Disposable dishes and utensils are not always as bad as many people think. First, as you say, some restaurants would have used disposables to serve you anyway. And consider the dish soap, sponges, and energy/power that you use when you clean regular dishes with hot water, or put a dishwashing machine. Another issue is that, while some of us imagine disposables filling up garbage dumps and landfills, our country uses a LOT more land for cattle to graze on.
Ursula Rogers
Yes, I too am battling “eating out addiction”. I just recently retired, when I was still employed, I catered in so much food each week. I would get a “free lunch”, share leftovers with others and then sometimes bring leftovers home which were another “free eating out meal” several times/week. I truly love to eat out, nothing to show for it, not good for your health unless you eat salmon/salads each time, expensive, etc. I am a crock pot queen, I try each week to throw something into the crock pot, stew, chicken something, soup, etc. I am blessed that I can eat the same item several days in a row, when you get tired of it, separate into individual containers and freeze, makes for a very easy weeknight meal, no hassles, etc. I do homemade tacos to get that fix, homemade Chipotle – wonderful = do a burrito, bowl or salad = each one customized = done deal!!!! Make it as healthy as you choose!! Luv your site, thanks. URSULA ROGERS
Jessica Fisher
Sounds like you’re making a good comeback from eating out!
Ursula Rogers
I am addicted to eating out. At work bringing in lots of catered food, getting a free lunch out of it, any leftovers, I would sometimes bring a little home after sharing with others. It was so convenient. I am a crock pot queen. I am now retired and fighting the eating out addiction. I try to cook something in my crock pot weekly, trying to eat healthier and lucky me, I can eat the same meal items several days in a row, I also have a large freezer to stock up on sale items and cooked items leftovers (meal prep). We purchase a lot of the chopped salad bag kits, if I buy them, we’re eating them. It doesn’t get any easier than that. I have made homemade Chipotle bowls and luv it!! Healthier, more convenient and saving $$. Next week I plan on doing homemade tacos (can be taco bowls, burritos, soft tacos, hard tacos, salads, etc. That’s the name of the game. I do regret when my kids were younger eating out so much, nothing to show for it!! Good luck everone…I’ll keep you posted on my progress. Ursula Rogers
Molly
Our first year out of college, there was no way we could afford to eat out, but I missed pizza (a twice-weekly occurrence in college, courtesy of the pep band). So I learned to make it! I’m quite proud of the two kinds I can make – a nice fluffy crust, and a nice thin crust.
We avoid eating out by cooking on the weekends. If we have food ready to go in the fridge, it’s much easier to just grab and heat than go out, wait in line, pay for food, wait some more… And we almost always have something like veggie burgers (boca burgers go on sale about twice a year, we stock up) or burritos or soup in the freezer.
And we figured out which peanut sauce from Trader Joes is the good one so we can make pad thai-ish at home.
I’m still trying to figure out the best pancake mix for us – homemade, of course. Darn, we’ll have to experiment and eat lots of pancakes!
🙂
KimH
For me, the biggest thing that will prompt me to order out is if I am out doing loads of errands and dont have a plan. It just plain ol wears me out & the last thing in the world I want to do is cook when Im exhausted.
When Im working, I often have crock pot meals going, I’ll make a pressure cooker meal, or I’ll leave my frozen meat in the skin to thaw in the morning. Having no plan at all invites me to fail.. not only with home cooked meals but with meals that work well for the way I eat.. (gluten free, whole real foods, & Weight Watchers-).
Lizzy
I need to remember the tip about paper products! My wonderful husband cleans up, but he doesn’t always have time to finish everything. That makes him feel overwhelmed and defeated (who wouldn’t feel that way?!), and then I feel frustrated by a messy kitchen when I have to cook again. He would love to have a day off from so much washing. I’m going to see if I have the plates to do this tonight! With a sick toddler in the house right now, we could use the breather, however small.
Jessica
@Lizzy, back in my early days of motherhood, paper plates were the norm just to survive. Nowadays they are the exception, but I realize how easy they make things.
C-Joy
We like to go out to eat for lunch! The prices are cheaper, but you still get huge portions. We only eat half the meal, so we have leftovers for lunch the next day 🙂
Jessica
@C-Joy, our family eats every little bite. We probably aren’t going to the same restaurants. Ours are faster food. Or I’m underbuying. But, my kids are ravenous 24-7. No matter what I feed them.
Nicole
#5 is key, I think. I keep some things on hand that are easy to do. They’re not fancy, but they’re always available(because they’re frozen mostly) and they work in a pinch.
