Since money has become a problem for most of us, do you cook more and eat out less?

Actually the family does more as a group to save over multiple itineraries. Fewer miles saves fuel costs.

Eating as a family at home saves on individual meal expenses at restaurants or take out.

Steamed crab legs dipped in butter, garlic, and lemon pepper sauce.

Thick Pork Chops smothered in mushrooms and onions,

it depends. most of the time I try to cook things that will stretch for 3 days or so. But if you think about it you go to the store and spend 30 bucks or so on food for a dinner that will last a couple of days. when you can spend about 5 dollars and get something else a day you save half the money in 3 days. but it all depends on what your buying too not everything is expensive at the grocery store.

Yes, with 30 pages worth of food allergies, it is literally impossible for me to go out and eat, the economy is another reason. I love to cook, but get bored with food really easily, as everything has to be plain...I just don't like taking a chance. I don't really have any favorite recipes..I'm just happy that I can eat what I can right now. But it's all pretty boring to say the least.

Yes. I've been cooking at home for a couple years as I retired from work.

Order Dining On a Dime for lots of of frugal recipes. Here's a TNT recipe from that book.

Mom's Beef Stew

½ lb. round steak, cubed

6 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon onion salt, or to taste

¼ teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

6 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon cornstarch, or flour

2 tablespoons water

Brown meat in a large saucepan. Add all the other ingredients except vegetables, cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until meat is tender. Add the vegetables and cook another 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Add to boiling stew and simmer for 15 minutes, until thickened. Makes 2 quarts.

Description:

"Dining On a Dime"

Yield:

"2 quarts"

Categories:

Source

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Servings/Yield

8 servings

I am now cooking at home, now watching my electric bill going up and up. I am about to start going back out half the week again. Im a small eater, and brnig home half the meal for lunch the next day. Im starting to bake more, and its not any cheaper for some of the items, Im really into coupons more and rain checks. I watch for good deals and the ohter day I spent 114 at Safeway (I dont usually shop there they are too expensive) but with their 10 off 50 coupon, my great rain checks I pad only 56 for it, my best ever savings on shopping!

No I have done the opposite, we eat out more and less at home. When we do eat at home we eat soups or such, fast things. I have a new home based business and it is growing so quickly that I do not have time to cook!

Lots of times though we buy one meal with add ons and divide the meal,, the restraunts do not care they are happy to get our biz, and the extra money that we save we use as a good tip.

It used to be 80% home-cooked and 20% restaurant, but now it's 100% home-cooked. My last restaurant meal was in August and yes, I miss eating away from home. However, restaurant food costs anywhere from 3 to 5 times more than home-made.

My recipe for meatballs

If you like, add beef bullion cubes to the milk and skip the liquid beef broth. Delicious with cooked pasta or as a meatball sandwich.

1 LB ground turkey or ground meat of your choice

½ cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs

½ cup Romano or Parmesan cheese, finely grated

¼ cup whole milk

¼ cup low-sodium beef broth

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried pepper flakes

Pinch nutmeg

Yield: about 16 golf-ball sized meatballs

Combine all ingredients and stir thoroughly with a fork.

Bake at 425F for 25 minutes or fry as desired.

To freeze: place raw meatballs on cookie sheet, 1 inch apart and freeze one hour. Pop the frozen meatballs off the tray and place in a zipper-type baggie. Roll up and return to freezer. To use, bake from frozen at 425F for 30 minutes.

I rarely eat out now or buy take aways.

Braised Lamb Shanks.

4 shanks

Flour

Salt and pepper

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. rosemary

1 c. diced carrots

1 c. diced potatoes

1/4 c. diced celery

1 med. onion, chopped

Dredge shanks in flour. Brown well in hot fat in large pot, one at a time.

Return to pot.

Add seasoning and 2 cups hot water.

Simmer, covered 1½ -2 hours.

Add vegetables.

Cook for 30 minutes longer.

my husband and brother in law would live off pinto beans and cornbread pretty cheap to make and myself, my brother could have steamed cabbage with cornbread also pretty cheap, potato soup, great northern beans with chunk of ham and cornbread. my husband doesnt like meatloaf but everyone else does so he gets a hotdogs with chili sauce instead. meatloaf makes great left overs for sandwiches. yeah cooking and eating at home is cheaper I spent thirty dollars just the other night at a pizza joint only ordered three sandwiches and one ravolli meat pasta dish. I could have bought the items at the store and had enough to feed us for two meals instead of one meal. when ordering pizza's at pizza hut or papa johns you never get exactly the right toppings or the right amount on your order so make your own at home and save. I buy the bell peppers and the yellow,red peppers even onions when they are on sell and chop them up and freeze them they last for a month or longer. you learn to cut corners and serve smaller portions.. we all have to learn how to watch were the pennies are going.

I know My partner & I do. We used to go out for dinner once a week without fail but now it's only about once a month..He has been watching me like a hawk cooking & has started cooking me dinner once a week instead of taking me out, it's really nice, I don't miss going out at all.

some really cheap, tasty & healthy things I like are:

Summer minestrone soup.

Jambalaya.

Vegetarian lasagna with grilled chicken on the side

Grilled fish tacos with purple cabbage salad

Peppers stuffed with cous cous, tuna & tomatoes

Proof that you needn't eat poorly while on a budget!