Eating out
- Thread starter BigPapa
- Start date
How much is too much really depends on the family's wishes, the food choices they make, and their overall health. I saw a health segment on the news that said you shouldn't go out more than 2-3 times per week. I thought that was a lot until I considered it further and realized that's about how often we go out. 
polamalu43
New Member
We eat at home a ton. We do order pizza out and also go to restaurants from time to time. My family prefers home cooked meals and so do I. Eating out gets very expensive, and you are right about nutrition.
I can't imagine not wanting to go out. I love going out to eat. Homecooked meals are awesome and controlling ingredients is wonderful, but I really enjoy eating in a restaurant.
This may sound off-subject initially, but I was watching a TV special about pinball machines recently and a man they interviewed said something that really hit home with me. He was an older man and he said, "When I was young, everyone used to eat at home and go out for fun. Now, everyone eats out and goes back home for fun." If you think about it, it's really true, and it's ironic how the situations have reversed.
As for how much eating out is too much eating out, in our family, we limit it to once a week at the VERY most, because we are all trying to improve our health and eating habits. We've also tightened up our budget, and you KNOW how much more expensive it is to eat out than to eat at home!
As for how much eating out is too much eating out, in our family, we limit it to once a week at the VERY most, because we are all trying to improve our health and eating habits. We've also tightened up our budget, and you KNOW how much more expensive it is to eat out than to eat at home!
On the occasions where we do eat out the food is generally very disappointing and horribly over priced so we just skip it as much as possible. I can take that same money and turn it in to something really good at home.
Timothy, I have actually seen that documentary (thanks Netflix) and that struck me too. Even after women became such a large part of the workforce dinner was still cooked and eaten at HOME, not usually the case anymore is it?
We just recently had a VERY bad experience in a restaurant that has us re-thinking whether or not we want to continue dining out. At the very least, we won't be dining at that restaurant EVER again.
To explain, four of us went out to a Mexican restaurant in a nearby town. The restaurant closed at 11pm and we arrived about 10:30pm. We asked if they were still seating and they said yes, so we asked to be seated outside. They obliged, seated us outside and then, they forgot about us. Ten minutes later (at this point, 20 minutes until closing time) we had to go into the restaurant and ask to be waited on. After REQUESTING a waiter, our four separate orders were taken and about ten minutes later, three orders were delivered to our table. About five minutes later, we started to wonder if order number four was coming to the table or not, so we (again) went back inside the restaurant and found our waiter. He told us that he had forgotten to put all four orders through to the kitchen, so order #4 hadn't been cooked. When we asked him to put the order through and have it cooked, he told us that the kitchen was now closed, so that order couldn't be put through and cooked for us. Then we asked for management. When the manager came to the table, we explained the situation to him, but he was unapologetic and refused to cook the food we had ordered WHEN THE KITCHEN WAS STILL OPEN! The best "compromise" they could come up with was to offer us a $7.50 discount off our tab, which was less than 20%. Then, once we had reluctantly agreed to the discount, the manager badgered us about ordering alcoholic drinks and dessert, in what we think was an attempt to make the $7.50 back. Needless to say, this has left us with a bad taste in our mouths where that restaurant is concerned, and to a certain extent, with dining out in general, so I can't say I completely disagree with Bear's take on the subject now.
To explain, four of us went out to a Mexican restaurant in a nearby town. The restaurant closed at 11pm and we arrived about 10:30pm. We asked if they were still seating and they said yes, so we asked to be seated outside. They obliged, seated us outside and then, they forgot about us. Ten minutes later (at this point, 20 minutes until closing time) we had to go into the restaurant and ask to be waited on. After REQUESTING a waiter, our four separate orders were taken and about ten minutes later, three orders were delivered to our table. About five minutes later, we started to wonder if order number four was coming to the table or not, so we (again) went back inside the restaurant and found our waiter. He told us that he had forgotten to put all four orders through to the kitchen, so order #4 hadn't been cooked. When we asked him to put the order through and have it cooked, he told us that the kitchen was now closed, so that order couldn't be put through and cooked for us. Then we asked for management. When the manager came to the table, we explained the situation to him, but he was unapologetic and refused to cook the food we had ordered WHEN THE KITCHEN WAS STILL OPEN! The best "compromise" they could come up with was to offer us a $7.50 discount off our tab, which was less than 20%. Then, once we had reluctantly agreed to the discount, the manager badgered us about ordering alcoholic drinks and dessert, in what we think was an attempt to make the $7.50 back. Needless to say, this has left us with a bad taste in our mouths where that restaurant is concerned, and to a certain extent, with dining out in general, so I can't say I completely disagree with Bear's take on the subject now.
I don't think eating out regularly is too much. I feel that restaurants nowadays are much more conscious of good food and being healthy. If you go to the right restaurants then it can be as healthy and as economical as eating at home. You just have to cut down on certain types of restaurants where food is cooked in too much oil and/or have too much MSG like Chinese restaurants and fast food.
I would say this is very subjective and depends on the family's schedule, budget and dining preferences. I feel that a child can be taught to eat nutritiously in either setting. The key is avoiding those high calorie and high fat meals either at home or dining out. Dining out can provide an opportunity to introduce your child to foods that you do not enjoy preparing and eating yourself, which is an advantage to restaurant dining.
micromachne
New Member
We try to stay away from all that eating out and fast food. We only get it on extremely rare instances or in a dire emergency.
We want to raise our family on healthy food, not junk lol.
We want to raise our family on healthy food, not junk lol.
Victor Leigh
New Member
How much is too much?
I would say anything more than once a week is too much. I look at eating out not so much from the eating viewpoint because I can definitely get better food at a lower cost by cooking at home.
Eating out is just a social event, that's all. If it's done every day, then it's not an event anymore.
I would say anything more than once a week is too much. I look at eating out not so much from the eating viewpoint because I can definitely get better food at a lower cost by cooking at home.
Eating out is just a social event, that's all. If it's done every day, then it's not an event anymore.
FrankSinatra
New Member
It's a matter of opinion. Some people would rather take more time with their family than be stuck in the kitchen while the kids are playing in the other room. And the nutrition thing is crap because you can just as easily find healthy options while eating out.
From a fathers perspective, I completely agree that I really don't want my kids eating out at restaurants because you just simply don't know what's in the food. Lots of restaurant dishes have an excessive amount of salt, and that's not good for anyone, especially kids. It is possible to eat very healthy meals at restaurants, but unfortunately these places cost a fortune since they use organic food, which drives the price up considerably. For young kids, it's best to just stay at home and make meals that consist of ingredients that you approve of!