Eating out and food cost

ive cut back recently. used to spend a shitload eating out and i never really noticed until i charted it out

When it was just me and my wife, we didn't keep track on how much we spent on food. We would eat out 3-4 times a week for dinner.

Now that we have a baby, we eat in much more, we have designated Sunday morning breakfast/brunch as our time to eat out, as it is just easier for us and the baby to eat out in the morning.

I'll pick up dinner about once a week when I'm lazy, but our food costs have gone way down.

And yes, we eat leftovers. I do not understand people that do not eat leftovers.

My wife and I are eating out way too much right now, but it's because we live with my family (close on our house next month though ). Back when we lived on our own, we were much better about cooking at home and eating leftovers most meals. We only ate out maybe twice a week back then. It's done a number on our budget for sure, and is partly the reason we didn't save as much as we'd have like to while living with my parents.

Like I said in the other thread, spending less than $20 for two is pretty difficult outside of fast food. Eating out definitely isn't for the poor.

I'm very aware. Allow a couple of meals out during the week and a nicer one on the weekend typically. Sure, I'd like to cut back, but I find that food is a delicacy. It's one of the few things that I don't like to short myself on. Good nourishment is necessary for a good life IMO. I cook as much as possible at home, which is only a couple times a week and always have at least one or two servings of leftovers available.

Bottom line for me, yes, I think I could cut a couple corners and save a few dollars, but I don't feel like I need to. I'll cut back other places to save money before I cut back on food.

When I lived with my old roommate, he ate out every night, but would not eat leftovers. He started bringing them home to me every night. I basically ate for free for the 2 years I lived with him off his leftovers

quote:

---

So my question is are you aware of what you spend on food ? Is it too much?

---

yes its generally too much. eating out is expensive.

quote:

---

Are you wasteful?

---

Not at all. I rarely throw stuff away.

quote:

---

Are you? Can you cut back and save money?

---

I try to find the good deals in the grocery and sometimes base my meals off of those. Sometimes I do go in for 1 or 2 items and end up spending $80 on all kinds of shite that will make about 3 meals.

quote:

---

are you aware of what you spend on food ?

---

Yes.

quote:

---

Is it too much?

---

Yes. I'd like to cut back, but when I get hungry, it rules me. It's also hard because of my lifestyle right now. I know it's cheaper in the long run to plan meals ahead of time and make large grocery trips, but I work for tips.. I don't have large sums of money. I have to buy food on a day to day basis. So when I wake up right before school, I generally don't have food on hand to eat so I have to stop somewhere and grab food. And to be honest, my hunger usually dictates what I'm in the mood for, and it's usually not cheap "at home" stuff like a sandwich or something.

Also, I get 2.5 days a week with my boyfriend. When he's in town, we are savoring the time together in the best way possible. That means if we are cooking, we are going all out and cooking a grand meal. If we aren't cooking, we are going out and eating good food. I'm sure if he were in Baton Rouge 24/7, we would eat simple stuff plenty.

quote:

---

Are you wasteful?

---

Yes, unfortunately. I am not a leftovers person. I can do pastas and a couple other things, but most leftovers aren't for me. I'm not bringing home a poboy or sandwich from a restaurant. The lettuce gets weird, the bread gets gross.. no.

quote:

---

I'm aware that many restaurants have raised prices recently and made portions smaller.

---

I think that restaurants need to offer a half size of everything, and charge half the price for it.

American portions are ridiculous.. especially when you're eating somewhere casual. At my work (Dempseys), the amount of food people get is unrealistic. Nobody normal can eat that much. The few that do literally frighten me.

Jones and I could easily split an entree every time we dine out and be full. But sometimes we don't want the same thing.. so we each get our own.. then we have to box it up.. and it often doesn't get eaten at home.

quote:

---

I do not understand people that do not eat leftovers.

---

It's not that I always don't like them. It's that I can picture something better in my head when I get hungry and I am weak and let that overcome any logic.

quote:

---

but it's because we live with my family (close on our house next month though )

---

We will be in the same situation in the next few months. I'm sure we will be eating out a lot as well.

Now we usually eat out just once a week.

I suck at grocery shopping too. I bought some wraps yesterday and today realized they expired a month ago