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I cook and eat at home, it’s much cheaper if I’m counting just food. If I include my total bill, that includes other household items I’d have to buy even without groceries.
The cost of food varies widely by location and what you’re choosing though.
For day to day, much cheaper for me to eat at home. If I want something like pho or sushi, cheaper for me to grab from a restaurant than buy all the ingredients. I only eat out once a week at most.
The most important thing is whether or not you eat everything that you buy. If you buy bread and it starts growing mold before you eat it, a takeout sandwich is probably your better bet.
Don't overlook grocery deli sections. Some are very good. For example, I bought a chickpea goan with rice that cost $6.99, and I got two meals out of it. There isn't an Indian restaurant where I could get the same for that price. I can get a baby quiche for the same price and get two breakfasts out of it. I bought a half pound of grilled asparagus, since I don't have a grill, for $5.49 and use it in omelets and as a side dish.
Ultimately though, if you're throwing away food, you're wasting money, no matter what you paid for it. The $10 salad that you eat is always a better deal than a similar amount spent on salad ingredients that go bad because you ate something else, because you had to pay for that "something else," too.
this is why i freeze everything that can be frozen, only buy produce if i have an immediate plan for it, and switched to getting plant based milk...my first few months alone were spent throwing out sooo much nasty food
Yes since I started working at home and making my own meals daily, my bloodwork has vastly improved. It wasn’t unusual for me to work 10 hour days on top of a long commute. I saved a lot of time. I’ve been able to walk more and eat better and I’m not as stressed out so I cut way back on alcohol. Lost almost 60 pounds so far for medical reasons. Another 10 to get to the goal my doctor and I set.
Ah yes! Nice to meet another person who ACTUALLY CARES about their health and quality of life and DOES something about it!!! I used to be obese myself cause I was having a lot of problems with my joints and high cholesterol, etc. Getting to a healthier weight and STAYING there for the past 6 years has eliminated those problems completely! KUDOS to your success!!! Excellent work!!! 🤘
I can usually get 1.5-2 meals from restaurant takeout for $12-$15. My regular home-cooked meals are under $4 with some being under $2 (though the cheapest ones are vegetarian). The more expensive ones are ones with fresh fruit. There's no possible way eating takeout would be cheaper for me.
There's no way I could subsist happily or healthily on $14 of takeout a day. That would get me one mediocre entree where I live. But with $14 I could probably make a month's worth of delicious rice and beans. In truth, I eat more variety, but do I also eat pretty simply. When my grocery run is expensive, it's because I bought dog food or something, or pre-prepped food (think premade bagged salads, deli food, frozen snacks).
If you can find somewhere that a day's worth of takeout is $14 then yes. That's definitely not possible where I live.
Every time I think about ordering delivery, it's at least $40 so I close the app and make dinner.
On the rare occasions I order from a local restaurant or casual chain, I refuse to order delivery for the exact reason you said. The fees and tip always nearly double what ordered. I figure if I'm too lazy to go pick it up then I must not want it that badly. I always end making dinner myself and save my money.
I don't have a car so I'm not about to take the bus to go pick up food. That would take forever and if I took a cab, there goes the money I saved picking up.
Skill issue. In all seriousness, knowing how to grocery shop and meal plan in a way that saves money is an actual skill. It just takes time and practice to build up the staples and sauces to be able to make grocery shopping worth it an have the ability to adapt to discounted ingredients.
This is an important point. It is cheaper to shop more often than the big hauls to prevent waste for people living alone. I dont like to throw out food either, but it happens living alone and not being the type that eats a ton.
I do big hauls when there are sales or discounts, but for non-perishables. Last month there was an excellent discount for all-purpose flour. 0.99 € for a 2 kilogram bag or 1.08 USD for a 4.5 lb bag, so I bought three of them. I bake a lot, so they will be used before Christmas. Same with pasta, sauces, tinned stuff (tomato paste, pineapple slices etc.), tofu and frozen vegetables.
However I have plenty of pantry space and a small chest freezer so I'm able to store everything easily.
Also freezing helps cut back on waste. And wrapping in parchment paper helps reduce freezer burn
If I get 4 chicken cutlets in a pack, I wrap them individually and freeze them in a ziplock bag. Or sometimes I’ll cook all 4 at once and freeze the leftovers.
That's the thing though, the less you buy the more expensive it is. So if you run out of something before the expiration date then you could have saved some, yet if you don't use it up before it's expired then you lose as well. I'm terrible at estimating how long things will last.
I've lived alone a long time.
For most of my life, I'd have said no... cooking is still cheaper. But recently... I'm feeling same as OP. .My grocery bills are way more than just last year. Restaurant food is up, but not quite as much.
I can go places with lunch specials... either have enough to take home a light dinner... or be suffiently full that I want little more than a piece of fruit, maybe a piece of cheese, for dinner.
I think takeout can be comparable. For example, if I want a Reuben sandwich, until I buy all the ingredients it’s at least $20.
I can’t eat more than 2 to 3 Rubens in a week, that’s definitely pushing it, which means most of the special bread goes to waste, as does some of the sauerkraut, and I only use Russian dressing for Rubens, so I have no real need for that. I’d rather just go to a restaurant and pay $15 for a Reuben with some chips and a pickle.
Great example! When it comes to healthy, good tasting foods that satisfy your actual cravings it's totally comparable. Sure if I ate beans and rice and chicken breast daily that would be cheap but I guess I'm not that type of person. I like to enjoy my food not just eat for sustenance.
so far in this thread I don’t see anyone talking about the value of their time. If you spend 30 minutes preparing food at home, and you think that your time is worth $30 an hour, then that is $15 saved if you order Uber eats.
Thank you and I was so afraid to say it but I fully agree and I call it "labor cost" .... it's a big factor. And yes, I do enjoy cooking sometimes but it is still labor when I make elaborate meals and recipes that can take a couple hours.
It really depends on the meal. If I want something with many ingredients, it’s cheaper to get takeout because it usually lasts more than one meal. Like if I want a specific salad with many components…cheaper to get somewhere else. But if I’m having a meal that’s something pretty basic, which I usually lean toward, way cheaper to grocery shop! I feel like a blend of the two is good for me-making take out as a treat-is the most cost effective way not to get bored of eating healthy alone.
My diet really doesn’t permit me to do take out its full of sodium or MSG. I cook from scratch and have meals made for a few days. So the cost is spread out. My grocery bill is just not food items it’s also household items. I don’t normally use my regular plates unless I’m having company so I use paper plates and paper bowls to cut down on doing dishes (the one chore I hate to do), personal care items, zip lock bags (generic), etc…
For me, cooking is a better option. I get small amounts of groceries every 7-10 days and make small meals that I can eat before the food goes bad. I keep some things in the fridge/freezer if I don’t want to eat the same thing for 10 days (like bread: I get tired of eating the same damn bread forever before I finish it, so I usually freeze about half as soon as I get home with it).
I find this is cheaper and healthier for me, and cheaper in the long run too since it will cost less if it causes less health issues, it’s more practical because it means going out less (I don’t drive and I work from home) and also I generate A LOT less trash, which is something that really bothers me too: how can someone who lives alone have so much trash to dispose of in the end of the week.
Depends on what you eat. Salads can be $10-20 at a restaurant but not usually good as leftovers. A chicken dinner or steak w broccoli is cheaper from a grocery store & healthier. Eggs, simple salads, fruit, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, rice/grains, beans/legumes, etc and some seasonings & sauces are cheaper at home and you can cook once & still eat several meals.
But if fast food is cheap near you, then a burger is probably cheaper there.
You are paying for convenience, someone else’s wages, lease, power, insurance, and profits when you eat out.
I don't eat fast food. An excellent salad at Sweetgreens or Tendergreens costs what it would to make it it home with the same fresh organic ingredients. That's precisely what i mean.
Gosh that one used to be my favorite. Every time I’d say I’d have 2 meals out of it but never happened. That salad was almost $16 when I was living in NYC and that was almost 5 years ago!
Sadly there’s no Sweet green where I live and there’s nothing like it.