Laurie
My grown kids like In n Out better but we prefer Farmer Boys. We call it our $8 dollar date (use a coupon for a free burger and share the fries).
Like you, I set a goal. Plus I’m trying to get rid of the extra holiday pounds and well, eating out doesn’t help that one bit. The AH basket was awesome this week so I’m really utilizing it. I’ve had to switch days on some of the meals I had planned but by and large I’m cooking all of the dinners, just maybe on a different day. DH and I have a good system in the kitchen. I plan, prepare and cook, he cleans up. Sometimes paper products just fit the bill (especially for lunches or quick meals).
Jessica
@Laurie, “unfortunately”, when we started trying to lose weight last summer, we found several restaurant meals that were healthy and filling and helped us lose weight. But it does limit our options.
Brighid
We avoid it by living in a tiny town. There is a restaurant but people say it’s not too good and really, it’s essentially around the block, about 2 miles away. Other than that, we’re driving at least 25 to 30 minutes to get to a pizza place. McDonald’s is farther. There’s no delivered food in our town.
I have to plan not to stop at the grocery store on the way home on a long day and pick up frozen pizza or something like that though. I solid plan helps tons.
We avoid dining out by me putting things in the crock pot before work, or laying it out with instructions for someone else to do. If we all come home and the food is hot and ready, then there is no need to eat out. Also I cook extra on the weekends so there are things in the fridge to heat and eat.
I have already set out the roast to thaw for tomorrow night. YUMMY!
In-N-Out? Really?!?! I’m a Southern California native transplanted to Nebraska and would give my right arm for an In-N-Out burger!
Anyways, we’ve whittled the dining out budget to $75/month which includes one restaurant meal and one or two drive-thru/pizza dinners. So, out of 30 or 31 days in a month, three are budgeted to eat out. That’s how I avoid it 🙂
Jessica
@STACEY, food is like our family hobby. We don’t have a lot of expenses, so eating out tends to be one. But, this month we’re doing well. Tonight will be our first meal out as a family in the month.
Janet
Love your attitude towards paper products. Sometimes I am just not up to another round of dirty dishes.
One of the things I try to do on the weekends (when I have more time) is replicate the restaurant feel.
For my kids there are two things that seem to make eating out special for them. First, it is all the little extras restaurants put on your plate. Most of these items can be replicated at home. For example, if I serve chili I make sure I have oyster crackers, shredded cheese, and chopped scallions. If I serve hamburgers I will set out a toppings tray so everyone can customize their burger. If we have pizza night with garlic sticks I will try to have 2 or 3 dipping sauces. Second it is the crayons and activity sheet accompanied by the “fancy” kid cup with silly straw. These are also relatively easy items to replicate at home.
Jessica
@Janet, great ideas to make it more like a “restaurant experience”.
Jane
Where are the panda recipes? My family loves them and I am always trying to find a cheaper alternative!
Sheila
@Jane, I think she said that ‘if’ she learned to do make those dishes, they could have Chinese more often rather than she has recipes.
Erin
@Jane, I got the cookbook “Easy Chinese Recipes” by Bee Yinn Low from my library. I tried the Hot&Sour soup and potsticker recipes, and I think they actually tasted better than what’s available from the restaurants around me. There are also some recipes on their website. Of course, if you have to buy a lot of ingredients to make the dishes, maybe it would be cheaper to get take out once in a while and not feel so bad…
KimH
@Erin, Thanks for the book recommendation. I have a hold on it now!
Jessica
@Erin, were the potstickers time consuming? They seem like they would be.
Erin
@Jessica, I sure wouldn’t do it as a last minute dinner idea! I felt like giving it a try to make them myself from scratch, even the wrapper part. I did it as a Sunday afternoon project to make a couple dishes all at once, so it’s a bit hard to say exactly how long each dish took. You could save a lot of time by using store bought wrappers and they would probably still taste great. Also, one of those dumpling presses might speed up the process. Or a lot of helpers. I cooked all mine right away, but it might be something that you could spend an afternoon making a bunch and freezing. I made a couple dozen homemade sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi once, and they are my freezer go-to when nothing else magically shows up for dinner…where did I get that idea?
Maria
They sell frozen ones that are very good.
Jessica
@Jane, yes, what Sheila said. We learned to make egg rolls at new year’s and I’ve dabbled in some Asian dishes. I just need to figure out Orange Chicken and Chow Mein.
Robin L.
Disposable dishes and utensils are not always as bad as many people think. First, as you say, some restaurants would have used disposables to serve you anyway. And consider the dish soap, sponges, and energy/power that you use when you clean regular dishes with hot water, or put a dishwashing machine. Another issue is that, while some of us imagine disposables filling up garbage dumps and landfills, our country uses a LOT more land for cattle to graze on.
