Cook at home or eat out? Which do you do more often?

delilah122

We're restaurant dropouts. Since becoming vegan a couple of years ago, my husband and I have noticed that we never go out to eat anymore. I mean never. It's a good thing that I like to cook, but I would like a break now and then and there are so few choices, even though we live in a major metro area, it's just easier to cook simple meals at home. Now, with me counting calories like this I think it would be simply overwhelming to eat out on a regular basis, yet I have friends who say they "never cook". I don't understand how people do that. Do most people on this website cook or go out to eat?

Danelectro83

i stil go out like once a month, its hard to go out and find something healthy without eating like a rabbit. Also, i am a chef, so cooking my own food is better anyway.

yankeefamily05

I cook alot at home! Much cheaper and I can control what I am eating because I know what is in my food.

But every once in awhile we do go out!

Like tonight, I wasn't cooking during this heatwave!

sarahliftsUP

I definitely cook more at home than eat out. On average I probably eat out at a restaurant once every two weeks. Most of the time, I can cook what is served at restaurants with lesser calories, still good taste, and I know exactly what's being put into it. I'm vegetarian, so I'm always worried about cross contamination. But there are definitely nights where I don't want to cook, too hot out, or not in the mood, so I'll go eat at a restaurant.

KatiePanda25

If I go out to eat it's usually subway or quiznos (minus their dressings,lol) or Applebees- they have a pretty good selection..but I guess not if your vegan

Foreverfree11

I give myself one cheat meal a week that is eaten at a restaurant and then try to eat the rest of my meals at home. Knowing I have that one "treat" each week makes eating mostly at home not so bad. That's just what works for me!

FabiolaEnvy♥

i cook a lot at home, but its so hard to cook sometime after a long day at work.

but i rather have food at home, since i know how it is made, and what is in it and what not.
for sure there will be no hidden calories

once in a while when family wants to eat out, ill go with them
or i forgot to bring my own lunch to work

babyblake11

most resturants you go to, you can just ask ffor a grilled piece of fish or chicken with veggies and ask for no added oil or butter and they will gladly do that for you. you can even get a small steak, just cut off the fat.

Queen_JessieA

It depends. This week we are eating at home a lot because I am just flat out broke. It gets expensive w/ 5 people going out to eat ~ even with 2 of them eating off the kids menu. We generally eat out (between breakfast, lunch and dinner) about 3-5 times a week, tho. It is much easier to control my cal intake at home!

Queen_JessieA

It depends. This week we are eating at home a lot because I am just flat out broke. It gets expensive w/ 5 people going out to eat ~ even with 2 of them eating off the kids menu. We generally eat out (between breakfast, lunch and dinner) about 3-5 times a week, tho. It is much easier to control my cal intake at home!

abookreader2

I cook, it is much easier to stay in my calorie goal and I can eat more and not feel hungry by cooking at home. If I eat out, I usually end up with a salad. I also have two young kids and I think home cooking is much healthier for them also. They do not even know what to get if we go out because they are not used to those types of foods. We do end up going out on weekends (usually kids stay with gma) because my husband loves eating out. I try to tell him it is not healthy, but he does not listen LOL

baddkitty187

Diner beware a recent independent study shown that restaurants advertised calorie content is oftn off by up to 300 calories!!!! I eat in most often and pack my lunches for work.

crazycat80

Honestly, I used to eat out only once a week or so, but at my new job they seem like they go out almost every day. I try to limit it to once, but sometimes it's hard. I prefer to cook enough for 2-3 days worth of lunches and dinners, then have nights I list as "whatever". Sometimes it's leftovers, sometimes it's soups or sandwiches.

JustBreathe418

I don't eat out unless I have a reason to (i.e. someone's bday, meeting with friends, etc.) and I cook my own food when I'm not out. I also pack breakfast, lunch, and snacks for work everyday. It's a lot of effort, but eventually it just became a habit. I like knowing exactly what is in my food, most of the time anyway

Queen_JessieA

When the kids are in school, my husband and I generally eat out for lunch almost every day. He works from home and is a bad influence...lol...

amyd03

we go out mostly. still trying to get my mr out of it. he went a whole month of me cooking and went right back to wantign to eat out. i perfer to cook.

stc74

Money is tight so I cook at home or do Taco Bell fresco dollar taco. I only get to eat out when my Mom want to which once a week, or two weeks. She knows I"m broke but doesn't like to eat alone. I pay for it in computer repairs and other electronic services. Still not sure if she can set the time on the microwave w/o me. LOL!!!