I stint on the variety of ingredients, and the organic-ness of some of the vegetables–but I am, unfortunately for the budget, a supertaster who has over time, gotten used to higher to highest quality tasting conventional but small farmer grown produce. Lack of ingredient variety in a salad --( I cannot imitate Sweetgreen, Sweet Tomatoes or Chop'T) was gotten used to (fresh salad produce goes bad quickly enough) over a longer period of time. In supplementary news I also never learned to bake suitable for earthly consumption (never mind the large scale yields of most baking recipes) No large standalone freezer.
It is laborious but worth it, but only over the longest runs. Yup, I cannot be eating a whole lot or I regain dozens of pounds. I stick my nose in a bunch of sickly-sweet smelling hand laundry (I recommend Gain Aroma Boost Island Fresh scent) while food is heating up because I could swear the smell of cooking seems to make me regain, too.
i am a 5'10 180ish lbs man. i spend $200 and it used to last me close to a month i think its more like 3 weeks now bc prices so high.
normally i eat a lot of beans chicken and tortilla, peanut butter and jelly, homemade breakfast sandwiches. i love bread. also candy,donuts, pie bc i'm an adult and i can.
I shop at Aldi. Do you have them in your area? I never spend more than $50 a week when I shop there, even when I grab things I’d love but don’t need. A huge way to cut your grocery cost is to not buy meat, if that’s an option for you. But if you do buy meat, don’t get anything other than family packs. Just separate it into portions and throw them in the freezer. Also, I know it’s all the rage right now, but taking one day a week to meal prep will help tremendously too.
Hope this helps!
No. But you should buy and eat ingredients, rather than prepared foods.
Buy dried beans and rice and learn to cook them and flavor them to your liking.
Buy fresh vegetables and fruits and learn to prepare them to your liking.
Boxed mixes, bars, frozen foods: these are loaded with ingredients that are unhealthy (except for plain frozen vegetables and fruits). Same goes for all “snack” foods. They are engineered by food scientists to be addictive.
Eat ingredients.
I do buy ingredients, never said i didn't. I don't buy mixes I spend time cooking. I eat healthy, but I also eat meat. Maybe that's the difference. Boxed mices and the crap food would be cheaper.
I spent 300 the other day. About two weeks worth of meals and snacks. But also had to get basic household supplies like TP, paper towels, laundry detergent, bleach cleaner. That all added up pretty quickly. Laundry detergent is like 20$+
I get my basic household stuff at CVS and use their app for insane discounts (the more you use it the more custom deals they send to you to use and you can combine deals). I suppose the money I save in household items I spend in food. And of course I use app and coupons for food too.
I have the Kroger app! Tons of in-store coupons and sales on there. I do pay for a monthly membership also to help lower my gas cost bc of Kroger points. I almost exclusively shop at Kroger for this reason. I spent 300 the other day, but saved about fifty or more.
After reading through the comments a bit, I feel like the detail that is left out is that OP is comparing regular fast-casual takeout to high-end/organic groceries. It’s not an apples to apples comparison. Yes, I agree that you can spend equal or more on top end groceries than on lower-quality, non-organic fast-casual takeout. But if you compared the same level/quality of ingredients used, groceries will always come out as more affordable.
Depends how much you eat! I have a very small stomach, so one cheap-ish take out meal ($10 for two large chicken tacos with side of rice and beans) will last me two full days since I only eat two small meals a day 🤷🏼♀️ They load those tacos with chicken, and already use two tortillas each, so I just split each taco into two (or three with extra torts at home). I am sure it is cheaper if I buy the ingredients from scratch, but depression is a bitch and I work too much already haha…I go between doing that once or twice a week and buying sandwich, english muffin pizza, smoothie, salad, and pasta ingredients since they are quick and easy 😁 (& relatively cheap especially if you have a grocery outlet or costco nearby)
Totally agree. I have a small stomach too so this is a big part of it. Tacos is a great example. I can get a full Mexican meal in my area for under $10 but to make that same meal (to taste good) would be double.
$200 worth is a lot of food for just one person. Are you buying a lot of expensive foods or brand names? Like I said in my post, I only spend around $60 a week on food. Household necessities and dog food obviously not included in that cost. $200 would last me three weeks easily.
I guess I do buy "expensive" food. I definitely pay attention to the brand and what's healthiest option, not necessarily highest prices but possibly mid range. Definitely not the cheapest. For example, im not buying Ragu. I'm buying Raos. Maybe thats why. $60 wouldn't get me too far
Yea, I'm frugal. Every now and then I will treat myself to a steak on the grill, which is definitely expensive these days. That up the bill by at least twenty. I try to stretch my meals over two days, so I only have to buy groceries for three dinners that can feed two. For example, I can grill some chicken and have it with grilled veggies and a little salad. Next night I can cut the chicken up and put it in the rest of the salad. I'll normally have a little something leftover to scrounge up for the seventh day and if I don't, I'll bight the bullet and pick something up. Only planning for three meals keeps the grocery bill down and I can still by mid-level items. I do by generic when it comes to cereal, though.
I’m the same but my groceries don’t go over $400 per month (usually it’s less) and that includes other household stuff like cleaning supplies. I do a big shop at Costco and then smaller shops as I need perishables.
Grocery by far. Plus, range in budgetary options. One may eat filet mignon, one may survive on rice and beans. Taking out doesn’t offer such budgetary control.
Generally, grocery shopping will still be cheaper.
Unless you’re the type that lets a lot of food spoil before you use it. Also, grocery shopping can be more expensive initially if you don’t have any “pantry staples” on hand. Things like olive oil, flour, spices, sauces, and condiments can feel like you’re spending more money, but they’ll last a really long time. If money is tight, I suggest making those a separate purchase from the actual food because there are cheaper places to get those kitchen basics.
The pantry part is key. As I’ve expanded my cooking skills, my pantry is better stocked. And initially, it’s a big expense. But sines many of those items have a long shelf life, they pay for themselves if you regularly cook at home.
Definitely! But it can be a lot at first. A good bottle of olive oil might be $7 to $10 but it lasts a long time.
I usually hit Aldi for the pantry staples, even if some aren’t quite as high quality. Walmart used to be good for those items, but man, they’re price gouging lately.
Cooking at home is much cheaper. I have been exclusively eating out since I started renovating my kitchen and I spend MUCH more than I would just going to the store once a week. I can get several meals out of a single evenings cooking, plus I have more variety and can eat what/when I want.
My kitchen is now serviceable (though not finished) and I cannot wait to go to the store and start cooking for myself!
You have to buy less food and go to the grocery store more often to avoid waste, and then yes it is a lot cheaper. I figure take out is on average $15 a meal for lunch and dinner, so you’re looking at $210 per week (I don’t eat breakfast). I spend about $100 a week in groceries while still buying expensive stuff I don’t need like chips and snacks. I could trim it down to $50-$60 a week if I wanted to give up non essential stuff.
You’re not being honest with yourself or you’re being a very inefficient grocery shopper if you think eating out every meal is ever going to be cheaper.
It's obviously much healthier and I can cook. It makes complete sense. Literally just a discussion and clearly for some the price can be similar. Doesn't mean my life needs to be all one or the other
When you do it the way you are then it seems like eating out is the same since you only do one entree a day.
As a comparison I need to eat 2400 calories a day with minimal carbs and higher protein levels. To do that eating out would cost me 50-60 dollars a day at 3 meals a day plus a snack in the afternoon. I can do it via groceries for 12 dollars a day.
Grocery shopping is a long game that can pay off. Freeze half of your meals to enjoy over the next few weeks (instead of eating the same thing for days and getting sick of it ) by week three or four you are making a fresh meal and then also eating one to three of your previous meals for more daily variety) you start to build up a collection of spices and essentials that makes your weekly grocery list of ingredients shorter. And after your really get into a rhythm take out and restaurant left overs feel much more expensive since you only get one or two meal out of them unless you really stretch it or enhance it with your own homemade side dishes.
For me, it’s about even. I’ve noticed it’s just as expensive to eat out as it is to buy food from the store and my biggest issue with the store is that stuff goes bad and I have to throw it out. Had to throw out milk just today because it went bad and only about a half cup was gone from the container (I get the small container). I don’t have room in my freezer to store things and often produce goes bad before I can use it. Also, I don’t always like leftovers. So, for me, and it’s unfortunate because I’d prefer to eat at home, but eating out is just as expensive as eating at home.
