I doubt that cooking at home is cheaper than eating out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just bought scallops at Whole Foods on my lunch hour. They were $11, and I'll make them with pasta, butter and salt. So let's say that's $14 total. At what restaurant will I get a meal for $14? It'll take me 20 minutes to make, and most of that time is waiting for the pasta water to boil and the 8 minutes the pasta has to cook. I'll clean up for a total of five minutes. Most of the time when I want pizza, I toss a piece of naan on a baking tray, pour TJ's pizza sauce on, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top and bake, while munching on raw veggies. So yeah, it's cheaper at home for those two meals.

Now there are some meals I can't make at home - I'm not that good a cook, have a very tiny, poorly-laid out kitchen, and don't enjoy it. So in those cases, ordering in or going out makes sense.

Ooof no wonder Americans eat so poorly

[Anonymous]

Interesting logic.

It sounds like you don't enjoy it and you can afford to order in/go out to eat anytime, but in terms of the cost of the meals (and quality, in many/most cases) it's definitely cheaper to eat at home.

[Anonymous]

Hire a personal chef.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. Order in and get it delivered.

[Anonymous]

I feel this thread. I hate cooking as well. After working all day, it’s much easier to pick up food on my way home from the office. No cooking and no cleaning.

You can order healthy food. Salads, veggies, protein. DH likes to cook, so we split 4 nights pick up and 3 nights cooking (which at times is frozen pizza or chicken nuggets).

My mom cooked every night when I was growing up and her food is terrible. I’m not a great cook and wouldn’t force my food on my kids. I’m make eggs or pasta/jar sauce. That’s about it. Anything else takes too long, tastes terrible, and kids never eat it.

We all must do what’s best for our families. OP’s preference isn’t bad and she can afford it. I have attorney friends that do the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I've been trying to persuade myself to cook more at home. But when I cook, it takes at least an hour to prepare a decent meal. I am alone in the kitchen and tired afterwards. Our child is not interested in cooking, so it is not a pleasant family moment of being together and teaching life skills.

Then the kitchen looks like a mess and I spend another 30 minutes cleaning up.

I am an attorney and work from home. My hourly rate is $625. I always have more than enough work. I keep thinking that instead of cooking I could have cleared $1000 during the same time. That is an expensive meal!

Driving to a restaurant and waiting for the food takes time, too, but we always have pleasant conversations in the car and at the table. So that, to me, would be much more worth it, even if I don't do billable work during that time.

From an economic point of view it seems to me that ordering in is the best option. Saves time, and I can get work done if I don't feel like driving to a restaurant.

What is your take on this?

your child is not interested in cooking because he/she has never seen you cook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's healthier, which will save you money in the long run. And you can't/shouldn't work all the time. You can also have "pleasant conversations" while you cook and clean up.

Don’t reduce everything to money.

You “Lose” money when you take a walk with your child or help her with her homework or give her a bath. But those are quiet shared moments. Good for you both. She will be young for a very short time.

There is learning and a sense of achievement in trying new recipes together. Why don’t you each have fun choosing one to try. Then spend a Saturday evening experimenting . Rate the winner after a few weeks. Those times spent together have value. I hope that you give it a try.

[Anonymous]

You are better off getting a meal kit of home delivery like Mighty Meals or Factor where the food is much healthier than 1000 calorie restaurant meals.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks, PPs, for all your great ideas!

[Anonymous]

Whose waist line can afford eating out nonstop?!

But if I made $625 an hour I’d have a cook. You only need someone 4 hours a day at most.

[Anonymous]

Take some of your $625/hour and hire someone to cook for you.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand these billing rates. When the OP says she’s earning $625/hour, is that actually $625 x 40 hours x 50 weeks = $1.25 million per year? Because if so, then obviously she should be outsourcing everything and living a great life.

If on the other hand, she spends a significant amount of time marketing herself, submitting proposals, doing other business nonsense, and only actually bills 15 hours a week, then the situation is quite different. She still makes a good living but can’t outsource everything to the same degree.

[Anonymous]

I can’t imagine not raising a child to be able to cook properly for him or herself. I can’t imagine modeling that you eat dinner at a restaurant or from a restaurant every night. That’s so sad, such a disservice to your children.

[Anonymous]

If money is no factor, then I'd hire a personal chef for two days per week. They can make enough dinner to last you for two nights each time. So that's four nights of personal chef dinners. One night you make a quick, simple meal. Something like an omelette with toast and a salad, a salad with a quick protein like scallops or shrimp, or cheese, charcuterie, crackers, and fruit. Even sandwiches and crudités are fine.

Then you go out or pick up something more healthy from a restaurant one night. Then one night you go out to eat and order whatever you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. You raised a twat
2. You are lazy
3. Sodium in food out is insane
4. Your math skills suck

I make more than your hourly in half a day.

No one cares if you what to eat out

You can afford it. Still stupid

OP here. Great, after barely two minutes the onslaught of insults has begun. Maybe I should be cooking instead right now. Even if I don't like it, it would be more pleasant than reading a response like this.

order factor meals and get dinner covered for a week or get a chef to prepare 3 days worth of meals for you twice a week and then eat out one day. you make money but seriously how do you have such binary thinking? the only options are not eat out or cook elaborate meals at home. follow traderjoes5itemsorless dinners, meal prep on Sunday, get delivered healthy meals- there are lots of options outside of the two options you psted about