You’ve spent the last month enjoying many meals out with family, friends and business partners. From business lunches, birthday dinners and happy hours, you look at your bank statement and see that you’ve saved nothing this week! Learning how to stop eating out, or at least, drastically cut down on restaurant dining, will help you save money and benefit in many other ways.
In this article, I’ll go over the top hacks to cut down or completely cut out on your food and restaurant dining expenses. In my experience applying these tips on cutting out dining out, I’ve been able to save over $2,000 a year. Additionally, applying these tips have allowed me to:
- Experiment with new recipes
- Enjoy cooking and sharing meals with family and friends
- Become more appreciative of the shopping and cooking process
- Develop patience skills – some recipes take a while to cook, but the wait is worth it!
Read on to learn about how to stop eating out.
The Cost is a Top Reason to Learn How to Stop Eating Out
Besides the other important reasons you should learn how to stop eating out so much, how much does it cost? In 2022, the average household spent just over $300 per month on eating out. That’s a cost of over $3,600 per year! Sure, a couple hundred dollars per month may not seem like much to many. However, if you invest this money instead, you’ll be able to benefit from compound interest. Read this handy article to find out more about how much your dollars will add up with the power of compound interest.
Even if you decide not to invest the money, you’ll have extra cash freed up for other pursuits such as reducing debt, funding a hobby or going on that trip to Spain you’ve always wanted to go on!
Other Reasons for Learning How to Stop Eating Out
Eating at Home is Healthier
When you choose to prepare meals at home instead of eating out, you’ll generally eat healthier. How? Processed and prepared foods are generally loaded with sodium and processed ingredients. Restaurants often use fats, oils and butters during the cooking process. When you choose to shop for and cook your own meals, you’ll be in control of how large your portions are and how much oil you use before sautéing that asparagus. Additionally, if you have allergies, you’ll eliminate anxieties surrounding your food being contaminated with ingredients you can’t eat. While some allergies are minor, others can be fatal. Avoid being hospitalized – or worse – by cooking at home!
Learning How to Stop Eating Out and Cooking Instead Will Make You Feel Happier
When you stop eating out and start preparing meals at home, you’ll feel a greater sense of satisfaction. Think about it. When you invest time to shop for ingredients and prepare delicious, home-cooked meals, you’ll feel good about yourself. In addition to feeling full without being bloated from unhealthy foods, your wallet will be fuller as well. There’s no better feeling than having a stack of cash leftover at the end of the month to take care of your other goals!
Top Tips on How to Stop Eating Out
1. Learning How to Start Eating Out Means Setting a Goal
Before you set out and apply the tips below on how to stop eating out, you need to begin with the end in mind. Why do you want to cut out your restaurant and dining expenses? There are many different reasons why it’s a good idea. Here are the top tips why you may want to learn how to stop eating out. Choose one, two or more goals, write them down in a journal and keep referring to them regularly:
- Saving money for a specific goal such as paying off debt, investing for retirement or continuing education
- Becoming healthier, whether it be having more energy, losing weight or another goal
- Enjoying the process of grocery shopping and cooking
- Discovering new dishes you enjoy cooking
- Becoming happier with what you have by sticking to a simpler diet
2. Plan Your Meals
If you’re serious about learning how to stop eating out, you need to start and keep frugal kitchen habits. The top way to do this? Meal plan! Here are the top steps to plan out, shop for and cook meals:
Use What You Already Have in Your Fridge, Freezer and Pantry
Saving money means being resourceful. Use what you already have laying around your kitchen! Be sure to use up any leftover foods. Those green beans from your steak dinner two days ago can be reused and baked into a Shepherd’s Pie. That tomato sauce from your spaghetti dinner can be blended with garlic and other spices into a delicious pizza sauce. Get creative and have fun with it!
In addition to using leftover ingredients, be sure to use canned and boxed foods before their expiry date. When I worked in a kitchen in high school, we used a system called FIFO (first in, first out). This means that the oldest ingredients get pulled up to the front and the newest ingredients closest to expiry get put in the back. Create a FIFO system in your kitchen. Pull out all the ingredients in your cupboard. Next, sort them by type. Tomato sauce cans should all be together, chicken noodle soup cans should be together, and so on.
Plan Your Meals and Make a Grocery List
After you’ve determined what meals you can make with leftovers and have sorted your inventory, it’s time to meal plan! When learning how to stop eating out, it’s essential that you get organized. If you plan your meals ahead of time, you’ll be a lot less likely to hit the ‘order’ button on GrubHub or drive out to the local pizzeria.
Create a List of Budget Meals
For the highest chance that you’ll stay on track with your no restaurants and no takeout habit, choose a list of several go-to meals you can whip up in no time. Need some ideas? Here are some of my favorite frugal dinner ideas:
- Chicken-stir fry
- Hearty vegetarian chili
- Homemade sloppy joes
- Lentil tacos
- English muffin pizzas
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet (like me), feel free to customize the recipes to suit your diet. For example, swap out chicken for tofu or a plant-based meat alternative. Sub vegan cheese for regular cheese. Get creative and have fun with it!
Keep a Regular Inventory of Budget Food Staples
Frugal cooking habits start with what you stock your freezer, fridge and pantry with. In addition to a staple list of recipes that you can go to when in a pinch, you should keep and stock a list of core ingredients. Some of the top frugal foods you should consider stocking your kitchen with include:
- Rice
- Whole grain pasta
- Beans
- Lentils
- Tomatoes
- Bananas
- Onions
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Iceberg lettuce
The ingredients above are fantastic foods to eat on a budget, not only because they’re inexpensive, but because they’re nutritious, filling and can be used in a variety of different dishes. You can make stews, tacos, salads and so many other delicious dishes with these ingredients! Need more tips on what to stock your kitchen with? Check out this article by Everyday Thrifty on the cheapest grocery list for a month.
