How many times have you eaten out?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
How many times have you eaten out?
12
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 1:40pm
How many times have you eaten out this week? A lot of us acknowledged that this is an area of weakness for us. I went through the McDonald's drive thru yesterday with a coupon. I bought a 2 cheeseburger meal and got a happy meal for free, and then i gave my other daughter aone of my cheeseburgers and some of my fries. i don't like doing it, and realized that I did it because there was no food in the house. I had to bring dd's lunch to school, so i had lunch with her. total damage :$3.59. Not too bad, but when i went grocery shopping (sort of) this morning, I thought about what I can have around the house so it doesn't always come to that. I am happy to say that I spent $82, twice what I normally spend, but I got laundry detergent, kitty litter and a bunch of other household things. And I stocked up with food better, too, thus lessening the chance i will have to scramble at dinner time. My bill before my coupons and associate discount was $98. I have money left over for pizza. I am now trying to get into the habit of withdrawing the money from the bank instead of using my debit card. I am more careful if I have a set amount in my pockets. So anyway, if I order the pizza i have been craving since the Monday check-in, that will be two times for the week. How are YOU doing??? Heather

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-04-2004
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 1:53pm
I haven't eaten out at all this week, in fact, I haven't eaten out since last Thursday night with my mom which is usual. We always go out on Thursday nights, but tonight we are going to have dinner at her house and watch a movie! Hey, you got to a relatively inexpensive meal and spend time with your dd, I'd say that is definitely worth it! :) I'm not sure when I will actually be going to eat again in the near future. I just spent $111 at the store, so we should be good on food for a long time! There are only two of us!! Good post!
~leanne

~leanne

deciding to be happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect, but that you had decided to look beyond the imp

Avatar for gidgetgirl
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 2:10pm
Well, it's Thursday today and I brownbagged all week except Monday when I spent $5. For supper we rarely eat out, unless we are running to a Cub Scout meeting or something right away. Last time I was so peeved because I went through the drive-through at Arby's and it took 15 minutes and the sign didn't match the price I was charged. I was SO MAD! Next time, I'm packing sausage, crackers and cheese to tide DS over until we get back from den meeting!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2004
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 2:17pm
A big Fat ZERO...however, it would have been nice and easy!
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-18-2004
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 2:30pm

This week we only went to Burger King Sunday for lunch. DH ate out lunch yesterday. He packs his lunch but had a master class last night and since the cafeteria closed before he could leave work, he ate lunch out and saved his packed lunch for dinner. So, is that eating out once or twice since DH was the only one who ate out yesterday?

Whatever it is, we are still doing better.

My secret for not going through the drive thru is to have preshaped hamburger patties, bagged fries or tater tots and chicken nuggets or strips in the freezer. That way, all I have to do is pull things out and pop it in the oven and instant "fast food meal." I have also discovered that for all I need for that stuff, the cost is less than one trip through the drive thru and it lasts longer. I can usually make at least four meals for four out of it.

Kellie

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-30-2003
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 2:47pm

None! But that's because I've been at school all week,and it's too darn cold to go outside to go get lunch, ROFL!!!

I brought some bread, PB & J, pretzels, and cookies to keep here for lunches. I also bring yogurt and pop, so it works out.

This is not to say I wouldn't like to go eat out, but I like not going outside unless I have to!

Lisa

Avatar for klmonto
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 2:53pm

Eating out is such a thing for us too!

KRISTI, mommy to:  

Avatar for mymartes
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 3:10pm

Last night we ordered Chinese Take-out. I cooked 7 days a week. I was not in the mood to cook last night. We haven't eaten out in a long time.

MYM

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 3:30pm
Hey, sounds like everyone is doing great!!! I know that it is never going to be perfect, but at least we are all taking steps in the right direction. i might just order my pizza tonight..when I do that, it is lunch the next day too and late night snack (and as always, i have coupons :)!!! It's going to Applebees or something like that that racks up the big money spent. Fast food drives me crazy. i don't mind a $.99 whopper jr (I forgo the fries and just take it home and drink what's there), but I can't stand going through the drive thru ordering not so great food for all four of us to the tune of $15. On the plus side, I don't think I will ever buy anything out of the vending machines at work again. You guys have inspired me to keep snacks in my locker, I even bring my own pop now. So this year I've saved at least $12 already. We can all get through this together!!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-1999
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 4:52pm

I'm going to ruin the good line we have going here. Unfortunately, I eat out every day. I make the excuse that 1) I'm single, too hard to cook for one, 2) I don't know how to cook for the most part and 3) most everything I buy when I do try to cook at home spoils. It is just so much easier to get something to eat.

I don't eat all junk food either like Mcdonalds or Bukeg King or those types of places. I eat a lot from a small restaurant the Mexican supermarket near my house has located in the market. Though it is not veggies and fruits, it is much healthier than McDonalds. And no, not all mexican food is fattening. Beans aren't even fattening if you don't "fry" them. Which most places don't because that is too much of a hassle; they simple smash them in their own broth. And no, all tortillas aren't fattening either, just the flour ones; and I don't eat those. That's a northern Mexico kind of a thing; I eat corn (very little calories - corn, salt and lime is all they have in them).

I guess I make excuses to everyone and specially myself about my eating out. I also order pizza, chinese, and for lunch I eat Jimmy Johns, Subway, and from the hot dog place, which is usally an Italian Combo. The only thing I eat from McD's is their breakfast sandwiches, but Corner Bakery is much better. I sometimes buy 5 frozen meals for lunch, but those have so much salt that they give me stomach aches.

I have tried making a big batch of salad on Sundays and then bring it to work or bring it daily from home. That works out really well when I do it because I pair it with cereal or yogurt for breakfast, but this takes shopping which is another thing I'm just too lazy to do.

I need help on my eating out habit.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 5:32pm
Hey, maybe you just have to try it for a week and see how it works for you!! The first couple of days are the hardest! I didn't think i would give up the vending machines at work, but I did it! If you have on hand what you like, you will be so less tempted. I like to think of it this way now: I had to work____ minutes to buy this lunch. And then I have to think if I enjoyed it that much. i have an Auntie Annes pretzels inside the place where I work. I used to get a pretzel and lemonade every weekend because i didn't pack a lunch. Then i trimmed it back to just a pretzel (and bought a $.40 lemonade out of the vending machine....turns out the drink was more expensive than the pretzel) Then i pretty much just broke the habit. I don't think eating out once in awhile, even once a week is a big deal. But I want to do it because I am really craving the food (my pizza! I'm ordering tonight). not just because I didn't around to making myself anything. You can do it! torture yourself for one day shopping and preparing, and reap the benefits for the rest of the week. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! Heather

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