• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Budget Earth

Living A Happy, Natural Life with Dogs & Other Furry Friends

Looking for something ?

  • Pets
    • Pet Food
      • Dog Food
      • Dog Treats
      • Cat Food
      • Cat Treats
      • Pet Supplements
      • Bowls & Fountains
      • Pet Recipes
    • Pet Toys & Comfort
      • Dog Toys
      • Cat Toys
      • Pet Beds
      • Leashes & Harnesses
      • Pet Clothes
    • Pet Grooming
      • Dog Shampoos & Conditioners
      • Pet Grooming Supplies
    • Pet Education
      • Dog & Cat Potty Training
      • Pet Safety
      • Pet Anxiety
    • Small Animals
      • Small Animal Care
      • Small Animal Products
    • Traveling with Pets
      • Travel Safety
      • Travel Must Haves
    • Pet DIY & Craft Projects
  • Books
    • Fiction
      • Fantasy & Sci-Fi
      • Horror
      • Mystery
      • Thriller
    • Non-Fiction
      • Art Books
      • Biography & Memoir
      • Cookbooks
      • DIY & Craft Books
      • Garden & Plant Books
      • Health Books
      • History
      • Pet Books
      • Self Help Books
    • Children’s Books
  • Tech
    • Technology
  • Kids
    • Baby
    • Toys
    • Children’s Books
  • Food & Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Homemade Recipes
    • Food Collections
    • Healthy Eating
    • Cookbooks
    • Kitchen
    • Food & Drinks
    • Grocery Shopping
  • DIY
    • Crafts & Projects
    • Pet DIY & Craft Projects
    • Homemade Cleaners
  • Health
  • Reviews
    • Hygiene Products
    • Household Cleaners
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Decorating
    • Online Products
    • Learning
    • Gifts
    • Health Products
  • Travel
    • Travel Advice
    • Cincinnati & Greater Cincinnati
    • Vacation Ideas
    • Helpful Travel Items
    • Traveling with Pets
  • Fashion
  • Giveaways
    • Open Giveaways
    • Closed Giveaways
    • Giveaway Winners
  • Home Improvement
  • Printables
  • Saving Money
    • Saving Money Sites
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Food & Health / Benefits of Eating at Home

Benefits of Eating at Home

June 26, 2012 by Demelza Young

 I don’t like to eat out very much.  While sometimes it can be a fun treat, there’s a certain comfort I find in making my own meals and cooking for others.  Aside from personal enjoyment, there are also a variety of other benefits to eating meals at home.

 Perhaps some of the most obvious advantages to eating at home are knowing exactly what is in your meal (including ingredients as well as nutrition) and saving money.  Restaurant expenses can add up quickly, even if you are only buying from the dollar menu at your favorite fast food place.  While it may seem like a bargain to buy a hamburger or a side of fries for only $1, think about how many servings you are actually getting from that purchase.  While you may consider, say, a side of fries for this cost a good deal, consider the price of a bag of potatoes, by comparison, which usually ranges somewhere from $1.50 to $3.  Of course, depending on the type of potato it may be a little more, just as the size of the potatoes in the bag will vary (again, depending on the type anywhere from perhaps 8 to 20).   Even if there are only 8 potatoes in a bag costing $3, that works out to about $0.38 per serving, as opposed to the $1 serving from the fast food restaurant.  Still seem like a bargain?

By cooking and eating at home, you also know how fresh the foods you’re eating are as well as what goes into your family dishes.  Restaurant meals often include an exorbitant amount of salt or fat that is unnecessary, and some research has addressed that eating out can increase one’s daily caloric intake, especially calories from fat and added sugar.  While you can special order something to a degree, there are often hidden culprits that you are simply unaware of.  For example, who thinks to hold the butter on their burger bun?  Portion control is also easier when prepping meals at home; you don’t have to remember to box up half your meal, ask for a to-go container, or resist the allure of an all-you-can eat buffet or the dessert menu if you’re already feeling stuffed.

People may argue that you can spend quality time together as a family when eating out, but there’s no denying that preparing your meals at home can additionally help bring everyone together in order to help prepare the meal.  Children generally love to help out in any way they can, whether that means pouring ingredients into a mixing bowl, stirring something, or even just setting the table.  I remember that, as a child, my parents assigned each of my siblings and I some sort of task to complete before dinnertime.  Someone would take and fulfill drink orders, someone would set out the plates and bowls, another the silverware, and someone the napkins.  Of course, someone would also say a blessing, and then we would all sing “The Lord is Good to Me.”  Working together in the kitchen can be a great way to teach kids important lessons about healthy eating, and also to let them express their creativity.  It’s amazing what a confidence boost or feeling of accomplishment someone can receive from saying “I helped make that.”  Then, eating dinner as a family allows children to model the choices you make in nutritious eating.  Kids tend to mimic the attitudes their parents hold toward food, so if they see you are excited about healthy eating they are more likely to perceive it as something important.  In addition, I would add that eating at home allows you to create and share cultural traditions, such as the family dinner song that mine still sings to this day.

