Sunday evening as I was making our menu plan, thoughts were running through my head as to reasons folks eat out more than they eat at home and I wanted to “discuss” this with you all. There are no right or wrong answers. It’s all a personal choice as to how much or how little you eat out. I hope that no one ever feels bad because they eat out more or less than someone else.
This is a little poll I prepared but please keep reading after responding to the poll.
There will be a couple other cooking related polls this week . . simply because I’m interested in your responses.
You already know that I cook a lot and we eat most of our meals at home. There aren’t any restaurants around town that we like . . we find the prices to be high at the places we like and always leave feeling like we get better food at home for less money and since I love to cook, I don’t feel like eating out is a treat for me unless it’s something outstanding and we just don’t get outstanding around here. Most any time we eat out, it’s because we’re in town and got delayed doing things and just aren’t going to be home in time for me to cook. If I know ahead of time that we’re going to town, I’ll do the cooking ahead – stick a chicken in the smoker or make something ahead of time that we can simply heat and eat. As far as cooking being time consuming, I figure that by the time I get dressed, we drive to town, get waited on and get or food, eat and drive back home, I could’ve cooked and cleaned up and never left home!
Anyway, I’m interested in your responses to my cooking questions this week. Thanks!
Janna says
It is a 22 mile drive to eat mediocre food (expensive too) so we seldom eat out. We do go to friend’s homes often and if we are in Billings once or twice a month–we do eat out then.
Gretchen says
I am married to an incredibly picky eater. If I cook at home much, I’m cooking the same two or three meals in rotation and probably cooking a meal for him and a meal for me. No fun at all!
Judy H says
I answered 5-6, but the truth is somewhere closer to 6-7. We usually eat at home, but eat out at least once in a two week period. When we eat out, it’s usually because I want to get out of the house and do something different. I don’t ALWAYS feel like cooking and cleaning up after. I do it most of the time, but occassionally I’m just worn out, my knees are killing me, and I just want a change of scenery where when I sit down somebody magically delivers me a glass of cold water and asks how I’m doing tonight….bliss!
Linda Kay says
I cook every meal. My husband has some health issues and doesn’t want to be out in the public. But I love to cook, so that isn’t a problem for me.
Carolyn says
Actually DH does most of the cooking. I’m on clean up crew. He often will be cooking a seaparate meal for himself, as I eat healthy and he eats MEAT! FRIED! and other stuff I just can’t handle.
Gotta Love um!
Gwen says
My three to four times a week answer is probably not a true picture of most weeks. There are weeks when I cook everyday and some that are 3-4 times we eat out. We are lucky we have wonderful places to eat that fit our budget so we do what fits best that particular meal.
Anne C. says
I much prefer to eat my own cooking at home! Restaurant food has way too much sodium, I think. Even if I like the food served at a certain restaurant, I don’t enjoy listening to someone’s child screaming, being audibly bombarded by piped-in music, and I truly dislike being seated next to the kitchen and drink-prep area. Noises bother me. I also get turned off when I am handed a menu that’s greasy or has dried bits of food adhered to it. While I’m on a roll, I’ll mention that I often feel sickened when seated in a booth next to a wall that’s been spattered with food and who-knows-what. Yuck!
Some restaurants have low-hanging light fixtures above the center of each booth, and I’ve seen way too many that were filthy. Lest I forget, I abhor having a member of the restaurant staff sweep or vacuum in an area packed with diners. I know that debris we can’t see, unless it’s reflected against a ray of sunlight, is easily disturbed and becomes airborne. I don’t appreciate having that debris field launched, so that skin flakes, bacteria, or minute particles of whatever was tracked in on patrons’ shoes rains down and settles on my plate of food. On second thought, maybe the extra salt is present in the food to snuff the life out of whatever’s present that’s not meant to be consumed. I suppose you’ve guessed at this point that I am not a goodwill ambassador for the restaurant industry. Thanks for allowing me to vent!
Gale says
Anne C, you pretty much covered most of my complaints about restaurants. I will add to that the fact that in certain restaurants handicapped people (and my husband is one) are seated in the back in the same area as children. This happens in the one descent restaurant we have in the next town over whichis 25 miles away. No thank you! I”ll just stay home and cook my own.
Anne C. says
My mother-in-law ambles unsteadily on a walker. She refuses to let anyone walk beside her, just in case. Anyway, because she appears to be a fall risk, which is the case, we are often seated at the first table available near the restaurant’s entrance. Usually, this “safe spot” table is near the noisy drink-prep area (loud ice dispenser, laughing, boisterous server mini-convention) or the main pathway tread constantly by patrons entering and leaving. However, if I cook a meal for my mother-in-law, she’ll lift a forkful of food and ask, “What’s in this?” If I serve cake for dessert, she’ll scrutinize the texture and ask, “Is this from a mix?” I can’t win.