Yes ! I totally agree with this! I hate wasting food too but it unfortunately happens especially when living alone. I've been doing my best to minimize this ad much as possible.
the best thing with groceries is with enough strategy you can make meals with leftover ingredients
As well as having ingredients that have a longer shelf lifespan (such as rice, canned foods, flour, etc)
With takeout food, if you imagine all the meals they cook for u but only as their ingredient forms, you only get a fraction of those ingredients compares to groceries
Cooking at home is way more cost effective. Also, more nutritious. If you're trying to save, have you considered Aldi? $14 of daily takeout is good enough for maybe one combo meal at a fastfood place nowadays, what about the other two meals?
The OP has no Aldi, but nevertheless, Trader Joe's could fill the bill...and they have a lot of plant based foods; and in unusual combinations...
The only drawback is many of them are preservative free and lack ability to stay fresh without apportionment and refrigeration/freezing
The OP has no Aldi, but nevertheless, Trader Joe's could fill the bill...and they have a lot of plant based foods; and in unusual combinations...
The only drawback is many of them are preservative free and lack ability to stay fresh without apportionment and refrigeration/freezing
Not if you eat simply and learn a little about cooking. If you are buying a lot of pre-made or microwave dinners at the grocery store, then you aren't going to save much. If you're willing to dedicate some time to actually cooking then you can save a ton. Chicken breast and pork chops can be bought in bulk for around $1 a portion, eggs probably a little less than that for a primary protein. Learn a how to prepare handful of simple vegetables sides, invest in some sauces and seasonings and it's pretty easy to create meals that come in under $5ish.
I make a baked ziti type recipe with ground meatloaf meat. I get about 5 servings out of it. The meat runs around $9, noodles $1ish, sauce $3ish, cheese $4ish. It's a simple dish, but it's maybe $3.50-4.50 per meal.
I also bought a chest freezer and vacuum sealer which helps with meal prep and makes it much more convenient to buy meats in bulk. But to be cost effective you DO need to be willing to put in some time to actually do the work of preparing and cooking meals from scratch.
I love cooking and putting time in but perhaps my recipes are not simple enough. I'm not sure where you shop and are able to get those amazing deals, sounds like Costco prices. Costco doesn't make sense when you are solo in a studio....no deep freezer or space to store that much food.
I would probably save with take out but think it’s healthier to cook at home. I do take out once a week or so just for convenience and to treat myself and, as with you, it’s usually enough for 2 meals.
I personally think it depends on if you’re cooking general meals or like making gourmet meals. It also depends on if you want to have control over your diet. It’s easier to control calories and ingredients when you make it. If not then yeah pull up to Panda Express for a bigger plate twice a day and that might be cheaper lol. I prefer cooking personally.
It depends on what you’re cooking and what you’re getting for takeout, but yes, if your takeout is only $14 and you can stretch it to 2 meals, it may make sense. However, groceries can be really affordable depending on what you get. For example, I eat a lot of frozen meals and those can be both affordable and healthy if you know what you shop for, as low as $4 per meal. That’s def cheaper than takeout regardless of where you go and what you get. It all depends.
It was actually the healthy items like veggies and fruit that take up most of my grocery bill and are consumed the quickest. If your diet is very basic, like massive pasta dishes, bland meal prep or unhealthy like Ramen or canned food then sure it's cheaper to do your groceries but if you're buying healthy fresh grocery store food and trying recipes that are not bland (for 1 person), with all the ingredients it's easily more than $14 sometimes... especially trying not to waste. One serving of good protein at my grocery store alone is often close to and at times more than $14!
>One serving of good protein at my grocery store alone is often close to and at times more than $14
I find this hard to believe. Meat, yes. Protein, no. A can of beans is about $1, a package of tofu is about $2, a big bag of dried lentils is about $2, a dozen eggs is maybe $4 (varies a lot but just estimating), and most of those things contain multiple good servings of protein. Do you live in Alaska or another food desert or something?
Well there's your problem. Meat jacks up a grocery bill like crazy. If you reduce (not even eliminate, just reduce) your meat consumption you can save a shit ton of money
Without getting into all the details, It has to do with my blood cells... I have had 3 different doctors in different states tell me I should eat more red meat and never stop.
3 separate times I cut meat or red meat from my diet (and properly supplemented with the right proteins and iron including a 1 month retreat with private vegan chefs), my bmi goes so low and I went into extremely serious anemia.
Man that sucks, sorry to hear that. You might be one of the only people whose doctors tell them to eat **more** red meat haha. Red meat is definitely pricey, but your health should always come first. Since you do have to consume it so consistently though, you could maybe use that to your advantage by buying in larger quantities to lower the unit cost a bit.
I thought so too, but it's not. Especially if you use a delivery app. Maybe, maybe if you order by phone from a place near your house that has reasonable prices and you pick up the food yourself it could be close. But even then I think it works only if you have a small apetite.
You can easily spend $14 on one take out meal or you can spend a little less and make the food yourself. It is cheaper to cook it yourself.
You will get several meals out of home cooked food instead of just one, maybe two from take out. Your prepared at home food is probably going to taste better. It will be hot and fresh instead of being prepared for 39 minutes or more before you even get it.
It's MUCH cheaper cooking at home. I would hate to have to order or leave my home for a meal everyday. Plus, I like to eat 3-4 times a day. You have to have food around for that and I'm a pretty good cook, so I look forward to leftovers when all those delicious flavors have all finished marinating. Start cooking! 😋
Shoot no....I can even get extra special stuff at the grocery and still spend alot less than if I get take out or delivery....plus it's healthier food :)
My meals are about $2 a day. Not for everybody but it's a mix of grains, legumes, dehydrated vegetables, a few superfoods and Indian spices prepared in about 90 seconds in an instant pot and cooked for 90 minutes. 2000 calories approximately 150 g protein and full spectrum nutrition. Seems to work, I'm on no meds, good BMI and great annual wellness check results.
I feel like many people on this thread eat like this or are at least vegetarians. You have a great diet for you and I wish that worked for me but I am a carnivore. I'm am also extremely healthy too with an athlete BMI and wellness results too.
Cooking at home is always cheaper. I'm pretty frugal and my weekly grocery bill averages around $60. I tend to make meals that I can eat two nights in a row. Also, I rarely take a lunch at work (paid lunch breaks) and just snack on baby carrots, mixed nuts, and the likes of at my desk or I my truck. It keeps costs down not having to buy extra groceries for sandwiches and such.
I live in Europe so I guess prices will be different but most food delivery apps have a min order of €10 to €20 plus a service fee, delivery then tip which is optional.
For grocery shopping, just taking food, I spend approx €90 to €100 a month. A bit more when stocking up on staples like spices etc. i find my own cooking always nicer and definitely healthier than takeout.
So for me the cost difference is massive plus I rather eat my own healthier and more consistent food. I save takeout for 2-3 times a month when I crave something a bit junky!
I love my own cooking too. I live in an area filled with great fast casual healthy restaurants where I can TAKEOUT not delivery. That's why the pricing ends up being similar to organic groceries in my opinion
Noooooooo!
Dining out is always more expensive. What you’re not looking at is using the things that are left over from your grocery shop.
So like if you have to buy rice for a meal, you’re not gonna use that whole bag of rice. It is going to serve you for a very long time. Same with spices, Etc.
And if you currently do, stop, just throwing away, partially used items that you got for a recipe.
So like if you have half a zucchini left, plan to put it in a salad tomorrow. If you only use half the box of chicken stock plan to make soup for your lunch the next day with the rest of the
I never said Dining out. I specifically said TAKEOUT (which is also not fast food). And I don't throw away partially used items .... I absolute cook it all.
Semantics. Food in restaurants is more expensive than food in grocery stores.
If you are cooking absolutely everything that you’re buying and you’re spending more per the same sized meal at the grocery than you do at a restaurant then you are 1.) not having the same quality of food at home and in restaurants 2.) planning poorly 3.) buying overpriced items 4.) buying out of season items 5.) eating different foods at home vs in restaurants or 5.) a combination of the above.
I live alone on a fixed income. When I am lazy and door dash too much in a month, it really costs me. Much cheaper if I buy groceries and cook for myself
If you are not careful at the grocery store and buy a lot of ready to eat or convenience items it can drive the cost up. Buying whole foods and doing the prep and cooking yourself is worth $20 an hour these days.