Ursula Rogers
Yes, I too am battling “eating out addiction”. I just recently retired, when I was still employed, I catered in so much food each week. I would get a “free lunch”, share leftovers with others and then sometimes bring leftovers home which were another “free eating out meal” several times/week. I truly love to eat out, nothing to show for it, not good for your health unless you eat salmon/salads each time, expensive, etc. I am a crock pot queen, I try each week to throw something into the crock pot, stew, chicken something, soup, etc. I am blessed that I can eat the same item several days in a row, when you get tired of it, separate into individual containers and freeze, makes for a very easy weeknight meal, no hassles, etc. I do homemade tacos to get that fix, homemade Chipotle – wonderful = do a burrito, bowl or salad = each one customized = done deal!!!! Make it as healthy as you choose!! Luv your site, thanks. URSULA ROGERS
Jessica Fisher
Sounds like you’re making a good comeback from eating out!
Ursula Rogers
I am addicted to eating out. At work bringing in lots of catered food, getting a free lunch out of it, any leftovers, I would sometimes bring a little home after sharing with others. It was so convenient. I am a crock pot queen. I am now retired and fighting the eating out addiction. I try to cook something in my crock pot weekly, trying to eat healthier and lucky me, I can eat the same meal items several days in a row, I also have a large freezer to stock up on sale items and cooked items leftovers (meal prep). We purchase a lot of the chopped salad bag kits, if I buy them, we’re eating them. It doesn’t get any easier than that. I have made homemade Chipotle bowls and luv it!! Healthier, more convenient and saving $$. Next week I plan on doing homemade tacos (can be taco bowls, burritos, soft tacos, hard tacos, salads, etc. That’s the name of the game. I do regret when my kids were younger eating out so much, nothing to show for it!! Good luck everone…I’ll keep you posted on my progress. Ursula Rogers
Molly
Our first year out of college, there was no way we could afford to eat out, but I missed pizza (a twice-weekly occurrence in college, courtesy of the pep band). So I learned to make it! I’m quite proud of the two kinds I can make – a nice fluffy crust, and a nice thin crust.
We avoid eating out by cooking on the weekends. If we have food ready to go in the fridge, it’s much easier to just grab and heat than go out, wait in line, pay for food, wait some more… And we almost always have something like veggie burgers (boca burgers go on sale about twice a year, we stock up) or burritos or soup in the freezer.
And we figured out which peanut sauce from Trader Joes is the good one so we can make pad thai-ish at home.
I’m still trying to figure out the best pancake mix for us – homemade, of course. Darn, we’ll have to experiment and eat lots of pancakes!
🙂
KimH
For me, the biggest thing that will prompt me to order out is if I am out doing loads of errands and dont have a plan. It just plain ol wears me out & the last thing in the world I want to do is cook when Im exhausted.
When Im working, I often have crock pot meals going, I’ll make a pressure cooker meal, or I’ll leave my frozen meat in the skin to thaw in the morning. Having no plan at all invites me to fail.. not only with home cooked meals but with meals that work well for the way I eat.. (gluten free, whole real foods, & Weight Watchers-).
Lizzy
I need to remember the tip about paper products! My wonderful husband cleans up, but he doesn’t always have time to finish everything. That makes him feel overwhelmed and defeated (who wouldn’t feel that way?!), and then I feel frustrated by a messy kitchen when I have to cook again. He would love to have a day off from so much washing. I’m going to see if I have the plates to do this tonight! With a sick toddler in the house right now, we could use the breather, however small.
Jessica
@Lizzy, back in my early days of motherhood, paper plates were the norm just to survive. Nowadays they are the exception, but I realize how easy they make things.
C-Joy
We like to go out to eat for lunch! The prices are cheaper, but you still get huge portions. We only eat half the meal, so we have leftovers for lunch the next day 🙂
Jessica
@C-Joy, our family eats every little bite. We probably aren’t going to the same restaurants. Ours are faster food. Or I’m underbuying. But, my kids are ravenous 24-7. No matter what I feed them.
Nicole
#5 is key, I think. I keep some things on hand that are easy to do. They’re not fancy, but they’re always available(because they’re frozen mostly) and they work in a pinch.
Laurie
My grown kids like In n Out better but we prefer Farmer Boys. We call it our $8 dollar date (use a coupon for a free burger and share the fries).
