again how its terrible eating out these days glad I'm not part of that group!

“Not part of that group!”??? There’s clearly more going on here than saving money or whatever.

“I don’t eat out,” has become your entire personality for many of you, and it’s weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no eaten out at all since 2020 not even fast food. I don't miss it one bit and I feel healthier too.

My last meal out was Feb. 2020 then covid hit then we realized we could cook better, eat healthier and have much more energy. We've kept it going. Just like the another PP said too we pack lunches and snacks for the car. We can still do better than gas station snacks and junk food or even worse fast food. Saves money and our health. I keep hearing over and over again how its terrible eating out these days glad I'm not part of that group!

“Not part of that group!”??? There’s clearly more going on here than saving money or whatever.

“I don’t eat out,” has become your entire personality for many of you, and it’s weird.

Conversely it is lame that eating out is your form of predominant entertainment. I’ll do that when i’m 90 years old and not able to move and do other things I can do now. For now, I’ll eat better food and entertain myself out in the world and not sitting passively in a chair having other humans bring me substandard food and drink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no eaten out at all since 2020 not even fast food. I don't miss it one bit and I feel healthier too.

My last meal out was Feb. 2020 then covid hit then we realized we could cook better, eat healthier and have much more energy. We've kept it going. Just like the another PP said too we pack lunches and snacks for the car. We can still do better than gas station snacks and junk food or even worse fast food. Saves money and our health. I keep hearing over and over again how its terrible eating out these days glad I'm not part of that group!

“Not part of that group!”??? There’s clearly more going on here than saving money or whatever.

“I don’t eat out,” has become your entire personality for many of you, and it’s weird.

Conversely it is lame that eating out is your form of predominant entertainment. I’ll do that when i’m 90 years old and not able to move and do other things I can do now. For now, I’ll eat better food and entertain myself out in the world and not sitting passively in a chair having other humans bring me substandard food and drink.

NP. You come across as really odd. I do a mix of eating at home and eating out, and going to restaurants isn’t anyone’s “form of predominant entertainment.” We like to “move” and have other hobbies too. And if you only know of restaurants with substandard food and drink, that’s really just a lack of imagination, intelligence, and/or total ignorance on your part. I have lived in several East Coast cities, including in DC and the DMV, and there’s tons of great restaurant food, of all cuisines, at all price points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For us, the biggest shift was during the early pandemic when you didn't even know if takeout was safe. we went 6 weeks where we didn't eat a single meal that we hadn't cooked ourselves.

Now, it's a bit of a balance. We love food in general (both cooking at home and dining out/trying new things) so we definitely cook more than we did pre-pandemic, but we still enjoy going out. We are fairly elaborate home cooks though, and do wine pairings, etc. for our at-home dinners so it's not necessarily a huge difference in the finance department.

Respiratory viruses aren't spread through food. We always knew that, even if you didn't.

This is an unkind and unnecessary comment, but keep feeling smug.