Yes, this is so true.
For me, eating in is more often than not (and usually just “always”) a labor of love and an activity borne of indulgence.
Eating out, if one were to measure my time based on opportunity cost, would almost always (if not just “always”) be not just cheaper, but significantly cheaper, than eating in.
And I’m just talking about the cost of food and time, without factoring in things like plates, utensils, utilities, water, etc.
Eh. You buy your equipment, long term pantry things once. That is a sunk cost to be sure. But most residential places have a kitchen with storage of sorts. You accommodate to the space you have. And while it does take time, the folks that cook do it because it is a pleasurable activity. So not only are you providing yourself entertainment, showing your love to others through your efforts, but 90% of the time it will be cheaper than going out for the same. In fact, the more you cook, the “cheaper” all those up front costs are. It makes absolutely no sense to cook 10% of the time and eat out the rest of it.
I always have admiration for a North American who knows the difference. 
Then you would really like the folks who make shepherd’s pie with things like ground turkey or chicken. No sheep was harmed in the making.
Next thing you know we will fall into the the debate of of what is a martini other than a glass?
An olive.
I spent the last 20 or so years of my career as an independent contractor or billing for my time and am acutely aware of the value of my time, and how I chose to spend it! Now, I like to choose how I spend it wisely, and for me, cooking and clean-up is not always so rewarding, especially when this wife is cooking for “Jack Sprat”.
I could be hanging out here with you all!
At home, I might eat out 1-3 times a week depending on how lazy I am… Whilst traveling I try to mix it up by grabbing some breads/cheeses/meats and tinned fish to eat in my hotel/apartment because after about a week or so of eating out every day, I need the break.
You are missing the point. If your time was worth $25, $100, $500, $1000 or more an hour an hour how would you spend your time at those different points? At the low end it makes economic sense to to spend all the time you want to cook as the opportunity costs are low. At the upper end, the cost of not working pushes you to spend more time working and less time cooking. Optimize your time for efficiency. I’ve got lawyers who bill me $2000 an hour for their time and I doubt they spend a lot of time making dinners on week nights.
I am a lawyer, although I don’t bill anyone that much. I cook for a lot of reasons. I enjoy it, it is a relaxing non-work activity for me, I can better control what I eat and how it is sourced… I’ve managed after many years in the field to achieve a decent work-life balance, so I don’t work round the clock. So for me, eating out is tremendously more expensive and cuts way into any of the savings I’m trying to accumulate to put my kids through college, pay off my house, and eventually retire.
I don’t internalize the value of my billing hour - as you seem to want me to do, when making this calculation. I’m not cooking during those hours when I otherwise would be working. Also I’m salaried, so there is no point to keep working when it’s time to stop working.
So I look at it differently. If I’m going to ever cook, I’ll need an equipped kitchen and pantry. Even if I only cook once a week. Then, once I’ve spent that money, the more often I cook, the cheaper those sunk costs are. And the true price of the meal is the food cost, which is way way cheaper than going out. So I would counter that I’m not missing the point, but that my point and your point - or what we consider to be the true costs of this exercise - are different from each other. Which is fine.
One of the best cooks I know is a lawyer who cooks at least 6 days a week.
Lots of lawyers here on HO.
My reply to the original question: Not many.
I get tired of eating out on the road when we’re on vacation.
As for the houseguest responses: Our last guests were the houseguests from hell ( because they brought us the lovely houseguest ‘gift’ of the effing COVID) and we decided not to do that anymore. Too risky with our compromised systems.
I don’t put that much thought into it.
About half my kitchen gadgets, vessels and housewares were gifts. I bought some things on sale (on Bay Day in Canada), when upscale indie shops went out of business (my All -Clad skillet), occasionally things for Chowhound meetups (glassware for parties).
Some saucepans I’ve had since 1997. Some items are hand-me-downs. Some items (wood spoons and wood cutting boards) are souvenirs.
I don’t really consider the time spent cooking - or looking at recipes- or chatting here- because I spend even more time procrastinating online about even less productive things.
I spend around an hour to 90 minutes prepping food each day.
If I lived alone, all the time, I’d cook less things each day, and eat more eggs and toast for dinner.
Lately, when the nice quality take-out dinner for 3 or 4 people is going to cost me around $100 Cdn / $ 75 USD, it is because it will be a break from my cooking.
It isn’t to save money, but it does save money, in terms of money coming out of my pocket that night.
I’ve been donating some extra housewares to charity, through a furniture charity that gives me a small tax receipt, so I suppose there is a way to make home cooking even cheaper, at least in the Greater Toronto Area! The tax receipt for couches and wood furniture is a lot bigger than the tax receipt for used glassware and Cuisinart Griddlers.
It’s not that I put a lot of thought into it today. I’ve thought these things over time. Also, the argument of spending your time here or there depends heavily on whether you get paid by the hour. Lots of reasons to cook.
I love it when people say they cook ‘because it is a relaxing activity’. YES! I think more should buy into that thought.
Almost always. Not relaxing for big holidays or when hosting people, because then we have too many irons in the fire. But one normal meal at a time, for one family, I can handle and enjoy!
I used to throw huge parties, where I’d be prepping for a couple days. Around 2015, I realized I was stressed during the prepping and most of the hosting, even though I like entertaining.
I am not stressed if it’s less than 10 people, or if I keep the menu simple.
If I go out to dinner every night for a month, my credit card bill would be a few thousand dollars more than if I ate at home. That’s a real-world calculation.
I think more should buy into that thought.
Why? Isn’t it ok for someone not to find it relaxing? And more to the point, “buying in” to a belief doesn’t fix situational issues like food deserts, lack of good kitchen space/ equipment, no real pantry (of spices, basics), no time to shop in good places or often enough to ensure a regular availability of fresh foods. And time aside, what about energy for people holding multiple jobs, jobs that take far more hours, caring duties, etc? In these cases (and I haven’t even gotten to illness and disability) cooking can be more resource (energy, time, money) intensive and not necessarily relaxing, even if one might, in the best circumstances, enjoy cooking.
Rather than buy in, I wish everyone had access to the resource and support necessary to make their way through their lives. Maybe then I can wish everyone enjoyed cooking, although even then I don’t know why I would.
To each their own, right?
An added note: I can find it enjoyable, but I’m also well aware that my spoons must be spent on other things so it’s not exactly relaxing.
As for the original question: Tricky because so much prepared food in restaurants is richer than I typically eat, so it leaves me not feeling great. Moreover, it would start to feel wasteful since most places (including over here) have started to grow their portion sizes and if every meal is a meal out? Oy. I also prefer, many times, peace and quiet when eating and that can be challenging.
Agree, especially when your meals are precisely planned and ‘someones’ bring their plus ones unexpectedly! We’re done with that, too.