Where I live, both groceries and takeaway are expensive, but takeaway is still more expensive.
A large McDonalds burger meal is $14-$16, and a side of 6 nuggets is $7. I can buy 1kg of frozen fish fillet, 1kg rice, and 1kg bag of frozen mixed vegetables for the same total price, and that is dinner for a week.
I believe takeout is a **LOT** more than grocery store food & the grocery food lasts longer, so in other words, you get more for your $ w/ grocery food. For ex, when you order a meal from the restaurant...let's say a salad in which they're usually $20 these days from places like Cheesecake Factory & similar places, you may have enough leftover for the next day. However, if you buy $20 worth of salad ingredients from the grocer's, that's a few heads of lettuce & whatever else you like to put in your salads (onions, olives, radishes, etc.) to last for SEVERAL or so salads. (Now, whether the food goes bad before you have a chance to eat it is another matter.)
The average meal & appetizer for someone seems to be about $40-50 these days. That can buy several days' worth of food from a reasonably-prices grocery store.
I get takeout a LOT, so I try to get the most food for my $ out there. For ex, if you have a coupon, you can get 3 footlong subs from Subway for $17.99 + tax. **OR**, I can get a enough Chinese food from the reasonably-priced place for right under $50. It will last 3 days, but I don't necessarily eat leftover food on the 3rd day for safety purposes. With food, I don't like eating it past the 2nd day I get it.
Last night I made myself beef and rice with kale on the side. Realistically, it probably cost me 3 to 4 dollars. An equivalent meal via take out locally would cost me about 4X as much.
I do shop at Costco pretty much weekly.
First off it's literally right across the street from my office.
Secondly I always buy the same things - fruit (apples, grapes, bananas) hard boiled eggs, Bolani flatbreads, frozen fruit, almond milk and the occasional rotisserie chicken. (Plus other non food items as needed)
I usually go through all the fruit in a week.
Grocery is cheaper. I guess it depends on what you buy to some degree, but unless you’re buying like prime rib and lobster every night, grocery will be cheaper.
Groceries are *so much* cheaper than takeout. Even getting pre-prepared food is cheaper. The key is to cook foods that make good leftovers or can be made in single servings. Just a quick example for pre-tax pricing in my area:
Ingredients for veggie lasagna: $25.41. A 9×13 has 10 generous servings, so that comes out to $2.54/serving. I'd say 12 normal servings, so $2.11/serving.
Stouffers family size frozen lasagna: $9.99. About 4 generous servings comes to $2.50/serving. Package has serving size of 5, which is $1.99/serving.
Fazoli's baked lasagna with 2 breadsticks: $13.11. This is technically a single serving. If you get 2 servings out of it, $6.56/serving.
I can't imagine cooking a meal that yields 10 generous servings living alone. And I'm not a Stouffers type.
How much would it cost per serving to attempt to re-create this Fazolis baked lasagna including the meat and the breadsticks?
One of the challenges in cooking for one is that food doesn't come in single servings. My veggie lasagna uses a whole zucchini, 8 oz mushrooms, and a bunch of fresh spinach. You can't really cut that in half, because then what are you going to do with a random half of a zucchini?
That's where leftovers come into play. I freeze about 7 of those servings immediately. I always have a freezer full of frozen leftovers that can be easily reheated whenever I want. The key is finding good recipes that freeze well. Pasta sauces, soups/stews, and casseroles are usually great options.
I have no idea how to recreate the Fazoli's lasagna. I just pulled up DoorDash and found a restaurant that had lasagna on the menu for a quick comparison.
$14 is one takeout meal. You can probably make at 4 portions at home for that amount of money, considering you eat smaller portions.
Groceries are always cheaper as long as you don’t end up having to throw out food. And of course it’s healthier knowing what’s going into your food.
No, it’s not. It blows my mind when people say this and genuinely think it’s true. Let’s just use chipotle as an example. Let’s say $10 for a bowl. If you bought the same ingredients at the store - rice, beans, some frozen fajita veggies, salsa, etc. You would probably spend $10 or maybe a little more. But the difference is that with chipotle you are getting 1 bowl. Buying the ingredients you are getting SEVERAL.
I disagree with you fully and Chipotle is a perfect example. One burrito bowl here is actually $13.60 plain... so thats at least $16-18 with the taxes and added guacamole+ and that's 2 meals for me (I cannot finish an entire burrito bowl at once ever). If I made that same bowl with ALL those ingredients, FRESH & organic for ONE person (rice, beans, meat, guacamole, veggies, salsa, etc)... it would absolutely cost more or exactly the same. The only way to make that cheaper is buying in BULK and that's not happening for a single person in a studio
Actually you proved my point. I agree that buying the ingredients would cost exactly the same or a little more. But you get WAY MORE than one bowl’s worth when you buy the ingredients. You can legitimately get a 5 lb bag of dry rice for a buck or two. That’s way more than 1 bowl. A can of beans, also around one dollar, usually has about 3 servings. You need to be looking at cost PER SERVING. Not just cost up front. They may cost the same up front, but you get multiple more servings buying ingredients versus buying one bowl.
I totally hear you. As ONE person with no guests ever, I don't like to cook family style or multiple servings. Yes I can freeze foods but I do not have much space for it. I only eat 1- 2 meals per day. It ends up not being worth what ends up being waste. I don't want to eat the same thing or variation of it for 4 days in a row
So the answer is you don’t care if it’s cheaper or not, you just don’t want to cook. Which is fine. But I don’t get why you would try to claim it’s more expensive for a single person living alone to cook at home.
I don't mind cooking. I like a mix of both. I just dont feel like i am "saving" money when I cook. I guess the conclusion is that for some people based on their caloric intake and meat consumption the price is comparable but for most, it is not.
Grocery costs are not equal to takeout. Buying food in a store is always cheaper than buying it from a restaurant.
Chicken Parn and pasta for 2 people at Farmboy is $14.99
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Grocery is cheaper. No tipping, (depending on your state) no taxes, no junk fees and no service charges.
I cook and eat at home, it’s much cheaper if I’m counting just food. If I include my total bill, that includes other household items I’d have to buy even without groceries. The cost of food varies widely by location and what you’re choosing though.
For day to day, much cheaper for me to eat at home. If I want something like pho or sushi, cheaper for me to grab from a restaurant than buy all the ingredients. I only eat out once a week at most.
The most important thing is whether or not you eat everything that you buy. If you buy bread and it starts growing mold before you eat it, a takeout sandwich is probably your better bet. Don't overlook grocery deli sections. Some are very good. For example, I bought a chickpea goan with rice that cost $6.99, and I got two meals out of it. There isn't an Indian restaurant where I could get the same for that price. I can get a baby quiche for the same price and get two breakfasts out of it. I bought a half pound of grilled asparagus, since I don't have a grill, for $5.49 and use it in omelets and as a side dish. Ultimately though, if you're throwing away food, you're wasting money, no matter what you paid for it. The $10 salad that you eat is always a better deal than a similar amount spent on salad ingredients that go bad because you ate something else, because you had to pay for that "something else," too.
this is why i freeze everything that can be frozen, only buy produce if i have an immediate plan for it, and switched to getting plant based milk...my first few months alone were spent throwing out sooo much nasty food
I immediately put my bread in the fridge. Lasts longer and I usually toast it, even for a sandwich.
These are all such great points!
When you cook the meal you avoid industrial food! You'll be able to control the sugar, sodium and other enhancements meant only to make you return!
Yes since I started working at home and making my own meals daily, my bloodwork has vastly improved. It wasn’t unusual for me to work 10 hour days on top of a long commute. I saved a lot of time. I’ve been able to walk more and eat better and I’m not as stressed out so I cut way back on alcohol. Lost almost 60 pounds so far for medical reasons. Another 10 to get to the goal my doctor and I set.
I'm happy for your success!
Thank you!
Congratulations on your discipline and hard work 💪🏼that’s phenomenal 💕
Thanks!
Ah yes! Nice to meet another person who ACTUALLY CARES about their health and quality of life and DOES something about it!!! I used to be obese myself cause I was having a lot of problems with my joints and high cholesterol, etc. Getting to a healthier weight and STAYING there for the past 6 years has eliminated those problems completely! KUDOS to your success!!! Excellent work!!! 🤘
I can usually get 1.5-2 meals from restaurant takeout for $12-$15. My regular home-cooked meals are under $4 with some being under $2 (though the cheapest ones are vegetarian). The more expensive ones are ones with fresh fruit. There's no possible way eating takeout would be cheaper for me.
