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10 Reasons Why We Dine Outside Instead of Cooking at Home
Since the day we met, we have been dining out. It has become a lifestyle of ours that we didn’t even plan on.
Whenever we tell someone that we eat all of our meals outside, the typical response is disbelief and shock. Often, dining out is considered a frivolous expense or luxury. In particular, articles about budgeting and money saving tips suggest cutting back on dining out as much as possible. However, we look at dining as more than just nourishment.
1. Food is an Experience
Everyone has a hobby or something they are passionate about. Fashion, cooking or video games come to mind. In our eyes, food is an experience that also happens to be a necessity to live. Thus, we treat dining out as a way to try different dishes, cuisines and preparations.
2. No Wasted Groceries
Yes, cooking your own meals is more cost-effective than eating meals outside. However, with perishable groceries such as fresh vegetables and poultry, you must commit to use them or dispose of them. Throwing out groceries is an overlooked expense that we avoid by eating out. Although that expense may just be a few dollars at a time, it is money that has been literally thrown into the garbage.
3. Flexibility
When you commit to cooking most nights of the week, you give up flexibility. Your friend invites you to try a restaurant at the last minute. If you go, you may need to throw out that chicken you planned to cook that night. In our situation, we have no commitment to cooking any groceries and are free to dine wherever and with whoever we wish - a liberating experience!
4. Desire to Be Outside of Home
We live in a minimal apartment without many bells and whistles. Much of this is by design, as we enjoy being outside of home and traveling. We don’t have cable or any high-priced entertainment systems. As a result, our spending is funneled towards experiences instead of things.
5. Small Kitchen
Apartments in New York City are getting smaller and the rent is getting higher. Living in a studio apartment with a small kitchen is an inconvenience. Of course, cooking can still be done in a smaller environment like this. However, it goes hand in hand that we still prefer to be outside of our home.
6. Timing
Working for much of the day leaves just a few precious hours each night before having to wake up and do it all again. Add up the prep, cooking and cleaning time and even less time remains. For us, spending that amount of time each night is less desirable than going out and not having to worry about it.
7. Supporting Local Businesses
We also treat dining out as a chance to support local businesses. Nearly all of our dining choices are independent businesses rather than chains that can be found elsewhere. Money that would have otherwise been spent on purchasing groceries can go directly to a cart, truck or eatery that often employ other people.
8. Making New Friends and Acquaintances
Dining out is also a social experience. Organizing group meals with other eaters is a great way to meet people. In addition, these group dining experiences are an economical way to sample more dishes than you could on your own. When we find a place that we really enjoy, we will frequent it and become friendly with the owner(s). These are the places that we especially like to refer to friends and curious diners.
9. Visiting Other Areas of Our City, Other Nearby Cities and Towns
Living in New York City gives us the ability to eat food from many cultures. Our curiosity will send us to neighborhoods throughout NYC to try different cuisines. Often, these are neighborhoods that neither of us had visited before or wouldn’t have if we weren’t seeking out the food. It is a great way to feel like we are traveling somewhere else without leaving our own city. Moreover, we have visited neighboring states strictly to try food that isn’t commonly found in New York or for their local take on it.
10. Food is Culture
With just one bite, we experience a new culture. Each dish transports us to another place thousands of miles away, even if we are only steps from home. Food brings us to places we have never been and takes us back to place we have visited before. As mentioned earlier, this kind of lifestyle allows us to meet new people while trying different cuisines. It is interesting how strangers sharing a table will share stories from their lives and travels.
All in All..
This lifestyle may seem unorthodox to many. You may think we spend entirely too much on food. On both counts, you may be right in your own mind. However, the thousands of dishes at the hundreds of eateries and countless memories formed through these experiences are priceless.
Have you considered this type of lifestyle? What do you think? We would love to hear your thoughts, opinions and even criticism![/fusion_text][/one_full][/fullwidth]
This lifestyle inspires me to do the same 🙂
Hi Dan - thanks for reading! Glad that this lifestyle inspires you too. It may be unorthodox, but is very rewarding when you add it all up.
It’s your money so if you want to spend it that way that’s certainly your right. I do enjoy dining out in a restaurant from time to time but our budget prohibits it and I just plain enjoy cooking.
For sure - depends on your priorities, budget and preferences. Great that you enjoy cooking!
I don’t dine outside every single day but I get your point. It’s definitely different for everyone and just because it’s something that people don’t do often doesn’t mean it doesn’t work for you.
We enjoy hearing the different perspectives - lots of different situations to consider for everyone.
These are some fabulous reasons. We dine outside of the house because I hate to cook 😉 Granted, we can’t do it as much as I wish since it can get pricey, but at least twice a week we’ll go out!
It can get pricey depending on how you dine out. If its a sit down restaurant, the costs add up very quickly! Also depends on the supply of eateries near where you live too. Carts and hole in the wall places can really trim those expenses!
If that is something you want to do and can afford more power to you. It does cost less to eat at home. With a large family like ours it is not cost effective to eat out. Plus we live 30 minutes from town.
Completely understand - there would be no way we would be able to do this with a large family and living outside of town. Its interesting to see how economical it is to cook for a large family versus just for two.
These are all good points! We don’t eat out much because we are trying to stay on a strict budget, plus my daughter has a peanut allergy (which is limiting as far as where we can go). I do miss the pre-kids days when we used to go out and enjoy a nice meal!
