Every time my husband and I think about how much we spend on food, we agree we need to eat out less. It seems easier to eat out—we don’t have to prepare the food, we don’t have to clean up, and we don’t have to think about what to fix. Unfortunately, it gets expensive, the food isn’t always healthy or tasty, and the service is often lacking. And even “cheap” fast food can be more expensive than preparing food at home. But every month, especially after paydays, we eat out or get food for takeout because we’re busy, we’re tired, and we didn’t plan ahead.
So I’ve talked with my husband and the kids and they’ve agreed to no eating out for the month of January, with a possible exception of two birthday meals.
Here’s what I hope to gain from not eating out:
· Money (by spending less)
· Better health
· Less waste (by avoiding the excess packaging from takeout and uneaten leftovers)
· Quality family time (at least one person in our family is usually unhappy about eating out)
· Improved planning and food prep skills for myself and my family
For the next month, I’ll share my experiences and recipes that work for me and my family. I’ll also be adding tips sheets of meal planning strategies that have worked for myself and others. On my homepage, you can download a worksheet to explore what wellness means to you to help prioritize and promote your wellness goals.
Next week, I’ll share a video and recipes for preparing one of my favorite dinners.
Wish me luck! And stay tuned…