Eating at Home

H. Brispot - Le Roi Boit!

Just a few years ago, it wasn't uncommon for my husband and me to eat out four or five times a week. That sounds like a lot to me right now but trust me, it added up quickly: a couple weekday dinners out, a lazy weekend breakfast, a quick lunch or a stop for fast food after shopping. (And let's not forget the "special" meals out--birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, graduations--need I say more?)

We weren't the worst offenders in our circle at the time but at the height of our gluttony, my husband and I were spending nearly 20% of our combined income on dining out. Think about that for a second: Twenty percent. That's more than many people spend on income taxes per year. That amount then was more than we currently pay for our home mortgage. It was even more than I currently make for my two jobs combined! (Ugg, let's stop there. Feeling sick...)

Yes, working full-time in the city and making more money than you need makes it easier to spend it. And being around people who spend money also makes it easier. But we knew what we were doing at the time. And we still did it.

Needless to say, things are different now. Not only don't I have a thousand extra dollars a month to spend on anything unnecessary, I no longer want to. For the past three years, we have eaten almost exclusively at home. And you know what? I like it better. Yes, I cook a lot. And yes, many times that cooking is nothing more than boiling water for a box of Mac 'N Cheese. And yes, we do have more dishes to do on a daily basis. But really, it IS worth it.

Grandma and Grandpa never (and I mean never) went out to eat. Not when they were working and raising a family, and not when they were retired. Breakfast was eaten at home. Period. Lunch was taken to work and eaten there or in later years, eaten at home. And dinner was always eaten at home with the family. For parties, they threw potlucks. When they traveled, they cooked in their RV. Holidays and birthdays were always spent around a table in the dining room, not a restaurant.

Our new habit of eating at home is one of the things I am most proud of when I think of our move away from the city. My sincere hope is that even if our situation changes, this is one of the things we will stick with.

How do you feel about eating at home vs. going out?