How much did you shell out at the supermarket last week? How much did you drop at your go-to takeout place?
If your restaurant and takeout tab was higher, don’t worry too much. It turns out most of us are in the same boat.
Last year, for the first time since the U.S. Census Bureau began tracking expenditures by category in 1992, Americansspent more on dining out and drinkingthan on groceries.
The Way We Purchase Food Is Evolving
Dining establishments aren’t a new phenomenon. But our dependence on them is increasing.
“In 1992 when the Census Bureau started tracking consumer spending on food as part of its monthly report on Retail Trade and Food Services, Americans spent about $162 on grocery food for every $100 spent at restaurants,” noted American Enterprise Institute (AEI) researcher Mark Perry.
Last month, consumers spent $52.5 billion at grocery stores — and $54.8 billion at restaurants and bars. AEI first flagged this spending pivot in 2015.
“Food consumed away from home” made up roughly 26% of a household’s food outlay in 1970, according to USDA figures cited by Quartz. By 2012, that portion had surged to 43% of a family’s food expenses.
Do You Dine Out More Often Than You Cook?
If you frequent restaurants and takeout spots, it pays to save wherever possible.
Have you signed up for loyalty schemes at your favorite eateries? Have you located nearby restaurants that offer complimentary kids’ meals?
Paying with the appropriate credit card can boost the rewards you earn for eating out. You might also purchase discounted gift cards to lower the cost of restaurant meals.
Remember that some reservation services, like OpenTable, give regular users points that can be redeemed for restaurant credit.
Perhaps It’s Time to Start Cooking More
If you feel guilty about how much you spend on takeout and dining out, you can still modify your habits.
Before you pick up the takeout menu, reflect on why you opt for ordering instead of cooking. Do you struggle with creating a grocery list? Are you too exhausted to prepare meals?
Once you identify what prevents you from cooking at home, you can begin addressing those meal-prep obstacles.
If you’re willing to spend more time in the kitchen, there are many techniques to make affordable meals without standing over a hot stove for hours.
Consider using a slow cooker or batch-cooking proteins and vegetables you can eat for several days.
As you get more comfortable with home cooking, you may even end up prepping a month’s worth of meals in one go. All it really takes to begin is an empty freezer and a meal plan.