I do like to cook anyway. Figured out how to make a mexican dish with deer this week. I know you said you were vegi or vegan, but we do eat a lot of deer here. Can't get much more organic than deer. love the stuff! not to mention the deer I eat, won't run in front of YOUR car!

TheBraveryLover

The former.

velvetkat

Since being on this journey to new lifestyle I have not been out to eat at all. No matter the calories restaurant food has way too much sodium. Salads would be ok but why pay $10 for a salad I can make for $5. Plus my BF cooks all our meals from scratch so it makes it easier just to eat at home!


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stc74

oh didn't mention that if i don't brown bag my lunch for work, i'm stuck with school food! Yuck! I never eat out for lunch during the school year. Left overs or protein shakes and peanuts here.

swinginchandra

Absolutely cook at home. A) I like cooking. Dreaming up new meals is how I get through the day! C) I can control calorie intake better D) It's less stress!!

I go out to eat VERY occasionally. Try to make the best choices I can, but it's such a rare thing that I don't stress about it too much.

maemiller

I'll eat out only if were out running around & won't have time to cook when we get home. I prefer to eat at home because it's cheaper and healthier. At least I can count my calories and now what ingredients are in it. Eating out is like a crap shoot, you just don't what's in it and your guessing half the time on calories

kelsully

During the summer we eat out a ton...as we aren't home...during the school year we eat more meals at home. I am a mostly vegetarian and have the nutrition of most of our favorite local places memorized. I make pretty good choices..especially Jason's Deli and Chipotle are good for me...

msh0530

I almost always cook at home and take my lunches and snacks with me, but do enjoy going out to eat occasionally. My husband and I most like to go out for breakfast, which if you just stick to eggs and toast isn't too bad. If we go out for dinner, we now usually split an entree.

DorkothyParker

My husband usually cooks at home.
Unfortunately, we have a very small fridge (like mini-fridge college kids have) so we can't fit a lot of food in there. He generally buys ingredients for the day each day rather than us shopping in advance. Because of this, we don't have individual foods that just one person can make. I have never even turned on our stove.
It can be cheaper for us to eat out Korean food than make food at home. We usually will go out for lunch or dinner on the weekends but not both.
Eating out generally entails eating soup at a diner or splitting a soup and some steamed mandu at a restaurant.

During the week, I eat lunch at my school as it is free.

delilah122

DorothyParker, where do you live?

DorkothyParker

Cheju Island, S. Korea.
I will be back in America in a bit over a month in a proper space with a proper kitchen so I will eat at home more then, I think.

Korean diner food = http://maryeats.com/2006/11/16/kimbap-nara-menu/

I avoid white rice. My fave is chamchi jjigae (tuna stew with kimchi).

scarletleavy

I eat at home mostly, probably about 95% of the time. I actually really don't enjoy going out to eat very much. I still live with my family so sometimes I have to go out when they want to and then I usually have to go out when I travel for business. Although now that I'm traveling more and more alone, I tend to pick up some fresh things from a grocery store and just eat in my hotel room unless I specifically have to go out to dinner to entertain.

I actually find the restaurant experience to be quite stressful. I live in an area where there aren't really chains so you can never quite be sure what you will find on the menu. I wouldn't say I'm a picky eater, but I am very concerned about where ingredients, in particular meat, come from and how fresh they are and how they are prepared. I'm an excellent chef so I would rather prepare my own food at home. I scour food blogs and cooking magazines for creative ideas so I can experiment with new things at home.

hbrekkaas

We cook at home for all but one meal a week. Usually once a week we will pick up some Subway or McDonalds/Wendys for dinner. We rarely go to an actual restaurant to eat, once every 6 months maybe. We order pizza once ever couple months, we have two kids that can't eat it and one that won't, and I dont like it, so I still end up cooking on "pizza night" only hubby benifitts from it.

Everything is cooked froms scratch, if I am feeling really lazy I will go pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Thats the closest to a "prepared meal" that we buy from the store.