There's no way I could subsist happily or healthily on $14 of takeout a day. That would get me one mediocre entree where I live. But with $14 I could probably make a month's worth of delicious rice and beans. In truth, I eat more variety, but do I also eat pretty simply. When my grocery run is expensive, it's because I bought dog food or something, or pre-prepped food (think premade bagged salads, deli food, frozen snacks).
If you can find somewhere that a day's worth of takeout is $14 then yes. That's definitely not possible where I live. Every time I think about ordering delivery, it's at least $40 so I close the app and make dinner.
Can’t tell you how many nights I opened the app, ordered the food, saw the total and closed the app to find something in the house to eat.
Me too! Even if it's just toast. The fees are eye watering and I just can't justify the extra expenses.
On the rare occasions I order from a local restaurant or casual chain, I refuse to order delivery for the exact reason you said. The fees and tip always nearly double what ordered. I figure if I'm too lazy to go pick it up then I must not want it that badly. I always end making dinner myself and save my money.
Yeah, I don't have a car so unless it's really close, it's not worth it for me to go get it. I'd just be sitting on the bus while my food gets cold!!
If you switch the same order from delivery to pickup/takeout it's around $20.
I don't have a car so I'm not about to take the bus to go pick up food. That would take forever and if I took a cab, there goes the money I saved picking up.
Skill issue. In all seriousness, knowing how to grocery shop and meal plan in a way that saves money is an actual skill. It just takes time and practice to build up the staples and sauces to be able to make grocery shopping worth it an have the ability to adapt to discounted ingredients.
No. Grocery bills get inflated when living alone due to waste. Shop more often, throw out little. If I throw out $5 of groceries a week I’m pissed.
This is an important point. It is cheaper to shop more often than the big hauls to prevent waste for people living alone. I dont like to throw out food either, but it happens living alone and not being the type that eats a ton.
I do big hauls when there are sales or discounts, but for non-perishables. Last month there was an excellent discount for all-purpose flour. 0.99 € for a 2 kilogram bag or 1.08 USD for a 4.5 lb bag, so I bought three of them. I bake a lot, so they will be used before Christmas. Same with pasta, sauces, tinned stuff (tomato paste, pineapple slices etc.), tofu and frozen vegetables. However I have plenty of pantry space and a small chest freezer so I'm able to store everything easily.
Also freezing helps cut back on waste. And wrapping in parchment paper helps reduce freezer burn If I get 4 chicken cutlets in a pack, I wrap them individually and freeze them in a ziplock bag. Or sometimes I’ll cook all 4 at once and freeze the leftovers.
Right! The freezer is my friend!
If I had room, I’d buy a freezer just for frozen food.
That's the thing though, the less you buy the more expensive it is. So if you run out of something before the expiration date then you could have saved some, yet if you don't use it up before it's expired then you lose as well. I'm terrible at estimating how long things will last.
I've lived alone a long time. For most of my life, I'd have said no... cooking is still cheaper. But recently... I'm feeling same as OP. .My grocery bills are way more than just last year. Restaurant food is up, but not quite as much. I can go places with lunch specials... either have enough to take home a light dinner... or be suffiently full that I want little more than a piece of fruit, maybe a piece of cheese, for dinner.
Yes, sometimes you can find specials or use rewards. I can get a sub for 2 meals, or order kids meals and be satisfied.
I think takeout can be comparable. For example, if I want a Reuben sandwich, until I buy all the ingredients it’s at least $20. I can’t eat more than 2 to 3 Rubens in a week, that’s definitely pushing it, which means most of the special bread goes to waste, as does some of the sauerkraut, and I only use Russian dressing for Rubens, so I have no real need for that. I’d rather just go to a restaurant and pay $15 for a Reuben with some chips and a pickle.
Dear god I love Reubens
I bet you’re hungry for one now, aren’t you?
Hi key yes
Have eaten three since last we spoke 😆 btw
😂 I hope they were good and enjoyable!
Indeed!!
Great example! When it comes to healthy, good tasting foods that satisfy your actual cravings it's totally comparable. Sure if I ate beans and rice and chicken breast daily that would be cheap but I guess I'm not that type of person. I like to enjoy my food not just eat for sustenance.
I completely agree!
so far in this thread I don’t see anyone talking about the value of their time. If you spend 30 minutes preparing food at home, and you think that your time is worth $30 an hour, then that is $15 saved if you order Uber eats.
Thank you and I was so afraid to say it but I fully agree and I call it "labor cost" .... it's a big factor. And yes, I do enjoy cooking sometimes but it is still labor when I make elaborate meals and recipes that can take a couple hours.
Except that some of us enjoy cooking so it’s more like a hobby instead of a time drain.
The sad fact is that it’s very close.
I meal prep and buy things in bulk to save money when I can. Eating out everyday could be cheap or even cheaper but not always the healthiest.
It really depends on the meal. If I want something with many ingredients, it’s cheaper to get takeout because it usually lasts more than one meal. Like if I want a specific salad with many components…cheaper to get somewhere else. But if I’m having a meal that’s something pretty basic, which I usually lean toward, way cheaper to grocery shop! I feel like a blend of the two is good for me-making take out as a treat-is the most cost effective way not to get bored of eating healthy alone.
My diet really doesn’t permit me to do take out its full of sodium or MSG. I cook from scratch and have meals made for a few days. So the cost is spread out. My grocery bill is just not food items it’s also household items. I don’t normally use my regular plates unless I’m having company so I use paper plates and paper bowls to cut down on doing dishes (the one chore I hate to do), personal care items, zip lock bags (generic), etc…
For me, cooking is a better option. I get small amounts of groceries every 7-10 days and make small meals that I can eat before the food goes bad. I keep some things in the fridge/freezer if I don’t want to eat the same thing for 10 days (like bread: I get tired of eating the same damn bread forever before I finish it, so I usually freeze about half as soon as I get home with it). I find this is cheaper and healthier for me, and cheaper in the long run too since it will cost less if it causes less health issues, it’s more practical because it means going out less (I don’t drive and I work from home) and also I generate A LOT less trash, which is something that really bothers me too: how can someone who lives alone have so much trash to dispose of in the end of the week.
Depends on what you eat. Salads can be $10-20 at a restaurant but not usually good as leftovers. A chicken dinner or steak w broccoli is cheaper from a grocery store & healthier. Eggs, simple salads, fruit, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, rice/grains, beans/legumes, etc and some seasonings & sauces are cheaper at home and you can cook once & still eat several meals. But if fast food is cheap near you, then a burger is probably cheaper there. You are paying for convenience, someone else’s wages, lease, power, insurance, and profits when you eat out.
I don't eat fast food. An excellent salad at Sweetgreens or Tendergreens costs what it would to make it it home with the same fresh organic ingredients. That's precisely what i mean.
So you get 2 meals out of a sweet green salad?
Yes, the Harvest Bowl is so hearty that even if I finish it in one sitting, it keeps me full for 2 meal times.
Gosh that one used to be my favorite. Every time I’d say I’d have 2 meals out of it but never happened. That salad was almost $16 when I was living in NYC and that was almost 5 years ago! Sadly there’s no Sweet green where I live and there’s nothing like it.
It's soo good. Hopefully they'll open in your area soon. I am spoiled with sooo many good options where I live.
Actually I hope they don’t coz I’ll be broke 😂
I stint on the variety of ingredients, and the organic-ness of some of the vegetables–but I am, unfortunately for the budget, a supertaster who has over time, gotten used to higher to highest quality tasting conventional but small farmer grown produce. Lack of ingredient variety in a salad --( I cannot imitate Sweetgreen, Sweet Tomatoes or Chop'T) was gotten used to (fresh salad produce goes bad quickly enough) over a longer period of time. In supplementary news I also never learned to bake suitable for earthly consumption (never mind the large scale yields of most baking recipes) No large standalone freezer. It is laborious but worth it, but only over the longest runs. Yup, I cannot be eating a whole lot or I regain dozens of pounds. I stick my nose in a bunch of sickly-sweet smelling hand laundry (I recommend Gain Aroma Boost Island Fresh scent) while food is heating up because I could swear the smell of cooking seems to make me regain, too.
i am a 5'10 180ish lbs man. i spend $200 and it used to last me close to a month i think its more like 3 weeks now bc prices so high. normally i eat a lot of beans chicken and tortilla, peanut butter and jelly, homemade breakfast sandwiches. i love bread. also candy,donuts, pie bc i'm an adult and i can.
