My boyfriend (20) and I (18) have been living together for 2 years in an urban apartment. For us, it usually goes like this:
- Delivery
- Eating out
- Cooking at home
We visit our parents (and they visit us) often, and they give us lots of home-cooked food. We mostly cook at home just for fun.
I’m curious what it’s like for other people, especially in different age groups or family setups!
Keep track of your spending. Don’t just eyeball it. Dining out and delivery are very expensive.
Like a couple weeks ago I ordered dinner to eat with a friend realized the bill was like a whole week’s food budget all at once.
Rice, beans, vegetables, cheese, wraps? Like $5. Ordering two similar burritos? $30. That savings adds up.
Anyway, to answer your question and stop giving unsolicited advice: I almost always cook at home. I don’t have the income to do otherwise. When I had a high paying job I would order more food delivered.
While I agree with you, I will say this: if you are not living paycheck to paycheck, it is important to realize that your time has value.
People on the internet can be judgy as fuck, but it’s your time and if you want to reclaim time to play with your kids and pay for expensive carry out? Do it. You can’t take your money with you, time and experience is all you get. If you like cooking do that. If you don’t, you do you.
You will never please the crowd on Lemmy doing that though unless you are not cooking your own food because you’re too busy doing some vegan lawn rewilding in your furry costume with decorative toe socks while watching trans anime supporting Palestine on your used Linux Thinkpad and the food comes from a local source using a barter system instead of capitalism delivered by bicycle and you chat up the delivery person about deploring landlords. /s sort of. You can count like 4 of those in this thread already.
Otherwise, sure, rice and beans plus some protein is quality cheap eating, though I’ve never made beans that way myself.
There’s some merit in what you’re saying. I’ve found that cooking with family can be quality time. A friend of mine has a toddler and they involve her in the kitchen (even when she was younger and her involvement was mostly “do you want to hold this potato?” tier)
So yes, time has value as well. 20 minutes cooking together can be pretty valuable.
We also do that. Some meals are better for it than others.
Sometimes the kids just want to play hide and seek or do sidewalk chalk. On those days, especially if they ask, I intend to play!