As you may have noticed, there’s a slight trend with my last couple of posts. They all have to do with food! So, I figured I’d continue the food theme and give you one more money-saving tip: COOK! I know it’s tough to work all day and then have to come home and cook, but it can be done and here are a few reasons why you should consider home cooking more often . . .

First, and foremost, it’s much less expensive than take-out or going to a restaurant for dinner. For example, at a popular restaurant (that shall not be named) I priced a fairly simple dinner. Chicken Caesar Salad for an entrée ($9.90), a non-alcoholic beverage ($2.30), and treated myself to a chocolate shake for dessert ($4). (I know the shake completely contradicts the salad, but go with me on this one. It’s hypothetical.) That’s $16.20. With tax and tip, this meal costs around $20. Just for one person! I just happened to make Chicken Caesar-ish Salad for dinner tonight, at home – with my family. I used Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, big croutons, baby carrots, chicken breast strips (sautéed in olive oil, with basil, marjoram, and a squeeze of lime!), a few sprinkles of Parmesan, and drizzled Ranch dressing on it. For dessert, we had pudding parfait. Even with overestimating the cost of the ingredients, the total came to about $10 . . . for the entire family. Divide by 5. That’s $2 per person. So . . . $20 . . . or $2? Hmmm . . .

Second, cooking at home gives you much more control over what goes into the meal. If you’re aiming for healthier eating, the experts say you should eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Thankfully, those are fairly inexpensive to buy. (It’s the meat, pork, or poultry that jacks up the cost of any meal – especially when you’re dining out.) Not everything is in season all year, obviously, but you can change up your menu throughout the year by getting the items that are in season and on sale. You can also add or omit flavorings, spices, etc. based on your own tastes or needs instead of hoping the cook behind the counter doesn’t dump half a cup of salt on your fries. As chef, you have total control.

Finally, making meals that can be eaten as leftovers, or frozen, can help lower your food costs by spreading it out over more than one night. For example, I’ll make something like lasagna (from scratch!) and freeze half of it for another time. It makes for a quick, home-cooked fix when you’re short on time. Other great multiple night meals include homemade soups, spaghetti, pizza, Mexican, and even roasts or turkey. I knew a gal who used to cook meals for a whole week on the weekend, then freeze them. She didn’t have to worry about cooking during the week – she just grabbed something and heated it up. A real time-saver!

I know it’s much easier to hop in the car and have someone else cook for you, but if you think about the time it takes to get there, be seated, order, wait, then eat, pay, and drive back home, you could’ve cooked, eaten, cleaned up, and be on to the next activity – even if that’s lounging in your favorite chair. Who knows, by cooking at home you may discover your inner chef . . . or have fun with your family. And if you have kids, it teaches them some valuable lessons they can take with them when they’re on their own.