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Step 3: Use Price Comparison Apps
In addition to planning ahead, selecting budget grocery items and planning out delicious and budget friendly meals, use apps to save! Choose an app such as Flipp to compare supermarkets’ prices. Believe it or not, some more expensive grocery stores sometimes stock specific items that are the same price or cheaper than your budget grocery store. If you have a car and the grocery stores and close by, take some extra time to compare grocery stores and make a trip to 2 or 3 different stores to pick up the cheapest items at each respective store.
Step 4: Go Shopping
Next, it’s time to go shopping! When going to the grocery store, making shopping frugal easy by sticking to the outer shelves and aisles. Why? The inner shelves tend to hold processed foods that aren’t needed for many recipes – for example, chips, cookies and soda. Don’t forget your grocery list! Never shop without it. When you stick to a list, you’ll be a lot less likely to go over budget.
Step 5: Undertake Meal Prep
Bonus tip: choose a designated day to go shopping. Make a note or recurring event for making a list, shopping and preparing meals once per week in your calendar as a reminder. When you set aside a specific time slot every single day, you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Treat the process as you would any other commitment you have, such as work, a fitness class or a family event.
3. Choose a Designated Day to Cook a Special Meal
I’ve covered foods to eat on a budget and wallet friendly meals, but you shouldn’t completely deprive yourself. While you’re cutting out dining and takeout (at least for now), why not make your own home cooked version of your favorite dishes? Take a special trip to the local gourmet grocery store and pick up some specialty meat, cheese and bread products. Fix up a homemade version of your favorite margherita pizza. While it may not taste the same as your favorite pizza joint, it’s a treat and a change from all the super cheap meals you’re making regularly.
Why not make it a tradition? Set aside a designated day such as a Friday or Saturday night to shop with your family and prepare the meal together. Pair the meal with a delicious dessert and a funny movie, and you’ve got yourself a fun night of entertainment!
4. Invite Friends Over for a Dinner Party
Aside from setting aside a special day to shop for ingredients and prepare a special meal, I can’t miss out on mentioning the timeless dinner party. There’s no better way to enhance and build relationships with loved ones than gathering for a special meal. Instead of going out for dinner, why not cook at home? Take a survey on what everyone wants to eat and then shop for an appetizer, main course and dessert. Dining in is also a fun way to try out new recipes you otherwise wouldn’t.
5. Suggest Alternative Activities to Dining Out or Eating In
In addition to inviting friends over for a tasty meal, what about other stuff to do? Book an hour or two at an axe throwing place or a round of golf if that’s more of your jam. If you’re on a tighter budget, suggest a free or low-cost activity. Free and low cost activities you can try out include going out for coffee, doing a picnic lunch in the park, doing an at home spa, baking, exploring your city’s parks. There are so many different experiences and simple pleasures you can engage in that don’t cost a dime.
… and much, much more. Chat with your friends and family about what types of activities they enjoy doing. Get creative and have fun saving money without cutting corners on enjoyment!
6. Find an Accountability Partner
Having a special dinner party night with family or friends is already a fantastic way to cut down on your spending and create better habits surrounding takeout and restaurant dining. Take the challenge of learning how to stop eating out one step further by getting a family member or friend on board. Set aside some time on a weekend or in the evening once per week to chat about:
- Your reasons for engaging in the challenge
- What types of meals you want to try out
- Any potential roadblocks you think you might encounter during the process (lack of time, temptation to buy convenience foods)
- How you’ll reward yourself after a period of eliminating your restaurant dining and takeout expenses
That last point is important. Just because you’re cutting down on expenses doesn’t mean you should deprive yourself of rewards. When you achieve a goal and reward yourself, your brain will remember the reward and will stay motivated to keep on track with good habits. Even something as simple as an ice cream or a night out at the movies are great ways to keep your goals intact!
7. Learning How to Stop Eating Out by Trying a Low Buy Month or No Spend Month
Last but not least, learning how to stop eating out can be enhanced by a wholistic approach to reducing your expenses. Why not reduce or completely eliminate expenses for an entire month? Even cutting out expenses in one or two areas of your life is better than nothing. Do you really need that Netflix or Spotify subscription? There are many free alternatives. Check with your local library about subscription services. Many offer library card holders subscriptions to Hoopla and other streaming services. On these platforms, you can access thousands of movies, music and books. Check it out!
A Final Word on Learning How to Stop Eating Out
Learning how to stop eating out is a huge process, but it’s well worth the effort. Even if you still want to dine out, eating out on a budget is a huge improvement over dining without tracking your spending. Remember the power of compound interest and what your extra savings can do you for you and your future. Get creative with cooking and try out some cheap and tasty new recipes. Most of all, keep the big picture in mind of being frugal and thrifty while enjoying doing it!
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Janita is a frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance. With over five years of personal experience finding and trying out the best ways to make and save more money, she's eager to share her knowledge. Janita's strategies have helped her save thousands of dollars for funding investments and traveling to over 20 countries.
Janita completed training in personal finance at The University of Western Ontario and McGill University, two prestigious Canadian universities. Her expertise has been shared on GoBankingRates, Yahoo Finance, and NASDAQ.com.