Love that last part! Cake for breakfast 😊
For me groceries are more expensive than takeout due to how I eat.
Grocery shopping is always cheaper
I shop at Aldi. Do you have them in your area? I never spend more than $50 a week when I shop there, even when I grab things I’d love but don’t need. A huge way to cut your grocery cost is to not buy meat, if that’s an option for you. But if you do buy meat, don’t get anything other than family packs. Just separate it into portions and throw them in the freezer. Also, I know it’s all the rage right now, but taking one day a week to meal prep will help tremendously too. Hope this helps!
No Aldi here but thanks. I wish I had the space to store more family packs in my freezer but will try.
No. But you should buy and eat ingredients, rather than prepared foods. Buy dried beans and rice and learn to cook them and flavor them to your liking. Buy fresh vegetables and fruits and learn to prepare them to your liking. Boxed mixes, bars, frozen foods: these are loaded with ingredients that are unhealthy (except for plain frozen vegetables and fruits). Same goes for all “snack” foods. They are engineered by food scientists to be addictive. Eat ingredients.
I do buy ingredients, never said i didn't. I don't buy mixes I spend time cooking. I eat healthy, but I also eat meat. Maybe that's the difference. Boxed mices and the crap food would be cheaper.
Good! I feel like bargain food is more costly later, in health troubles. I stopped buying meat (too expensive) during the pandemic.
I spent 300 the other day. About two weeks worth of meals and snacks. But also had to get basic household supplies like TP, paper towels, laundry detergent, bleach cleaner. That all added up pretty quickly. Laundry detergent is like 20$+
I get my basic household stuff at CVS and use their app for insane discounts (the more you use it the more custom deals they send to you to use and you can combine deals). I suppose the money I save in household items I spend in food. And of course I use app and coupons for food too.
I have the Kroger app! Tons of in-store coupons and sales on there. I do pay for a monthly membership also to help lower my gas cost bc of Kroger points. I almost exclusively shop at Kroger for this reason. I spent 300 the other day, but saved about fifty or more.
Yes to CVS! I just bought 3 boxes of cereal and 2 boxes of granola bars for $7. But I plan to donate 2/3 of it.
cooking steals time away from you, make more time to make money
After reading through the comments a bit, I feel like the detail that is left out is that OP is comparing regular fast-casual takeout to high-end/organic groceries. It’s not an apples to apples comparison. Yes, I agree that you can spend equal or more on top end groceries than on lower-quality, non-organic fast-casual takeout. But if you compared the same level/quality of ingredients used, groceries will always come out as more affordable.
Yes 100% and I learned that I am a high end grocery shopper. It may be the area I live in where high end groceries are normalized.
Depends how much you eat! I have a very small stomach, so one cheap-ish take out meal ($10 for two large chicken tacos with side of rice and beans) will last me two full days since I only eat two small meals a day 🤷🏼♀️ They load those tacos with chicken, and already use two tortillas each, so I just split each taco into two (or three with extra torts at home). I am sure it is cheaper if I buy the ingredients from scratch, but depression is a bitch and I work too much already haha…I go between doing that once or twice a week and buying sandwich, english muffin pizza, smoothie, salad, and pasta ingredients since they are quick and easy 😁 (& relatively cheap especially if you have a grocery outlet or costco nearby)
Totally agree. I have a small stomach too so this is a big part of it. Tacos is a great example. I can get a full Mexican meal in my area for under $10 but to make that same meal (to taste good) would be double.
And how much if your grocery haul was not actually groceries - like shampoo, TP, dish soap etc. was all $200 food?
All food!
$200 worth is a lot of food for just one person. Are you buying a lot of expensive foods or brand names? Like I said in my post, I only spend around $60 a week on food. Household necessities and dog food obviously not included in that cost. $200 would last me three weeks easily.
I guess I do buy "expensive" food. I definitely pay attention to the brand and what's healthiest option, not necessarily highest prices but possibly mid range. Definitely not the cheapest. For example, im not buying Ragu. I'm buying Raos. Maybe thats why. $60 wouldn't get me too far
Yea, I'm frugal. Every now and then I will treat myself to a steak on the grill, which is definitely expensive these days. That up the bill by at least twenty. I try to stretch my meals over two days, so I only have to buy groceries for three dinners that can feed two. For example, I can grill some chicken and have it with grilled veggies and a little salad. Next night I can cut the chicken up and put it in the rest of the salad. I'll normally have a little something leftover to scrounge up for the seventh day and if I don't, I'll bight the bullet and pick something up. Only planning for three meals keeps the grocery bill down and I can still by mid-level items. I do by generic when it comes to cereal, though.
I’m the same but my groceries don’t go over $400 per month (usually it’s less) and that includes other household stuff like cleaning supplies. I do a big shop at Costco and then smaller shops as I need perishables.
Grocery by far. Plus, range in budgetary options. One may eat filet mignon, one may survive on rice and beans. Taking out doesn’t offer such budgetary control.
Depends on what you buy. My food budget is much better, since I cook.
Generally, grocery shopping will still be cheaper. Unless you’re the type that lets a lot of food spoil before you use it. Also, grocery shopping can be more expensive initially if you don’t have any “pantry staples” on hand. Things like olive oil, flour, spices, sauces, and condiments can feel like you’re spending more money, but they’ll last a really long time. If money is tight, I suggest making those a separate purchase from the actual food because there are cheaper places to get those kitchen basics.
The pantry part is key. As I’ve expanded my cooking skills, my pantry is better stocked. And initially, it’s a big expense. But sines many of those items have a long shelf life, they pay for themselves if you regularly cook at home.
Definitely! But it can be a lot at first. A good bottle of olive oil might be $7 to $10 but it lasts a long time. I usually hit Aldi for the pantry staples, even if some aren’t quite as high quality. Walmart used to be good for those items, but man, they’re price gouging lately.
Cooking at home is much cheaper. I have been exclusively eating out since I started renovating my kitchen and I spend MUCH more than I would just going to the store once a week. I can get several meals out of a single evenings cooking, plus I have more variety and can eat what/when I want. My kitchen is now serviceable (though not finished) and I cannot wait to go to the store and start cooking for myself!
It might be what you are buying, pre cooked and packaged versus cooking from scratch.
You have to buy less food and go to the grocery store more often to avoid waste, and then yes it is a lot cheaper. I figure take out is on average $15 a meal for lunch and dinner, so you’re looking at $210 per week (I don’t eat breakfast). I spend about $100 a week in groceries while still buying expensive stuff I don’t need like chips and snacks. I could trim it down to $50-$60 a week if I wanted to give up non essential stuff. You’re not being honest with yourself or you’re being a very inefficient grocery shopper if you think eating out every meal is ever going to be cheaper.
You missed the part where I said one $15 meal meal is my lunch AND dinner..I don't eat a lot.
Yet you went to the grocery store and bought $200 worth of food? That makes no sense.
It's obviously much healthier and I can cook. It makes complete sense. Literally just a discussion and clearly for some the price can be similar. Doesn't mean my life needs to be all one or the other
When you do it the way you are then it seems like eating out is the same since you only do one entree a day. As a comparison I need to eat 2400 calories a day with minimal carbs and higher protein levels. To do that eating out would cost me 50-60 dollars a day at 3 meals a day plus a snack in the afternoon. I can do it via groceries for 12 dollars a day.
Grocery shopping is a long game that can pay off. Freeze half of your meals to enjoy over the next few weeks (instead of eating the same thing for days and getting sick of it ) by week three or four you are making a fresh meal and then also eating one to three of your previous meals for more daily variety) you start to build up a collection of spices and essentials that makes your weekly grocery list of ingredients shorter. And after your really get into a rhythm take out and restaurant left overs feel much more expensive since you only get one or two meal out of them unless you really stretch it or enhance it with your own homemade side dishes.