Claudia Wade says
To Anne C.
?…..and yet you still cook for her? She is fortunate.
Dot in NE Georgia says
Living by myself I find that some weeks I cook 7 meals a day and other weeks I eat out most every day. It just depends on what I am doing that day that determines if I cook or eat out. I live in a small town with limited eating establishments and to get to a larger city I must drive 20 miles.
Deb@asimplelifequilts says
Since we live in a resort area many of our best local restaurants are open only during during the summer so we eat out more in the summer and DH loves to grill so it’s a nice break as I’m not crazy about cooking. We have our basic go to meals (DS is a picky eater) and although I collect new recipes it seems I”m rarely in the mood to try them!
pdudgeon, says
there really isn’t a category for us. i usualy cook from scratch about once a week for myself, because i don’t mind/like very much having my meals all prepped so all i have to do is microwave and eat.
hubby has a sensitive digestive tract, so there are few foods that he can eat, and going out is just asking for ‘rent-a- meal’ trouble along that line.
Tinkerfeet says
My hubby does all the cooking! He is a unbelievable cook! We live 50 miles from a town which only 200 population so there is no restaurants there. We only go to a big town (which is still small ) once a month for the grocery store. I love staying home, hate shopping. We don’t even have mail service where we live. Still love it!
Vicky says
I clicked on 3-4 because that’s what I usually do when I’m working. Since I’ve been off on medical, I’m cooking here more. I was thinking your survey, though, might be a bit skewed by us single folks! 🙂
Katherine says
We don’t eat out often, but when we do, it is almost always planned. We almost never eat out because we got caught out – in the time it takes to order and eat, we can generally go home and fix something – though that something might be sandwiches. We might eat dinner out 1-2 times a month and lunch out even less often.
My son did a social studies fair project last year on why people eat out. Interesting to see the answers.
Janet says
I am trying to have our family of 6 eat at home most of the time. The nutrient/calorie content of restaurant meals is not very healthy. I find we are most likely to eat out if we are short on time. I have started keeping home made freezer meals for those times. I usually put them into individual servings and then each person can have what they would like as they are easy to microwave.
Alycia says
Because of allergies all my meals come from home, there is one restaurant in town that can take care of me (sigh) – so even if the kids are eating out I am toting my food with me.
EagleKnits says
I clicked on 5-6, but it’s probably closer to 4-5. We usually eat out after church on Sunday, and like to go out for breakfast on Saturday. I go to lunch with my quilting group once a week. We like to cook enough at one time to have leftovers for the days we’re really busy. Some weeks we don’t do that, though, and that’s when we tend to eat out. We usually don’t eat at the restaurant, but just get take-out.
Becky G says
I go through spells. I’m single, often my social interactions are centered around eating out. I’m in two knit in public groups & we meet @ dinner time in restaurants. I like to cook, but mostly for others. I do best when i cook on Sundays & freeze portions. I’m tired once i’m done with work. I’m glad you asked the question. I’m going to track it for awhile & incorporate more @ home meals. Thanks!
Debbie Rhodes says
We eat out once a week… but just a burger or taco… just a way for me to get out of the house… when my girls were home it was date night.. but now it is usually the only time I leave the house all week. I do a weekly menu and shop once or twice a month..
Sherry Moran says
Since we both retired, I don’t cook much. I may cook something once a week and we eat leftovers, or we may graze on things from the pantry. We do eat out a lot, but my husband doesn’t want to cook and I don’t either. I would love to have a cook in my home!
Jo says
It’s funny, we mostly eat out, but i love cookbooks! I wish i were one of those folks who makes yummy home cooked meals, but its just not me. I’d rather watch the Food Network. But, i wish we could have a garden. We used to have one every year, but fighting the deer off became impossible. Judy, i do love reading about your garden and cooking and you have even given me some inspiration!
Gail Fines says
I mostly cook at home. As a widow it’s hard to cook for just one but dining out is exhausting, boring without having someone to talk to, and expensive. I do have spells where I eat out quite a bit, depending on what “projects” I’m involved with!
Joanne says
I eat out at least twice a week, because I hate to cook and even more than that — I hate cooking for one person. I meet friends twice a week for dinner and my best friend and I usually have breakfast or lunch once a week. That said — it’s asparagus season up here and I have an abundance from the patch my husband planted 18 years ago, so I do have asparagus in season a lot and share with friends 😉
SusanB says
I hardly ever eat out (unless I’m on vacation), but I don’t cook every day either. When I cook, I cook enough for several meals and eat a lot of leftovers. Some goes in the freezer, but most is ate within a few days. It works for me and there is no one else here to complain.