Allergies can be a big factor! Could only imagine how much tougher it would be having to consider a peanut allergy. Having a family definitely shifts the perspective and makes it much more imperative to cook.
I love this article! My husband and I downsized over the last year. One of our reasons was to spend more time together out rather than mundane housework. I’ll admit I do love to cook and worry about the calories from eating out but I definitely would like to lean more in that direction. I especially like the idea of eating out as a social experience. We both would love to make new acquaintances who have similar tastes.
Appreciate the kind words - glad you enjoyed it! Love your perspective, as life is truly a balance. Cutting costs in other areas can lead to spending more in other areas to accommodate your preferences. We have also been actively seeking to reduce costs in the dining out department and a great way is to get a group together to dine out at the sit-down spots that may cost more if it is just two of you. As the adage goes, “people who love to eat are always the best people!”
I would really love to eat out more often. However with a daughter with food allergies, it severely limits where we can eat. I actually love cooking, so I don’t mind. Plus I save so much money by cooking at home. We don’t waste anything, because I meal plan and shop accordingly.
That is great you have the discipline to meal plan and shop strategically. Could only imagine how difficult it must be to dine out when needing to consider food allergies. Certainly makes it much easier to cook when you enjoy it and when it is more economical to do so for a family!
I’m so jealous! As a family of four to live that way for us is crazy talk. However I hate cooking, I only do it because we would starve otherwise. If I could, I totally would eat out for every meal.
Oh for sure! That would be nearly impossible to do with a family of four, but the circumstances certainly dictate that shift towards cooking. Although here in NYC, there are many ways to eat delicious food cheaply thanks to the abundance of food court stalls, carts, trucks and smaller hole in the wall places.
My husband and I love having people over for dinner. We enjoy cooking together and having that leisurely dinner with friends or family in our home. I think I would miss home cooked food if we only ate out.
That also sounds like fun, especially if you are equipped to host friends and family in your home. We love home-cooked meals as well and enjoy visiting friends and family for a taste of home. Sounds like the way we like to experience dining out together is akin to the way you and your husband enjoy cooking and sharing that experience together.
I think all of these are reasons why we dine out instead of cooking but mostly it’s a culture thing. I love to visit places that serve foods that I don’t cook. There’s a Honduran restaurant near us that makes this tasty fish dish my husband loves and I tried to make it but - FAIL - so it’s off to the restaurant whenever he wants that dish.
Culture does play a big role as well. Seems that there are more dining establishments now compared to 10-15 years ago thanks to a faster-paced and busier culture where less time is spent at home compared to earlier eras. Visiting places that serve foods that aren’t easy to replicate are great! We haven’t tried Honduran food yet, but would love to! We also love seafood, so we are very curious about that dish your husband loves.
To each their own. I think its great and I know the mom and pop shops love your business. For our family of four we try to limit groceries to $100 a week or $400 a month. We usually go over by about 50 to $75 each month, but we also have expenses that we feel are worth while like gymnastics and piano lessons. I can’t wait until a time in our lives where we can eat out more. Keep doing what you love doing. Its hard to cook in a studio apartment with a small kitchen.
Enjoy reading your perspective - it really depends on the circumstances. We love to be able to support the mom and pops, but also understand how cost prohibitive it would be if we had a family. That is great that you are able to keep grocery costs so low with a family of four while supporting beneficial activities for your children.
I love being out places and eating. That’s why going out to eat is completing both of the tasks!
It sure is! We all have to fill our stomachs regardless, so why not make an experience out of it and be outside?
I can see the appeal of dining out a lot. It seems convenient and is fun. I can also see the appeal of cooking at home: making healthier dishes, saving money etc
For sure - there is a lot of appeal to both options depending on what you prefer. Over time, we may trend towards cooking at home if the circumstances dictate it. One underlying thing with both - enjoying delicious food is always a great thing!
We like to eat at restaurants a few times a week, especially local ones. However, if we lived in a big city I could see us eating at restaurants more often. There just aren’t many where we live.
Great that you enjoy eating at local restaurants! Could imagine it being difficult to do so frequently if you don’t live near many.
You have stated some very good points in this article. Every time we dine out is a different experience. We get to experience different food and learn about a culture through their culinary specialties.
Thank you! Sounds like we are on the same wavelength with treating meals as experiences. Not much better than learning more about another culture through food!
I absolutely love going out to eat. It is just so convenient.
Convenient for sure! Also, nobody can take the experience of trying something new from you.
I don’t think anyone here blames you. Cooking takes up so much time when you have mouths to feed .
It does take a lot of time to cook, though we know it can be very rewarding if you truly enjoy it.
I think it’s awesome that you’re sharing your thoughts on dining out. A lot of people thing it’s such a waste of money but really, you’re paying for the whole experience. And it doesn’t have to be expensive all the time. There are affordable places that offer great meals!
Thank you! Our sentiments exactly - everyone has their preferences on where they spend their money. The vast majority of the time, our meals aren’t expensive at all as we actively try to keep the costs down. We are also very fortunate to live in NYC where there are countless affordable places offering amazing food.
Ooh I would so love to do this but with six people it’s just so costly! I think it’s good for not wasting money on groceries though!
Completely understandable! We would be unable to do this with six people and bet that we would enjoy spending more time at home if that was the case. Not to mention, we would likely have a much larger home to live in! It does help with not wasting money on groceries, as it is tougher with just two people to maximize it without getting tired of leftovers.