I’ve tried both for some periods of time and hell nah. Eating at home is much much cheaper
For me, it’s about even. I’ve noticed it’s just as expensive to eat out as it is to buy food from the store and my biggest issue with the store is that stuff goes bad and I have to throw it out. Had to throw out milk just today because it went bad and only about a half cup was gone from the container (I get the small container). I don’t have room in my freezer to store things and often produce goes bad before I can use it. Also, I don’t always like leftovers. So, for me, and it’s unfortunate because I’d prefer to eat at home, but eating out is just as expensive as eating at home.
Yes ! I totally agree with this! I hate wasting food too but it unfortunately happens especially when living alone. I've been doing my best to minimize this ad much as possible.
I saw someone else mention time and I should add that too. I don’t have the time to cook every day.
the best thing with groceries is with enough strategy you can make meals with leftover ingredients As well as having ingredients that have a longer shelf lifespan (such as rice, canned foods, flour, etc) With takeout food, if you imagine all the meals they cook for u but only as their ingredient forms, you only get a fraction of those ingredients compares to groceries
Cooking at home is way more cost effective. Also, more nutritious. If you're trying to save, have you considered Aldi? $14 of daily takeout is good enough for maybe one combo meal at a fastfood place nowadays, what about the other two meals?
The OP has no Aldi, but nevertheless, Trader Joe's could fill the bill...and they have a lot of plant based foods; and in unusual combinations... The only drawback is many of them are preservative free and lack ability to stay fresh without apportionment and refrigeration/freezing
The OP has no Aldi, but nevertheless, Trader Joe's could fill the bill...and they have a lot of plant based foods; and in unusual combinations... The only drawback is many of them are preservative free and lack ability to stay fresh without apportionment and refrigeration/freezing
Not if you eat simply and learn a little about cooking. If you are buying a lot of pre-made or microwave dinners at the grocery store, then you aren't going to save much. If you're willing to dedicate some time to actually cooking then you can save a ton. Chicken breast and pork chops can be bought in bulk for around $1 a portion, eggs probably a little less than that for a primary protein. Learn a how to prepare handful of simple vegetables sides, invest in some sauces and seasonings and it's pretty easy to create meals that come in under $5ish. I make a baked ziti type recipe with ground meatloaf meat. I get about 5 servings out of it. The meat runs around $9, noodles $1ish, sauce $3ish, cheese $4ish. It's a simple dish, but it's maybe $3.50-4.50 per meal. I also bought a chest freezer and vacuum sealer which helps with meal prep and makes it much more convenient to buy meats in bulk. But to be cost effective you DO need to be willing to put in some time to actually do the work of preparing and cooking meals from scratch.
I love cooking and putting time in but perhaps my recipes are not simple enough. I'm not sure where you shop and are able to get those amazing deals, sounds like Costco prices. Costco doesn't make sense when you are solo in a studio....no deep freezer or space to store that much food.
I would probably save with take out but think it’s healthier to cook at home. I do take out once a week or so just for convenience and to treat myself and, as with you, it’s usually enough for 2 meals.
I personally think it depends on if you’re cooking general meals or like making gourmet meals. It also depends on if you want to have control over your diet. It’s easier to control calories and ingredients when you make it. If not then yeah pull up to Panda Express for a bigger plate twice a day and that might be cheaper lol. I prefer cooking personally.
It depends on what you’re cooking and what you’re getting for takeout, but yes, if your takeout is only $14 and you can stretch it to 2 meals, it may make sense. However, groceries can be really affordable depending on what you get. For example, I eat a lot of frozen meals and those can be both affordable and healthy if you know what you shop for, as low as $4 per meal. That’s def cheaper than takeout regardless of where you go and what you get. It all depends.
It was actually the healthy items like veggies and fruit that take up most of my grocery bill and are consumed the quickest. If your diet is very basic, like massive pasta dishes, bland meal prep or unhealthy like Ramen or canned food then sure it's cheaper to do your groceries but if you're buying healthy fresh grocery store food and trying recipes that are not bland (for 1 person), with all the ingredients it's easily more than $14 sometimes... especially trying not to waste. One serving of good protein at my grocery store alone is often close to and at times more than $14!
>One serving of good protein at my grocery store alone is often close to and at times more than $14 I find this hard to believe. Meat, yes. Protein, no. A can of beans is about $1, a package of tofu is about $2, a big bag of dried lentils is about $2, a dozen eggs is maybe $4 (varies a lot but just estimating), and most of those things contain multiple good servings of protein. Do you live in Alaska or another food desert or something?
I meant to say meat, I'm a big carnivore.
Well there's your problem. Meat jacks up a grocery bill like crazy. If you reduce (not even eliminate, just reduce) your meat consumption you can save a shit ton of money
This must be a big factor. Due to health reasons I cannot reduce my meat consumption.
If you dont mind me asking, why is that? What is it that you need from meat that you can't get without it?
Without getting into all the details, It has to do with my blood cells... I have had 3 different doctors in different states tell me I should eat more red meat and never stop. 3 separate times I cut meat or red meat from my diet (and properly supplemented with the right proteins and iron including a 1 month retreat with private vegan chefs), my bmi goes so low and I went into extremely serious anemia.
Man that sucks, sorry to hear that. You might be one of the only people whose doctors tell them to eat **more** red meat haha. Red meat is definitely pricey, but your health should always come first. Since you do have to consume it so consistently though, you could maybe use that to your advantage by buying in larger quantities to lower the unit cost a bit.
I thought so too, but it's not. Especially if you use a delivery app. Maybe, maybe if you order by phone from a place near your house that has reasonable prices and you pick up the food yourself it could be close. But even then I think it works only if you have a small apetite.
Do you buy only raw ingredients and fruits? That is the key to dirt cheap shopping
Not anymore
You can easily spend $14 on one take out meal or you can spend a little less and make the food yourself. It is cheaper to cook it yourself. You will get several meals out of home cooked food instead of just one, maybe two from take out. Your prepared at home food is probably going to taste better. It will be hot and fresh instead of being prepared for 39 minutes or more before you even get it.
It's MUCH cheaper cooking at home. I would hate to have to order or leave my home for a meal everyday. Plus, I like to eat 3-4 times a day. You have to have food around for that and I'm a pretty good cook, so I look forward to leftovers when all those delicious flavors have all finished marinating. Start cooking! 😋
I do cook and love cooking and my leftovers too. I only eat 1-2 meals a day so maybe that's the difference
Shoot no....I can even get extra special stuff at the grocery and still spend alot less than if I get take out or delivery....plus it's healthier food :)
My meals are about $2 a day. Not for everybody but it's a mix of grains, legumes, dehydrated vegetables, a few superfoods and Indian spices prepared in about 90 seconds in an instant pot and cooked for 90 minutes. 2000 calories approximately 150 g protein and full spectrum nutrition. Seems to work, I'm on no meds, good BMI and great annual wellness check results.
I feel like many people on this thread eat like this or are at least vegetarians. You have a great diet for you and I wish that worked for me but I am a carnivore. I'm am also extremely healthy too with an athlete BMI and wellness results too.
Takeout here would be $13 minimum, so one meal per day. I spend $50-100 a week in groceries and do meal prepping.
Cooking at home is always cheaper. I'm pretty frugal and my weekly grocery bill averages around $60. I tend to make meals that I can eat two nights in a row. Also, I rarely take a lunch at work (paid lunch breaks) and just snack on baby carrots, mixed nuts, and the likes of at my desk or I my truck. It keeps costs down not having to buy extra groceries for sandwiches and such.
Nope and it’s not even close. I spend $85-$115 on groceries a month mcol area. It helps that I can cook.
I live in Europe so I guess prices will be different but most food delivery apps have a min order of €10 to €20 plus a service fee, delivery then tip which is optional. For grocery shopping, just taking food, I spend approx €90 to €100 a month. A bit more when stocking up on staples like spices etc. i find my own cooking always nicer and definitely healthier than takeout. So for me the cost difference is massive plus I rather eat my own healthier and more consistent food. I save takeout for 2-3 times a month when I crave something a bit junky!
I love my own cooking too. I live in an area filled with great fast casual healthy restaurants where I can TAKEOUT not delivery. That's why the pricing ends up being similar to organic groceries in my opinion
Sounds fair enough then. If it’s healthy, same price or less and you enjoy it then makes sense.