Sherry V. says
Hey Judy, I really don’t cook very much at all. . . .DH does 90% of the cooking in our house.
It started that way since he gets home before I do. . . . unfortunately now we both seem to be getting home at the same time. . . .but I am so out of practice with cooking that it is just easier to let him do it.
Linda Steller says
Eating out is only a special occasion thing with my family. We go out for a birthday dinner or sometimes we’ll just go for an impromptu brunch on the weekends, but that’s very rare. Much cheaper and tastier to eat at home.
Peggy says
We have many friends and I mean many that eat every meal out. Some of these same friends complain about lack of money. Well guess where the money is going? Not only the price of the meals, but also the tips, auto costs etc. The next complaint I hear is I don’t feel good. One friend just got out of a four day stay in the hospital for food poising and is facing further test after she is better. I am happy cooking. Most meals actually don’t take that long to make or clean up after.
Patrica says
The only time we eat out is when we’re “off the hill” for errands. It’s a one hour drive at least for any kind of shopping for us so we have to plan to be gone for the day and that usually includes lunch or dinner but that rarely more than twice a month a month.
Diann says
We eat out more than at home. I’ve been cooking since the age of 14 and I am OVER THAT! I spent three days on Thanksgiving preparation once and thirty minute after we started the table was picked clean and I had all that china to hand wash and drudgery. Maybe once or twice a week but that is done under protest.
Claudia Wade says
I couldn’t really answer your poll questions. My husband cooks all of the meals we eat at home, but if it were up to me we would eat out once a day and snack at home for the rest of the day. The reason is that I get so BORED with what my husband cooks and we have lots of good restaurants in our suburban area. I find that eating in restaurants gives me lots more variety than if we cook at home. After cooking for the first 30 years of our marriage I am DONE with cooking and don’t care if I ever cook again. I’m sure I’m in the minority here. Different strokes.
Lee says
4-5 would be a better fit for me, but often I have sufficient for leftovers, so that I may in fact only cook 3-4 meals. Friday nights use to be date night, but evolved into hubby goes & picks up take-out, and Sunday’s kind of fallen into that rut too. A housewife’s ‘job’ is essentially 24/7 even though there’s an amount of free time in there, where hubby’s job is mostly M-F, so I feel it’s a bit of a ‘reprive’ for ME to NOT have to make the decision as to what to fix and it leaves little to have to be cleaned up. Is it as healthy as it could be? No, but we’re not health extremists so much as middle-of-the-roaders.
Glenda says
I agree with Anne C! I’ve watched too many episodes of Kitchen Nightmares! And once got food poisoning, which spoiled the experience for me even more. After all, they can’t even get doctors and nurses in hospitals to wash their hands reliably, so I can’t believe that restaurant employees can be counted on. But sometimes I have to treat a client, or am driving around on business, and have to eat out. So I keep my fingers crossed and knock on wood. And pray.
Kathleen says
I, too, have friends who do take-out dinner every single night and then run to five or six different places to pick up entree, sides, desserts, rolls for entertaining. I don’t make elaborate meals often but we eat at home. I bake once or twice a week too. Sometimes when we do potluck I’m the only person who brings something home made. Crazy times.
cynthia says
Cooking all my meals is a total win-win for me–I am very careful about what I eat–mostly organic, no processed. I can’t really afford to eat in restaurants that offer that quality of food, but I don’t mind at all since for me it’s also a time saver to cook instead of going somewhere and waiting. I want to add that I never get sick–I know exactly how clean my food and kitchen and hands are!!! ( Just a consideration–just how healthy do people think those cooks and servers who don’t have health insurance or sick days are?)
Meg says
I dont really like cooking, but I do it. My husband tries to eat a heart healthy diet. So, almost all the meals I prepare are vegetable, chicken and turkey based. BORING. Sometimes I read food blogs for fun!
How often depends on what is going on in our lives.
In winter, we eat out only on Friday nights. Same place, same time, and I almost always get the same dish! The weather is too nasty to go out more than that. I prepare large one pot meals a lot and we eat it til it’s gone. Then I make another. BORING!
In spring, summer, and fall, we eat out more cause we often grab a bite after golf, at a festival or on the road. Probably 2-3 nights per week. In summer, I rarely use the oven, preferring the outdoor grill or cold salads for dinner.
Lynley says
I cook every meal at home during the week and my husband does weekends – I don’t really enjoy it but it’s easier and cheaper and quicker than taking two kids out every night. I would love to eat out at least half the time but right now it is too much like hard work!!
