Why Home Cooking VS. Eating Out is Better for Your Wallet and Health

Inside: Discover the advantages of home cooking. From cost savings to healthier eating habits, find out why cooking at home is a smart choice.

In today’s busy world, choosing between cooking at home and dining out has significant implications for our wallets and well-being. 

This article delves into the cost comparison of home cooking versus eating out. It examines the nutritional value and health benefits of preparing meals at home. 

From cost savings to healthier eating habits, the impact of home cooking on our lives is multifaceted and worth exploring in depth.

Save Money and Eat Better: The Benefits of Home Cooking

Cooking at home offers significant cost savings compared to eating out or using meal kits. On average, restaurant delivery costs over $20 per serving, nearly five times the cost of cooking from scratch at around $4 per person. Meal kits, while slightly more affordable at $12 per serving, are still three times as expensive as home-cooked meals.

Protein-based dishes like beef, pork, and chicken are cheaper at home. A restaurant-ordered pork tenderloin can easily exceed $20 per person, but making it yourself drastically reduces that cost.

However, not all ingredients offer equal savings. Bulk-bought staples like flour, cheese, and pasta can be incredibly cheap, with homemade Mac & Cheese or Cheese Pizza costing about $1 per serving. Due to packaging and delivery fees, meal kits charge around $12 per serving for these same dishes.

Technology has significantly impacted how people approach cooking. According to a National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association study, more than half of consumers learn about cooking through TikTok and YouTube. Additionally, a third prefer online grocery shopping for programmatic reminders and automated recommended purchases to ensure they have all the necessary ingredients.

Savings extend beyond the grocery store to leftovers and meal prepping. Freezing extra portions of soups, stews, casseroles, and meatballs can save families a significant amount, reducing food waste and ensuring a home-cooked meal is always available, preventing impromptu takeout purchases.

As revealed by the Empower survey2, Gen Zers, despite dining out 26% of the time, spend an average of $123 per week on food, less than the national average of $778 per month. This highlights the importance of reducing restaurant meals to increase savings, especially for those with lower incomes.

The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association emphasizes the role of healthier eating, with 64% of Americans continuing to cook at home to manage their budgets. Shopping lists prioritize taste, quality, and healthiness, with more people using precut frozen fruits and vegetables to save prep time and combining meals with frozen food aisle items.

Home cooking promotes healthier eating habits and substantial savings. Stocking your pantry with versatile staples like canned foods and spices reduces frequent store trips. Stretching ingredients like beans and rice across multiple meals significantly impacts savings, with beans transforming into tacos, dips, crispy cakes, or salad additions.

Cooking at home leads to significant savings through intelligent grocery shopping and meal planning. Technology, frozen foods, and pantry organization are valuable tools, proving that eating well on a budget is achievable.

Health Benefits and Nutritional Value of Home Cooking

Home cooking offers complete control over ingredients, allowing for healthier options and balanced portions. Home-cooked meals often include fresher ingredients, fewer preservatives, and a greater variety of nutrients.

Using wholesome ingredients like whole grains, lean proteins, and fresh vegetables creates balanced meals that support overall health, unlike restaurant and pre-packaged meals that can be high in sodium, unhealthy fats, and sugars.

A Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study found that frequent home cooks consume healthier diets and around 200 fewer calories per day than those who often dine out. This significant calorie reduction helps avoid potential health risks associated with obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Cooking at home allows for better portion control. Restaurant servings are often more significant than necessary, leading to overeating and weight gain. Managing portions at home maintains a balanced diet and avoids the pitfalls of oversized restaurant meals.

Home-Cooked Meals often have a Better Nutrient Profile

Homemade soups and stews can be packed with vegetables, legumes, and lean meats, offering a fibre-rich, nutrient-dense option that supports digestive health and keeps you fuller for longer.

Home cooking also caters to specific dietary needs and preferences, ensuring those with conditions like celiac disease or dairy allergies know precisely what goes into their meals. Even trace amounts of certain ingredients can cause serious health issues.

Beyond physical benefits, cooking can be an act of mindfulness and creativity. It provides a break from digital screens and a chance to engage in a rewarding, stress-relieving activity.

Research shows that creative activities like cooking can boost mental health, offering a sense of accomplishment and a respite from daily stress.

Cooking at home is an investment in your health. It allows you to nourish your body with wholesome, balanced foods. Whether you aim to eat more vegetables, control your salt intake, or enjoy a healthier lifestyle, home cooking is a powerful tool for achieving those goals.

