But there is no way you used all the rice or lettuce or salsas. You probably have steak or chicken or beans and cheese leftover too. So tomorrow make quesadillas (cheese plus whatever protein is leftover) with salsa dipping sauces and you have a whole second meal with no additional cost.

Did you need steak, chicken, and beans?

Most people wouldn’t buy all the individual ingredients for just one meal. So the costs are split across multiple meals for things like cheese, lettuce, salsa, spices, and rice. Buying an avocado and making your own guac is much cheaper. In other words, it’s possibly to make burrito bowls at home for less than $50.

But yes-if you’re making something that requires you to buy a bunch of special ingredients and you splurge on them-it’s probably cheaper (and definitely easier) to order takeout.

Where are you shopping? You need to buy staples from cheaper stores, buy meat in bulk or at least locally, and make your own things like guacamole and salsa. This should not be over $25 all in.

This is like making pizza at home. There’s value in both ways, depending on your conditions.

My kids are elementary aged, but they share a chipotle bowl (and only eat like 1/4 of it anyways). DH and I can also share it too. Not to be cheap, but more because we can't eat that much (it's like 2k calories).

What you served was probably healthier and/or bigger portions, and you likely have some leftover salsa and/or cheese (perhaps other things).
However, I agree with you. For highly customizable bowl meals, I find it is SO much work at home. So many dishes to clean, so many little 'odds and ends' to put away/make sure they don't get lost in the back of my fridge, and so much prep. Chipotle, Cava, etc. just have an economy of scale that you don't have at home for 4 or 5 people. It is a lot of mental load also.
I do plenty of cooking, and this is not an issue when I make less fussier meals like baked fish or chicken with salad and a carb. (which is more of our typical fare)
OP, you are not alone.

Any leftovers? Ingredients remaining for another meal?

Anonymous wrote:Look at the ingredients list for the restaurant food. The stuff you made is a lot healthier.

This.

Anonymous wrote:Kids love Chipotle so I figured I could easily whip up burrito bowls last night. Family of 4. Steak and chicken. Whole Foods guac. Good salsas. Corn. Rice. Beans. Herbs and spices. Cheese, which I shredded. Onions and peppers. Leafy lettuce. It was over $50, took me well over an hour to prep and cook everything, tons of cleanup, and tasted fine but nothing special. Everyone finished their plates but no rave reviews.

Chipotle is $9-12 per person. And the kids and my husband would prefer it over what I served. Did I do something wrong or does everyone sort of know this and when the family craves burritos or burrito bowls you all order out?

The advantage- your burrito bowls undoubtedly had higher quality, fresh ingredients. There's probably some cost reduction in there- but you used a lot of ingredients, so the cost does not surprise me.

Groceries are so expensive now that in some cases, eating out can be more economical (and obviously less time consuming).

Anonymous wrote:Look at the ingredients list for the restaurant food. The stuff you made is a lot healthier.

Salt wise or seed oil wise?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids love Chipotle so I figured I could easily whip up burrito bowls last night. Family of 4. Steak and chicken. Whole Foods guac. Good salsas. Corn. Rice. Beans. Herbs and spices. Cheese, which I shredded. Onions and peppers. Leafy lettuce. It was over $50, took me well over an hour to prep and cook everything, tons of cleanup, and tasted fine but nothing special. Everyone finished their plates but no rave reviews.

Chipotle is $9-12 per person. And the kids and my husband would prefer it over what I served. Did I do something wrong or does everyone sort of know this and when the family craves burritos or burrito bowls you all order out?

Does this need a thread?

Yes, because I figured this was a cheap, easy meal but it's really not. Unless I'm missing something, might as well let the Chipotle workers handle this!

Anonymous wrote:A steak burrito bowl from chipotle is $16.50 including tax with guacamole. Much easier but definite not $9-$12 each.

The kids usually eat chicken, daughter sometimes orders the veggie, so no meat.

A steak burrito bowl from chipotle is $16.50 including tax with guacamole. Much easier but definite not $9-$12 each.

Look at the ingredients list for the restaurant food. The stuff you made is a lot healthier.

Kids love Chipotle so I figured I could easily whip up burrito bowls last night. Family of 4. Steak and chicken. Whole Foods guac. Good salsas. Corn. Rice. Beans. Herbs and spices. Cheese, which I shredded. Onions and peppers. Leafy lettuce. It was over $50, took me well over an hour to prep and cook everything, tons of cleanup, and tasted fine but nothing special. Everyone finished their plates but no rave reviews.

Chipotle is $9-12 per person. And the kids and my husband would prefer it over what I served. Did I do something wrong or does everyone sort of know this and when the family craves burritos or burrito bowls you all order out?