How to Stop Eating Out
[ad_1] The post How to Stop Eating Out appeared first on Millennial Money. It’s a weeknight and you’re starving and exhausted. So you reach out to Grubhub or DoorDash and place an order for the fastest, greasiest, most delicious, carb-heavy thing on the menu. And the best part? You don’t even have to pay for it right now. You can just charge it to your credit card! The convenience food arrives in 20 minutes, you devour it, and move on. You’re not hungry anymore. But you’re also burning a hole in your wallet and putting on a few extra pounds in the process. Ordering junk food—or even just going through the restaurant drive-thru—is making you broke and unhealthy. If you’re looking to reclaim your hard-earned income, gain healthy eating habits, and become a better version of yourself, it’s time to learn how to stop eating out and start making your own healthy meals. How to stop eating out and start making good food at home: A step-by-step guide Be okay with saying no Budget for groceries Set up your kitchen Figure out a meal plan Learn some ballin’ recipes Set a schedule Share your victories Emotional hunger and boredom eating are powerful forces. Yet despite all this, it’s not hard to stop eating out. As with most things, changing your behavior just requires putting a plan into motion and sticking to it. Here’s a plan you can use to stop eating out—starting this very week. 1. Be okay with saying no If you live in a place like New York, it can be difficult to start cooking from home. Your friends may like going out to eat or your roommates may like to order pizza or tacos a lot. It can be hard to resist peer pressure. If this sounds familiar, the first step is understanding that it’s okay to try something different. Get comfortable saying “no” and eat in more. You don’t have to tell anyone you’re doing it to save money. If anyone asks, tell them you’re starting a new hobby. Cooking is in vogue! It’s cool to be a foodie, learn new cuisines, and be able to cook brunch better than all your friends. 2. Budget for groceries Before you head to the store, it’s a good idea to revisit your food budget. Figure out how much you’ve been spending eating out (you might want to sit down!). Once you know that sum, take a look at your monthly cash flow and determine how much you want to spend on meals. You can always adjust this budget if necessary. But it’s good to stick to a plan when grocery shopping to prevent yourself from buying every type of cheese, bread, or spice in the store. Learn more: 20 Ways To Save Money When Eating Out Why You Need a Personal Budget How To Save Money on Groceries in 2021 3. Set up your kitchen Buy yourself a nice set of cookware Next, take some time to analyze your cooking arsenal. Make sure you have the basics at first: a stove, cutting board, knives, cooking utensils, pots and pans, timer, and spice rack. You may also want something like a crock pot or slow cooker. This tip may seem counterintuitive, but could actually get you cooking more: Treat yourself to some nice cooking accessories you’ll look forward to using. If you invest a little on a nice cast iron skillet, a fun potholder, and some sharp knives, you’ll have an easier time getting into the cooking mindset. Plus, you’ll feel bad if you spend money on accessories and don’t use them. It’s a great way to help build a cooking habit. Learn to use your dishwasher One reason people don’t like to cook is that they hate washing dishes. Yet cleaning up doesn’t have to be a nightmare! Start by cooking simple meals that are easy to clean up after. Learn how to use your dishwasher, and buy some rubber dish gloves to make scrubbing easier on your hands. It’s also a good idea to clean as you cook to avoid running into a large mess at the end. Brush up on cooking basics If this is your first time trying your hand at being a chef, watch some YouTube videos, buy a cookbook, and learn the basics. The last thing you want is to accidentally get salmonella or waste money by burning your food. Watch a YouTube recipe video while you cook. That way, you know exactly how to prepare whatever meal you’re working on. 4. Figure out a meal plan Next, figure out a plan for buying groceries. Take my word for it: Meal planning is critical for success. You need to be careful when buying groceries so that you don’t wind up spending more on cooking than you did on restaurant food. Remember, the trick is to save money, not emulate Gordon Ramsey. Here are some strategies you can try depending on your budget and lifestyle. Go to the grocery store daily This approach involves keeping a minimal amount of food in the house and going to a grocery store daily to buy items like meat and veggies for dinner. This strategy is popular in Europe. It can be fun thinking about what you want to eat during the day, building an appetite, and then going out and buying your ingredients from a local market. This strategy can also keep cooking fresh and exciting. Every day can be a new possibility. Of course, this is much easier if you live very close to a grocery store. Shop in bulk Another strategy is to buy items in bulk at the beginning of the month to save money. Get a BJ’s, Sam’s Club, or Costco membership, and head to the store to load up on things like meat, dairy, eggs, and vegetables. After that, supplement your main ingredients with smaller items from the grocery store as necessary. Buy weekly groceries The most popular way to buy
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