Reply to Cutting back on eating out, how to not feel deprived?

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[quote=Anonymous]The nicest compliment I ever received from my husband and kids is that they prefer my cooking to eating out.  Not only is it less expensive, portions are the right size for everybody and there's often left overs.

For me the key is to buy fresh produce every week.  I usually go to the Asian market and stock up on Sundays.  I find that having a nice variety of fruits and vegetables makes all the difference.

My freezer is stocked with meat.  I don't necessarily pre cook the food but I do pre marinate a lot of things before I freeze.  So I'll buy lbs of chicken and marinate in italian dressing before freezing.  Or I'll buy london broil and marinate.  Stir frys can marinated in an asian soy sauce mix.  In the morning, I just pull something out of the freezer to defrost.  It's already prepped and season so all I have to do is go to work, let it thaw, and then cook it.

Add in some veggies and a starch and dinner is served.

Like one of the PP mentioned, my kids have activities starting around 5:30pm.  For them, when they get out of school, I give them a large snack.  It might be a pasta salad or a PJ&J sandwich with a cheese stick and an apple.  But it's enough to tide them over until the end of activities, showering, and then dinner.

I really started cooking about a year ago.  I can't remember the last time we went out to dinner as a family.  Whereas before it seemed easier to go to eat, not it just seems like such a hassle and too expensive for what you get.

On the bonus side, when DH and I do go out for a date, we go to a nice restaurant, order wine, have appetizers, meal, dessert and it really does feel like a special occasion date.[/quote]

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