Wellness

[Tinkrbl44]

On 4/26/2014 LexPex said:

I love to eat out but we do so only once a week, usually on the weekend in mid to upscale restaurants. It is our treat and we both enjoy it. When I cook it is usually heart healthy foods and honestly I don't get a lot of pleasure out of cooking although it is nice to see the results on our waistlines.

To the OP, perhaps you can do a restaurant night out once a month. Or we usually host small dinner parties every two months or so and that can be fun plus people do reciprocate.

Some of the comments here are just foolishness.

Foolishness? ......

[SUSIE IN ANAHEIM]

I watched my mother do this. Whenever she goes at late morning/noon time shopping or to the library she brings a snack. She puts into a plastic bag crackers and cheese and has a bottle of water with her. I found when I go out to different stores driving around, part of the fun would be looking forward to the fast food I would buy and eat it while driving. This ads up calories and dollars. Sometimes before I leave the house I won't bring a snack, or a banana, with me. Big mistake. Always make the time for yourself to bring a snack when you go out.

[casuallady]

I am so glad to have started his thread. It has helped me to be more accountable to making meals at home. I did do lunch with a friend at Panera's. We had small Asian Chicken Salads and I had Lemonade. I had a muffin yesterday after my Weight Watcher meeting. That was it for a week. Tomorrow I am going to make Chili and Stew for tomorrow and Wed. Tuesday our Friendship group takes turns making dinner. We will be eating at another house. Hubby golfs tomorrow, and I am trying to encourage him to take lunch along, rather than McDonalds on his way home. If he wants to eat on the way home fine. Thurs we have a really good pizza shell, and will add sauce cheese peperoni and veggies, also a salad. Also need lunches for Wed and Thurs with the kids. I have lots of fruit.

[casuallady]

Today I stopped at a local restaurant and ordered a fish sandwich and iced tea. I only ate 1/2 and decided I won't be going back for a while, just didn't taste good and not worth $8.00.

I went home and made a double batch of lean crockpot chili. I will freeze half a batch.Tomorrow I am making crockpot stew. We watch the Grandkids the next 2 days. Our friends are making dinner tomorrow night.

[ritasNo1Fan]

On 4/20/2014 KringleB said:

Everything in every restaurant comes from the same place............the back of a Sysco truck.

I heard about those trucks a long time ago when I saw them unloading at some of the very expensive ""exclusive/reservations only"" restaurants here in San Francisco.

[Tinkrbl44]

As already stated, it's always good to have something with you when you go out. For years, I've kept "emergency rations" in my glove compartment ..... a protein bar or small bags of almonds. Once in a while a big, individually wrapped oatmeal cookie. Usually, though, I prefer more protein in my snacks.

******And have a bottle of water in the car at all times. Once I choked on an almond and didn't have any water ..... that's the kind of mistake you only make ONCE!

[Sooner]

On 4/21/2014 hckynut said:

On 4/21/2014 ValuSkr said:

This should be quite easy. Personally, I'm amazed at how much some people I know eat out. Think of all the money you'll save. Think of the unsanitary conditions in many restaurants (as another poster commented). Think of the people working in restaurants, most of which, ordinarily, you wouldn't want anywhere near your food. Think of how much healthier you can eat at home.

Not a nice thing to say this about people that work hard and long hours for their money. Sure, like anyplace else, there are some undesirable people. I can tell you from my many years of working in this field it is hard/hot and long hours worked and by some very nice, and very clean, people.

The ole "I resemble that unmark" or something like that!

A late reply to you John, but I agree. We usually visit with the waiters and almost always find them nice, helpful, and glad to see some people who acknowledge their presence. They are usually glad to take special requests, and attentive if you treat them like humans. We also leave a good tip too unless something really unusual and that person's fault has happened. That is REALLY rare however.

[ValuSkr]

Casuallady, please let us know how you're doing in your bid to save money and eat better. Thank you!

[Hayfield]

The last time I got my charge, it was pretty big and it's the charge I put all my eating out on. I just have to make an effort to "plan" my meals better, be more organized when I go grocery shopping. I work part time and it's not a problem on the days I don't work but on the days I work I want to make something fast, easy and quick clean up. My son works and lives in Manhattan and after 6 years is finally eating breakfast at home and packing his lunch, he says he's saying so much money. I told him that a person can nickel and dime themselves to death. He didn't understand what I meant, so I changed it to "you can $5 and $10 yourself to death". I'm 60 I forgot that he wouldn't understand that old saying.

[Mominohio]

I had to break the habit for health reasons a number of years ago. I was so restricted for a couple of years on what I could eat, that eating out was a nightmare. We stopped because we had to, and once we got used to it, it was a freeing feeling. We were spending maybe $50 a week eating in restaurants or getting something to take home. Once it was over, we loved the extra money, and didn't feel deprived one bit. I actually resented if we had to go to a restaurant for some reason, I felt they were "stealing" my money.

My health concerns were resolved, so we do eat out occasionally now, perhaps once a month, if that, and I feel like I conquered something, freeing up that extra money.