11 Tricks to Save Money Eating Out (2024)

FAQs

How to live off $150 a month for food? ›

Affordable and nutritious meal ideas for a $150 monthly budget include dishes like vegetable stir-fry with rice, bean and vegetable soups, pasta with homemade tomato sauce, and oatmeal with fruit for breakfast. These meals are cost-effective and can be made in large batches to provide multiple servings.

If you are like us, or like the typical American family, just cutting one meal out per week can save you $520-$1560 per year! Here are some things that have helped us to significantly lower our eating out budget: 1. Plan a Menu.

You don't have to quit ordering out completely to save major cash. If you're eating out four times a week and make just two of these meals at home instead, you can save almost $1,000 a year. This extra money could be a big jump in your savings for long-term or short-term goals.

Planning out your meals so you use all of the ingredients, both raw and cooked, plus pantry staples and frozen goods means you can make a week's worth of dinners for around $50 in groceries.

Cooking some of your own meals is a great way to eat cheap on vacation. Choose lodging that comes with a kitchen, such as a vacation rental or hostel. Keep snacks in your pack. Carry something to nibble on—like fruit, nuts or a baguette—when you go out on a tour or excursion.

Is It Cheaper to Cook or Eat Out? For those who want a quick and easy answer: It's generally cheaper to cook food at home than eat out.

How Much Do Americans Spend Eating Out? Americans spend an average of $3,639 eating out each year—roughly $300 each month. And those fast-food meals and restaurant tabs continue to add up. In fact, Americans spent 20% more eating out in 2022 than they did in 2021.

Avoid convenience foods: Pre-packaged convenience foods like frozen meals or individually wrapped snacks tend to be more expensive. Opt for fresh ingredients and prepare your meals from scratch whenever possible. Reduce food waste: Be mindful of food waste by properly storing and using leftovers.

Cost-Effective Ingredients: When you purchase pre-packaged or prepared meals, you're not just paying for the food itself; you're also covering the cost of packaging, processing, and marketing. Cooking from scratch allows you to buy basic ingredients in bulk, reducing your overall grocery bill.

The 80/20 rule is a guide for your everyday diet—eat nutritious foods 80 percent of the time and have a serving of your favorite treat with the other 20 percent. For the “80 percent” part of the plan, focus on drinking lots of water and eating nutritious foods that include: Whole grains. Fruits and vegetables.

What is the 20 minute rule in food? ›

In one notable study published in the journal "Obesity" in 2010, a team of scientists investigated how long it takes for the brain to recognize the sensation of fullness after a meal. They found that it indeed takes around 20 minutes for your brain to receive the signals from your gut that you've had enough to eat.

The diet involves eating 30g of protein during the first 30 minutes of your day before completing 30 minutes of low intensity exercise. Experts say exercising and increasing your protein intake in the morning may contribute to a calorie deficit and help you make healthier choices throughout the day.

According to the USDA guidelines, you might spend $979 a month on a thrifty plan, $1,028 on a low-cost plan, $1,252 on a moderate-cost plan and $1,604 on a liberal plan. The USDA guidelines can provide a starting point for a food budget, but they don't consider all the variables that can affect cost.

You will need 3,600 - 4,500 calories for 3 days; 16,800 - 21,000 calories for 2 weeks; 33,600 - 42,000 calories per month; and 403,200 - 504,000 calories per year.

Two meals per person per day, over a 30-day month, is 60 meals per person and 120 meals in total. At $200, that's a total of $1.67 per person per meal. This might seem Spartan, but with a bit of planning and practice, I believe that this is totally doable for most people.