You may not believe it, but cooking meals at home can also be a time-saver.  I’m not saying that taking an hour or two out of every day during the week is the answer, but have you considered preparing a week’s worth of meals perhaps one day out of the week?  One pot meals or even crock pot recipes have become increasingly popular over the years.  If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can simply double one of your favorite recipes (soups or casseroles are often great for this), enjoy part of the meal one day, and freeze the rest for a time when you’re too tired to cook.  Cooking and dining at home can certainly be a rewarding experience in more ways than one.

About Demelza Young

Demelza Young is an alumni of Northern Kentucky University. She currently enjoys volunteering her time in her local community, reviewing online content with her cat, and sharing quality recipes.

Filed Under: Food & Health, Healthy Eating Tagged With: family, healthy, healthy eating

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angie says

    August 28, 2012 at 3:52 pm

    We try to eat at home as much as possible! I feel better knowing that I have prepared our food and it helps save money too! Great post 🙂

  2. Patty A says

    September 9, 2012 at 12:40 am

    We love eating at home and try our best to make out meals. 

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Follow Us on Instagram

susanlbewley

Had to share my cute order from @sugoimart - Box 2 Had to share my cute order from @sugoimart - Box 2 of 2 included 2 Sakura Lucky Bags (all Japan-exclusive items). These bags were 100% worth it & oh so adorable! When this box arrived from #sugoimart it was under pressure from all the items in these two bags. It includes some cute sakura season #Sanrio items #dogplush , tea, soda, beauty items, stationery & more. While there were some duplicate items, not as many as the #SanroiLuckyBag . If you are considering buying this bag - go for it! While I wish the second bag had a plush rather than a #sakura themed toy, I definitely think it was the gamble! #LuckyBag #Sakuraluckybag #Japan #Japanexclusive #HelloKitty #Cute
Had to share my cute order from @sugoimart - Box Had to share my cute order from @sugoimart - Box 1 of 2 included 2 Sanrio Lucky Bags (all Japan-exclusive items). Cute but wish both bags were 100%duplicates. Thought some items would be unique. Only included 1 of bags for pictures since well...duplicates. Thought this would help anyone wanting to get their #sanriobags. #sugoimart #unboxing #hellokitty  #Japan #hellokittylovers #sanrioluckybag #sugoimartluckybag
Just a sleepy Monday. #dogs #lovedogs #dogsofinsta Just a sleepy Monday. #dogs #lovedogs #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #doglover #dogoftheday #insta_dog #ilovemydog #doglovers #instadogs #dogslife #doggie #doglove #happydog #instagood  #alaskanmalamute  #alaskanmalamuteofinstagram #sleddog #lovemydog #notahusky #puppy #puppiesofinstagram #cute #cutedog #pets #petagram  #prettydog
Did you carob is healthy for dogs? While it may lo Did you carob is healthy for dogs? While it may looks like chocolate, these peanut butter cups are safe for dogs and so easy to make! Check out the recipe on the blog for these Carob Peanut Butter Cups for Dogs! Link in profile!
Someone is being a #turkey with their new @barkbox Someone is being a #turkey with their new @barkbox toy. I think she likes it.
Ivi is a pretty cute dragon too! Ivi is a pretty cute dragon too!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Join Our Email List





Recent Articles

  • Easy Gourd Birdhouse Craft Project
  • Strawberry Peanut Butter Dog Treats
  • Dandelion Cookies Recipe
  • Summer Fun with the PLAYMOBIL Water Park
  • Banana Ginger Dog Treats
  • Do I Need a Portable Air Conditioner?
  • Outdoor Adventures with PLAYMOBIL Horseback Riding Lessons
  • Step By Step Projects for Self-Sufficiency Book Review
  • How to Raise Chickens Book Review
  • First Time Beekeeping Book Review

Current Giveaways

Footer

Recent Posts

  • Easy Gourd Birdhouse Craft Project
  • Strawberry Peanut Butter Dog Treats
  • Dandelion Cookies Recipe
  • Summer Fun with the PLAYMOBIL Water Park
  • Banana Ginger Dog Treats
  • Do I Need a Portable Air Conditioner?
  • Outdoor Adventures with PLAYMOBIL Horseback Riding Lessons

Looking for Something?

Follow Us

Join Our Email List





Privacy Policy | Disclosure | Contact Us
Copyright - Bewley Consulting Corp.