Monday, April 11, 2011

Week 15: Eat out with purpose and not "just because"

Last week was not a good week.  We ate out all too much and for no other reason than I didn't have food that was easy to prepare.  When faced with fatigue, it is all too easy to hit the drive-thru.  That has a few consequences.  First, fast food is expensive.  I spent $18 on lunch for the kids and myself on Saturday.  Then I was so kind as to pick up something for Hubby, which was another $3.  There was $21 for one meal (and of course the kids were hungry by the time we got home).  I spent $27 on produce (mostly organic) for the entire week.  One meal versus an entire week's worth of produce for about the same amount of money.  Which money was better spent?  Obviously the produce.

Another consequence of the drive-thru is the lack of substantial nutrition.  I just said that my kids were hungry by the time we got home.  Chances are it was because they ate a lot of simple carbohydrates that were quickly used up.  If they had eaten at home, they would have had a good balance of complex carbs with a nice dose of protein and healthy fats.  It would have taken a few hours to burn the energy that was consumed.  Additionally, the vegetable based grease that most of the food is fried in can do a number on one's intestional tract.  I need not go further down that path.  LOL!

This week (and forever more hopefully) I will work to have readily available food, so we aren't tempted to run to the drive-thru when we are tired or rushed. 

Eating out has its place and that would be when it is planned.  On my menu plan, there are times when I know we'll be traveling out of town or going from one event straight to another and we'll need to eat out.  In theory, I have budgeted money for that and we can do it once or twice a month.  This month, however, I have already used my eat out money (plus some), so I'm going to try very hard to find ways around eating out the rest of this month.  My first challenge will be tonight!

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