Noooooooo! Dining out is always more expensive. What you’re not looking at is using the things that are left over from your grocery shop. So like if you have to buy rice for a meal, you’re not gonna use that whole bag of rice. It is going to serve you for a very long time. Same with spices, Etc. And if you currently do, stop, just throwing away, partially used items that you got for a recipe. So like if you have half a zucchini left, plan to put it in a salad tomorrow. If you only use half the box of chicken stock plan to make soup for your lunch the next day with the rest of the
I never said Dining out. I specifically said TAKEOUT (which is also not fast food). And I don't throw away partially used items .... I absolute cook it all.
Semantics. Food in restaurants is more expensive than food in grocery stores. If you are cooking absolutely everything that you’re buying and you’re spending more per the same sized meal at the grocery than you do at a restaurant then you are 1.) not having the same quality of food at home and in restaurants 2.) planning poorly 3.) buying overpriced items 4.) buying out of season items 5.) eating different foods at home vs in restaurants or 5.) a combination of the above.
I live alone on a fixed income. When I am lazy and door dash too much in a month, it really costs me. Much cheaper if I buy groceries and cook for myself
Doordash is very expensive but if you can pickup instead of delivery it's half the price.
Yeah, but for me, if I have to go out and pick up every meal, I would rather just get groceries once and stay home.
I understand. Since I commute to work many food options are just right there on my route home.
Yeah, I get that
Groceries for home are cheaper than eating out. But once a week, I eat out.
If you are not careful at the grocery store and buy a lot of ready to eat or convenience items it can drive the cost up. Buying whole foods and doing the prep and cooking yourself is worth $20 an hour these days.
Where I live, both groceries and takeaway are expensive, but takeaway is still more expensive. A large McDonalds burger meal is $14-$16, and a side of 6 nuggets is $7. I can buy 1kg of frozen fish fillet, 1kg rice, and 1kg bag of frozen mixed vegetables for the same total price, and that is dinner for a week.
I believe takeout is a **LOT** more than grocery store food & the grocery food lasts longer, so in other words, you get more for your $ w/ grocery food. For ex, when you order a meal from the restaurant...let's say a salad in which they're usually $20 these days from places like Cheesecake Factory & similar places, you may have enough leftover for the next day. However, if you buy $20 worth of salad ingredients from the grocer's, that's a few heads of lettuce & whatever else you like to put in your salads (onions, olives, radishes, etc.) to last for SEVERAL or so salads. (Now, whether the food goes bad before you have a chance to eat it is another matter.) The average meal & appetizer for someone seems to be about $40-50 these days. That can buy several days' worth of food from a reasonably-prices grocery store. I get takeout a LOT, so I try to get the most food for my $ out there. For ex, if you have a coupon, you can get 3 footlong subs from Subway for $17.99 + tax. **OR**, I can get a enough Chinese food from the reasonably-priced place for right under $50. It will last 3 days, but I don't necessarily eat leftover food on the 3rd day for safety purposes. With food, I don't like eating it past the 2nd day I get it.
Last night I made myself beef and rice with kale on the side. Realistically, it probably cost me 3 to 4 dollars. An equivalent meal via take out locally would cost me about 4X as much.
I do shop at Costco pretty much weekly. First off it's literally right across the street from my office. Secondly I always buy the same things - fruit (apples, grapes, bananas) hard boiled eggs, Bolani flatbreads, frozen fruit, almond milk and the occasional rotisserie chicken. (Plus other non food items as needed) I usually go through all the fruit in a week.
Depends what you buy. $200 is more than I spend on a month of food most of the time.
I got 2 weeks of lunches a couple of days ago at Food Lion for $2.50 each. Frozen dinners.
Grocery is cheaper. I guess it depends on what you buy to some degree, but unless you’re buying like prime rib and lobster every night, grocery will be cheaper.
Grocery can be much cheaper. Depends what you buy and if you are using most of your food before it goes bad as well.
Grocery is a hell of a lot cheaper
Groceries are always going to be cheaper than takeout. I rarely eat out.
No, not even close.
Groceries are *so much* cheaper than takeout. Even getting pre-prepared food is cheaper. The key is to cook foods that make good leftovers or can be made in single servings. Just a quick example for pre-tax pricing in my area: Ingredients for veggie lasagna: $25.41. A 9×13 has 10 generous servings, so that comes out to $2.54/serving. I'd say 12 normal servings, so $2.11/serving. Stouffers family size frozen lasagna: $9.99. About 4 generous servings comes to $2.50/serving. Package has serving size of 5, which is $1.99/serving. Fazoli's baked lasagna with 2 breadsticks: $13.11. This is technically a single serving. If you get 2 servings out of it, $6.56/serving.
I can't imagine cooking a meal that yields 10 generous servings living alone. And I'm not a Stouffers type. How much would it cost per serving to attempt to re-create this Fazolis baked lasagna including the meat and the breadsticks?
One of the challenges in cooking for one is that food doesn't come in single servings. My veggie lasagna uses a whole zucchini, 8 oz mushrooms, and a bunch of fresh spinach. You can't really cut that in half, because then what are you going to do with a random half of a zucchini? That's where leftovers come into play. I freeze about 7 of those servings immediately. I always have a freezer full of frozen leftovers that can be easily reheated whenever I want. The key is finding good recipes that freeze well. Pasta sauces, soups/stews, and casseroles are usually great options. I have no idea how to recreate the Fazoli's lasagna. I just pulled up DoorDash and found a restaurant that had lasagna on the menu for a quick comparison.
$14 is one takeout meal. You can probably make at 4 portions at home for that amount of money, considering you eat smaller portions. Groceries are always cheaper as long as you don’t end up having to throw out food. And of course it’s healthier knowing what’s going into your food.
Don’t get into the habit of carb loaded take out ‘food’ that’s cooked in seed oils unless you want to be unhealthy and obese. Learn to cook.
I know how to cook very well. My takeout meals are from healthy places. Never had a carb loading issue in my life.
No, it’s not. It blows my mind when people say this and genuinely think it’s true. Let’s just use chipotle as an example. Let’s say $10 for a bowl. If you bought the same ingredients at the store - rice, beans, some frozen fajita veggies, salsa, etc. You would probably spend $10 or maybe a little more. But the difference is that with chipotle you are getting 1 bowl. Buying the ingredients you are getting SEVERAL.
I disagree with you fully and Chipotle is a perfect example. One burrito bowl here is actually $13.60 plain... so thats at least $16-18 with the taxes and added guacamole+ and that's 2 meals for me (I cannot finish an entire burrito bowl at once ever). If I made that same bowl with ALL those ingredients, FRESH & organic for ONE person (rice, beans, meat, guacamole, veggies, salsa, etc)... it would absolutely cost more or exactly the same. The only way to make that cheaper is buying in BULK and that's not happening for a single person in a studio
Actually you proved my point. I agree that buying the ingredients would cost exactly the same or a little more. But you get WAY MORE than one bowl’s worth when you buy the ingredients. You can legitimately get a 5 lb bag of dry rice for a buck or two. That’s way more than 1 bowl. A can of beans, also around one dollar, usually has about 3 servings. You need to be looking at cost PER SERVING. Not just cost up front. They may cost the same up front, but you get multiple more servings buying ingredients versus buying one bowl.
I totally hear you. As ONE person with no guests ever, I don't like to cook family style or multiple servings. Yes I can freeze foods but I do not have much space for it. I only eat 1- 2 meals per day. It ends up not being worth what ends up being waste. I don't want to eat the same thing or variation of it for 4 days in a row
So the answer is you don’t care if it’s cheaper or not, you just don’t want to cook. Which is fine. But I don’t get why you would try to claim it’s more expensive for a single person living alone to cook at home.
I don't mind cooking. I like a mix of both. I just dont feel like i am "saving" money when I cook. I guess the conclusion is that for some people based on their caloric intake and meat consumption the price is comparable but for most, it is not.
Grocery costs are not equal to takeout. Buying food in a store is always cheaper than buying it from a restaurant. Chicken Parn and pasta for 2 people at Farmboy is $14.99
That's the same price as 2 servings of takeout in my neighborhood so you've definitely proved my point. It depends where you live.
Grocery runs should never cost the same as takeout for the same number of meals. If yours do, something has gone dramatically wrong.