Jeanette Shouse says
Way back in 1967. my new hubby and I cut our honeymoon short so we could come home and cook some real food! Of course there weren’t many choices for places to eat in Ky then. Mostly truck stops and road side diners. It was in early August and all the garden veggies were in full swing and sitting at home waiting to be eaten. So we are maybe the first/only couple to cut a honeymoon short to come home and cook our own fresh food! Still don’t regret that decision.
Diana says
My dearest hubs is a wanna be chef (his brother is one so he wants to be like his younger bro)LOL. So we share in the cooking department; just wish he would learn how to use spices and herbs already .. LOL I keep telling him but doggone it, just doesn’t sink in ! We eat at home as its cheaper, less salt, and more satisfying for us for sure !
Leslie Kiger says
I love to cook. I love to try new things. Growing up, my mother always cooked the same thing over and over. I vowed never to do that. I am lucky to have a husband who is an adventurous eater too. But we do usually eat out one meal each week.
Joan in NE says
I don’t mind cooking. That and we have to drive for over an hour to get to any decent place, so its easier (and less costly with gas prices what they are) Besides my DH will “eat anything that doesn’t eat him first” When he was in rehab after hip replacement he had the whole dining room eating dessert first. “His theory is “life is short, eat dessert first” . works for me too. ha
Donna F says
I’m a homebody & hubby isn’t. He loves to be out of the house doing something somewhere else. I want to be home doing something at home so I want to eat at home. In the past three years we eat out more than we ever have in our lives because I have gotten ill and many nights I am unable to cook and frankly I don’t have that many crockpot recipes or I would throw something in it for days I don’t feel well. So if anyone has any good crockpot recipes I could really use them. They would really make my life better with my illness.
Right now we are on a business trip for my hubby and we are eating out every night & living in a hotel room. We will be here for a month and we can eat anywhere we like, the company pays for our meals but I will tell you this, eating out gets OLD!! No matter that we choose a different resturant every night with different food, I’m sick of it!!!
Diane says
It is really hard to say…some weeks we eat every meal at home, some weeks we might eat two. My husband travels a lot with his job and now I travel with him so we have been known to go as much as three weeks eating out. Those are hard weeks!
Pat Hathaway says
When we were empty nesters and both working we used to eat out several times a week. It got so boring! Even if there was a wide variety of restaurants where we were living. Then we moved to a small city closer to the grand kids and there are hardly any good restaurants here. I was still working but Hubz was retired so he started cooking and we learned he is a great cook. So why eat out when he could cook better food for less money? Then over the next couple of years we both got diagnosed with adult onset diabetes and our diets became really limited. I had to start counting carbs and fat grams and I just can’t bring myself to spend good money on “egg white omlets” at IHop, or meals that I can only eat half of at a restaurant. Left overs from Applebees or Olive Grove go uneaten in the fridge. So now we never eat out unless someone insists on inviting us to go out with them–it’s like taking an alcoholic to a bar for me.
Of course, it’s my own fault for overeating for the last 62 years, but I’d rather stay home and have a salad from a bag than pay the prices it costs to have someone else open the bag and put it in a bowl for me.
Sandie says
Although I dearly love to cook, and both Dan and I prefer my cooking over any restaurant food we can get, My work schedule makes cooking more than once or twice a week next to impossible. We work construction, and work together, so we usually leave the house @ 6;30 in the morning, and get home@ 7 or 8 at night at the earliest, somore often than not, it is either a freezer meal I have prepared in advance, or dinner out.
Jane says
Why eat out when the food is never as tasty as it is at home? But we continue to try and sometimes are pleasantly surprised. Thank goodness DH and I both can cook and find Love is the best and the first ingredient on the recipe.
Martha Stalnaker says
I cook more than anyone that I know. I like to cook when I want to but not so much when I feel like I have to. I read cookbooks like they were novels and try a lot of new recipies
.
Theresa Alsup says
I enjoy cooking, but my average commute to work and back is about 2.5 hours a day. We get by because I make large pots of soups and stews on the weekends and freeze them into two person dinners– then we can put together a fresh salad, some fruit and toast some sourdough break– and dinner is faster than going out and tastes better. Thank God for my freezer! We’d starve without it.
Cosmos says
I have a standing lunch meeting once a week, and I usually eat out one other time during the week. Right now I am in transition between jobs, and I’m single, eating out either alone or with friends is a great excuse to get out of the house.
I cook at home for many reasons, including it is cheaper, healthier, I control the portion size and also because I have a food intolerance.
I live in a city, and I love it! There are a ton of restaurants to try, and I have a favorite Vietnamese place that serves the most wonderful pho ga (chicken soup) on the planet. I’ve made it at home several times, and while my version is very good, it is not the same.
For me it is about striking a good balance between trying new things at restaurants and socializing, and eating good, healthy, inexpensive food at home.