Like you, I set a goal. Plus I’m trying to get rid of the extra holiday pounds and well, eating out doesn’t help that one bit. The AH basket was awesome this week so I’m really utilizing it. I’ve had to switch days on some of the meals I had planned but by and large I’m cooking all of the dinners, just maybe on a different day. DH and I have a good system in the kitchen. I plan, prepare and cook, he cleans up. Sometimes paper products just fit the bill (especially for lunches or quick meals).
Jessica
@Laurie, “unfortunately”, when we started trying to lose weight last summer, we found several restaurant meals that were healthy and filling and helped us lose weight. But it does limit our options.
Brighid
We avoid it by living in a tiny town. There is a restaurant but people say it’s not too good and really, it’s essentially around the block, about 2 miles away. Other than that, we’re driving at least 25 to 30 minutes to get to a pizza place. McDonald’s is farther. There’s no delivered food in our town.
I have to plan not to stop at the grocery store on the way home on a long day and pick up frozen pizza or something like that though. I solid plan helps tons.
Jessica
@Brighid, a tiny town would do it!
Harriet
We avoid dining out by me putting things in the crock pot before work, or laying it out with instructions for someone else to do. If we all come home and the food is hot and ready, then there is no need to eat out. Also I cook extra on the weekends so there are things in the fridge to heat and eat.
I have already set out the roast to thaw for tomorrow night. YUMMY!
Jessica
@Harriet, you are so good at planning ahead!
STACEY
In-N-Out? Really?!?! I’m a Southern California native transplanted to Nebraska and would give my right arm for an In-N-Out burger!
Anyways, we’ve whittled the dining out budget to $75/month which includes one restaurant meal and one or two drive-thru/pizza dinners. So, out of 30 or 31 days in a month, three are budgeted to eat out. That’s how I avoid it 🙂
Jessica
@STACEY, food is like our family hobby. We don’t have a lot of expenses, so eating out tends to be one. But, this month we’re doing well. Tonight will be our first meal out as a family in the month.
Janet
Love your attitude towards paper products. Sometimes I am just not up to another round of dirty dishes.
One of the things I try to do on the weekends (when I have more time) is replicate the restaurant feel.
For my kids there are two things that seem to make eating out special for them. First, it is all the little extras restaurants put on your plate. Most of these items can be replicated at home. For example, if I serve chili I make sure I have oyster crackers, shredded cheese, and chopped scallions. If I serve hamburgers I will set out a toppings tray so everyone can customize their burger. If we have pizza night with garlic sticks I will try to have 2 or 3 dipping sauces. Second it is the crayons and activity sheet accompanied by the “fancy” kid cup with silly straw. These are also relatively easy items to replicate at home.
Jessica
@Janet, great ideas to make it more like a “restaurant experience”.
Jane
Where are the panda recipes? My family loves them and I am always trying to find a cheaper alternative!
Sheila
@Jane, I think she said that ‘if’ she learned to do make those dishes, they could have Chinese more often rather than she has recipes.
Erin
@Jane, I got the cookbook “Easy Chinese Recipes” by Bee Yinn Low from my library. I tried the Hot&Sour soup and potsticker recipes, and I think they actually tasted better than what’s available from the restaurants around me. There are also some recipes on their website. Of course, if you have to buy a lot of ingredients to make the dishes, maybe it would be cheaper to get take out once in a while and not feel so bad…
KimH
@Erin, Thanks for the book recommendation. I have a hold on it now!
Jessica
@Erin, were the potstickers time consuming? They seem like they would be.
Erin
@Jessica, I sure wouldn’t do it as a last minute dinner idea! I felt like giving it a try to make them myself from scratch, even the wrapper part. I did it as a Sunday afternoon project to make a couple dishes all at once, so it’s a bit hard to say exactly how long each dish took. You could save a lot of time by using store bought wrappers and they would probably still taste great. Also, one of those dumpling presses might speed up the process. Or a lot of helpers. I cooked all mine right away, but it might be something that you could spend an afternoon making a bunch and freezing. I made a couple dozen homemade sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi once, and they are my freezer go-to when nothing else magically shows up for dinner…where did I get that idea?
Maria
They sell frozen ones that are very good.
Jessica
@Jane, yes, what Sheila said. We learned to make egg rolls at new year’s and I’ve dabbled in some Asian dishes. I just need to figure out Orange Chicken and Chow Mein.
Jen U
@Jessica,
Just saw Panda’s chow mien copycat recipe on Pinterest and it actually looks pretty easy!
http://www.mademan.com/mm/how-do-you-make-panda-express-chow-mein.html
Now just to find their black pepper chicken…….yum. 🙂
But for avoiding eating out, which Hubs and I really love doing, we bought a grill! I can’t believe how much that has helped.