Strategies to Maximize Savings While Cooking at Home

Meal planning is a cornerstone of kitchen money saving. Planning weekly meals allows you to create a shopping list that ensures you only buy what you need, minimizing impulse purchases and reducing food waste.

Choose recipes that share common ingredients, allowing you to buy in bulk and use everything up. For example, if chicken is on sale, plan several meals around it, such as chicken stir-fry, salad, and soup.

Bulk buying is an effective strategy for saving money. Long shelf-life items like rice, pasta, and canned goods can be purchased in larger quantities at a lower per-unit cost. Membership clubs and local bulk food stores offer excellent deals on these staples. Just remember to store them properly to maintain freshness.

Your pantry can be a treasure trove of meal possibilities. Stocking up on versatile staples like dried beans, lentils, canned tomatoes, and various grains provides the building blocks for nutritious meals.

Combining pantry items with fresh or frozen produce creates countless recipes. For example, a simple can of tomatoes, spices, and pasta can transform into a delicious homemade marinara sauce.

• Take advantage of grocery store deals and coupons.
• Shop at different stores for different items.
• Make use of leftover ingredients.
• Consider using an air fryer. This appliance cooks food quickly and healthily using less energy than a conventional oven.
• Make meals from scratch whenever possible

Cooking at home means something other than sacrificing variety or taste. Explore new recipes and cuisines that fit within your budget. Incorporate different spices and herbs to elevate simple ingredients into delicious meals you’ll look forward to.

Implementing these strategies maximizes your savings and allows you to take control of your diet, creating nutritious and cost-effective meals. Embrace the joy of cooking at home while giving your wallet a break.

Make Home Cooking Easy: Tips for Busy Cooks

Meal prepping is a game-changer for saving time and ensuring nutritious meals are ready throughout the week.

Spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon chopping vegetables, marinating proteins, and cooking grains like rice or quinoa. Store these prepped ingredients in airtight containers for easy meal assembly during the week.

This upfront time investment pays off when you can whip up dinners in minutes by combining your pre-prepped ingredients.

Batch cooking is another effective strategy. Double or triple recipes for frozen dishes, like soups, stews, casseroles, and chilli. Once cooked, portion these meals into individual servings and freeze them.

On hectic days, defrost and reheat a home-cooked meal to avoid costly takeout temptations. This is also a fantastic way to ensure you’re eating something healthy and homemade, even when time is tight.

Kitchen gadgets can be your best friends for efficient home cooking:

• Slow cookers allow you to prepare meals with minimal effort. Layer ingredients in the morning, and you’ll have a flavorful dish ready to serve by dinner time.
• Air fryers have become increasingly popular for good reason. This versatile appliance cooks food quickly with less oil than traditional frying methods, leading to healthier and equally delicious outcomes.
• The microwave is for more than just reheating leftovers. Microwave-steamed vegetables retain many nutrients and take just a few minutes to prepare.
• The Instant Pot combines the functions of a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, and more into one device. Its pressure-cooking feature significantly reduces cooking time for braised meats, beans, and hearty stews.
• Embrace one-pan or one-pot meals, where everything cooks in a single pot or pan from start to finish. This streamlines the cooking process and makes for quicker and easier clean-up—a true win-win for busy cooks.

Maximize convenience with smart grocery shopping. Consider ordering groceries online for delivery or pick-up services. This saves time wandering the aisles and prevents impulse buys. Many services allow you to save grocery lists and repeat orders, making re-stocking your kitchen simple.

Set a weekly routine for meal planning and shopping. Allocate a specific day for planning meals, creating your grocery list, and shopping (whether in-store or online). Making this a regular habit streamlines your processes and ensures consistent, home-cooked meals without added stress.

With these tips, home cooking can become a manageable part of even the busiest schedules. 

By meal prepping, batch cooking, utilizing handy kitchen gadgets, and establishing a routine, you’ll find that cooking at home saves money and fits seamlessly into your life.

In conclusion, the cost and health benefits of home cooking are significant and worth considering.

Not only does cooking at home offer substantial cost savings, but it also promotes healthier eating habits and allows for complete control over ingredients.

The nutritional value of home-cooked meals, coupled with better portion control, supports overall health and well-being.

Furthermore, cooking at home provides an opportunity for creativity and mindfulness.

Embracing home cooking as a regular practice can lead to a healthier, more budget-friendly lifestyle.

Ready to transform your living space? Discover more tips and tricks in these informative articles: The Ultimate Guide to Streamline Your Life, How To Make Your Home Feel Like a Sanctuary,  The Key to Successful Home Management, and Home Management 101: Practical Tips for a Well-Organized Home.