From mindset shifts to planning tips, here's how to break the "restaurants as the solution for every problem" cycle and embrace a home-based eating life.
We are in a place where there are a handful of good restaurants, and a lot of mediocre (and increasingly overpriced ones.) I find that when I'm stressed or disorganized I seem to be more susceptible to misplaced optimism that the "mediocre" are suddenly going to turn into "worth the money."
I feel like that must be how so many food bloggers get started! Like Pioneer Woman and Molly Yeh-- they move somewhere where there isn't easy access to (good) restaurants and are forced to cook it themselves if they want it. Seems to have worked out well for them, lol. 👍
Reflecting on the default of going out to eat for a variety of reasons is helpful. I really felt the same about going out of all the reasons listed - boredom, a treat, a break, etc but we have learned that even for takeout that some regular investment in meal planning and cooking has paid off. Even on days when I am really tired it's still faster to cook something is faster than takeout. Our kids are still in the kid zone and they seem to love homemade food at least as much as going out. So it's great all around.
That said, I do live in a place with a vibrant restaurant scene so we save up our outings for places we really want to try or love the food. We call them "food adventures" but that's once a month. And it prevents disappointing outings that happened when we defaulted at the last minute of going out or grabbing take out.
"Even on days when I am really tired it's still faster to cook something is faster than takeout." It took me SO long to realize this, but it's been the most eye-opening and budget-saving epiphany!
I love that you call them food adventures! I agree that saving up the outings is a way to appreciate them more. We do still go out to eat here and there, but we're pretty selective about where. We have local Mexican and Thai restaurants that we go to when a craving hits; there are just certain foods (like Mexican mole sauce and Massaman Curry) that are just too complicated for me to try making at home. Since we eat at those restaurants much less frequently than we used to, we appreciate the food there even more. It really makes going there feel like a special treat.
Thanks so much for having me on the podcast! I loved getting a chance to talk with you about all this. :-)
It was such a pleasure, CJ!
Or you can live in a town with no decent restaurants and your culinary inventiveness and skills will be forced to take over😆
We are in a place where there are a handful of good restaurants, and a lot of mediocre (and increasingly overpriced ones.) I find that when I'm stressed or disorganized I seem to be more susceptible to misplaced optimism that the "mediocre" are suddenly going to turn into "worth the money."
Sadly I get it. I’m in the foodie desert of Decatur, Illinois. Are you?
I feel like that must be how so many food bloggers get started! Like Pioneer Woman and Molly Yeh-- they move somewhere where there isn't easy access to (good) restaurants and are forced to cook it themselves if they want it. Seems to have worked out well for them, lol. 👍
Truth
Reflecting on the default of going out to eat for a variety of reasons is helpful. I really felt the same about going out of all the reasons listed - boredom, a treat, a break, etc but we have learned that even for takeout that some regular investment in meal planning and cooking has paid off. Even on days when I am really tired it's still faster to cook something is faster than takeout. Our kids are still in the kid zone and they seem to love homemade food at least as much as going out. So it's great all around.
That said, I do live in a place with a vibrant restaurant scene so we save up our outings for places we really want to try or love the food. We call them "food adventures" but that's once a month. And it prevents disappointing outings that happened when we defaulted at the last minute of going out or grabbing take out.
"Even on days when I am really tired it's still faster to cook something is faster than takeout." It took me SO long to realize this, but it's been the most eye-opening and budget-saving epiphany!
I love that you call them food adventures! I agree that saving up the outings is a way to appreciate them more. We do still go out to eat here and there, but we're pretty selective about where. We have local Mexican and Thai restaurants that we go to when a craving hits; there are just certain foods (like Mexican mole sauce and Massaman Curry) that are just too complicated for me to try making at home. Since we eat at those restaurants much less frequently than we used to, we appreciate the food there even more. It really makes going there feel like a special treat.