So when do people stop going out to eat?

[Holladay]

I was talking to a buddy today about this topic. He and his wife are good cooks. They are of means and can afford to go out a few times a week. The kids are gone and have business careers.

They would go out a few times a week because they don't have time to cook. Because they can cook and the prices are so crazy, they are trying to cook more at home.

My wife and I were returning from a skiing trip in Colorado and stopped off at McDonalds in Limon, CO. Holy hell, they wanted $10 for a double quarter pounder with cheese. We exited and found a Wendy's down the road where I got the Dave's double for $7.

$10 for a McDonalds burger? WTF!

His point is that you can go to Taco Bell for ~$20, but it is crap food.

So do you spend +$50 or more for quality or take your time, if you can cook, and cook at home?

Time = money.

That is the basic premise. or do mac n cheese and pop tarts?

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Holladay

or do mac n cheese and pop tarts?

Have you seen the price of Mac and cheese lately?!? And even the Kraft powder kind.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Holladay

I was talking to a buddy today about this topic. He and his wife are good cooks. They are of means and can afford to go out a few times a week. The kids are gone and have business careers.

They would go out a few times a week because they don't have time to cook. Because they can cook and the prices are so crazy, they are trying to cook more at home.

His point is that you can go to Taco Bell for ~$20, but it is crap food.

So do you spend +$50 or more for quality or take your time, if you can cook, and cook at home?

Time = money.

That is the basic premise. or do mac n cheese and pop tarts?

But the time it takes to go out to eat a decent meal also = money? Of course, unless you're just running to a Taco Bell drive through.

I do a decent amount of meal prep, so a few hours on a Sunday afternoon when I'd be on my ass on the couch instead really pays off... throw a dozen eggs into a muffin tin with some chicken sausage, ham, whatever, repeat a few times... and you have a month's worth of breakfast stored in the freezer that comes out to a dollar or two per meal..... and most of the time is spent waiting for them to bake.

I also tried Hello Fresh at one point and holy **** was it a lot of work... could easily spend an hour to 90 minutes on prep, just to wait for it to cook for 45-60 minutes, and it wasn't exactly cheap. If I was spending that kind of time in the kitchen, I just might go out and eat every night.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

But the time it takes to go out to eat a decent meal also = money? Of course, unless you're just running to a Taco Bell drive through.

I do a decent amount of meal prep, so a few hours on a Sunday afternoon when I'd be on my ass on the couch instead really pays off... throw a dozen eggs into a muffin tin with some chicken sausage, ham, whatever, repeat a few times... and you have a month's worth of breakfast stored in the freezer that comes out to a dollar or two per meal..... and most of the time is spent waiting for them to bake.

I also tried Hello Fresh at one point and holy **** was it a lot of work... could easily spend an hour to 90 minutes on prep, just to wait for it to cook for 45-60 minutes, and it wasn't exactly cheap. If I was spending that kind of time in the kitchen, I just might go out and eat every night.

Our experience with services like Hello Fresh has been pretty much the opposite. Yes, some of them have complicated prep but not all of them. Keep in mind that you don't have to spend time or money going to the grocery store. Also, the up front price is offset by having almost perfect portions. We never have leftovers or waste at all. We eat everything we cook, the first time.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Our experience with services like Hello Fresh has been pretty much the opposite. Yes, some of them have complicated prep but not all of them. Keep in mind that you don't have to spend time or money going to the grocery store. Also, the up front price is offset by having almost perfect portions. We never have leftovers or waste at all. We eat everything we cook, the first time.

I had high hopes for it, but after a month it didn't seem to be helping in terms of budgeting or meal prep time. The food was great though, and I noticed that about portion sizes, too.

I'm relatively lazy in the kitchen, too... chop your own damn veggies, Hello Fresh.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I had high hopes for it, but after a month it didn't seem to be helping in terms of budgeting or meal prep time. The food was great though, and I noticed that about portion sizes, too.

I'm relatively lazy in the kitchen, too... chop your own damn veggies, Hello Fresh.

Yeah, it's not for everybody. My wife and I have turned it into a bonding time. I chop the veggies.