We eat the same way you do, and we're looking at eating at home more for pretty much the same reason. After our cross-country move next week, our new neighborhood won't have the same concentration of cheap ethnic gem restaurants, but it will give us access to much better grocery stores.

Okay, I also have a lot of moments of "we can afford this... but maybe it'd be more satisfying to just stick the money under the mattress."

Reply

I eat out 5-6 times per week, and I only eat one meal per day. It's a convenience thing. I'm a student and I'm away from home from 8a til 10p -- just not enough hours in the day.

Reply

I've also been eating out less for non-economic reasons. I used to eat out with friends every Friday, but those friends moved away, so now we cook most Fridays. And summer/fall are the best seasons for cooking. There's local produce available and it's the right season for grilling. I'll eat out more in the winter and early spring, when I'm tired of the food we can make at home with frozen and foreign produce.

Reply

We definitely have been eating out less because of the economy. We live in a foodie town with (dare I say) too many good restaurants and we were always trying out the latest and greatest. But, I actually don't miss eating out anymore. It's made me be more creative in the kitchen and I've become a better cook. When we do go out, we savor it all the more because it's a real treat.

Reply

I don't think I've been eating out less. A local friend and I eat out almost every Friday night, mostly at fairly inexpensive places (Friendly's, local Chinese and Mexican food). When my SO is in town--one or two weekends a month--we tend to eat out a bit. Maybe two dinners, and lunch/breakfast/brunch once or twice. There are a lot of excellent restaurants in town, most of which aren't all that expenensive, and it's easier for us. Otherwise, I make all of my meals at home, including packing lunch for work every day.

Reply