Why You Should Never Eat Out
With restaurants and eateries on every corner, I daresay we as a society have become addicted to dining out. It’s estimated that the average American eats out nearly five times a week.
And who can really blame us? There’s just something exciting about trying a new restaurant, savoring bold flavors and exotic dishes, and enjoying the company of friends or family over a tasty meal.
We all live such busy lives, and sometimes it’s just easier to let someone else do the cooking for us.
This trend is not without its drawbacks, however. While eating out can be fun and convenient, you should be aware of the risks therein.
10 reasons why you shouldn’t eat out
1. The cost
Eating out, sadly, isn’t free (though I wish it were), and it certainly isn’t cheap. If you think about how much money you spend on dining out each week or month, the figure can be staggering. Over time, these costs add up and have a significant impact on your finances.
And we’re not even talking Michelin-starred restaurants here! Even your local fast food joint – you know, that one with the day old fries and under-cooked burgers – can put a serious dent in your budget if you go there often enough.
As previously mentioned, the average American eats out 4 – 5 times a week. With the average cost of a dinner out averaging around $20 per person, those restaurant bills can easily surpass $400 a month. That’s a whole lotta money!
2. The calories
When someone else is cooking your food, you’re really at their mercy as to what goes into it. And unfortunately, most restaurants are not known for being health-conscious.
Even dishes that sound healthy can be loaded with hidden sugars and fats – after all, they know we’ll keep coming back if the food tastes good! And fat and sugar taste divine!
On average, restaurant meals contain approximately 1,000 calories per serving – that’s half of the recommended daily intake for an adult!
And let’s not forget the portion sizes. Most restaurant portions are way larger than what you’d usually eat at home. It’s easy to be tempted into overeating and taking in an excessive amount of calories. No wonder obesity rates across the globe continue to rise.
3. Unknown ingredients
When you cook at home, you know exactly what’s going into your food. You can control the amount of salt and sugar used, avoid allergens or certain vegetable oils. But when you eat out, there’s really no telling.
Restaurants might use cheaper ingredients that are less healthy just to save on costs. They’ll also add in stabilizers, preservatives and colors to make the dish look good – but these additives may not be so great for your health.
And for all you vegetarians and vegans out there, be cautious! The meat-free or dairy-free options might contain animal-based ingredients in the form of stocks, sauces, or even oils used for frying.
What’s more, far too many restaurants re-use cooking oil, which means you might just be eating “vegetarian” fries that were cooked in the same oil as chicken nuggets!
4. Poor hygiene
This one’s a real bummer, but unfortunately, it’s true. Restaurants can be hotbeds for germs and bacteria if they’re not up to scratch with their hygiene practices.
While there are health inspections in place to ensure restaurants meet safety standards, not all places make the cut. And even those that do might still fall short when it comes to cleanliness or cross-contamination between ingredients.
I mean, have you seen the state of some restaurant kitchens? Rats and cockroaches running amok, moldy food stored alongside fresh ingredients… just the thought of it is enough to make you lose your appetite.
5. Staff with bad intentions
Yeah, I had to go there. As much as we’d like to believe that everyone who works in the food service industry has good intentions when preparing or handling our food, sadly, we all know that’s not the case.
Horror stories abound about disgruntled restaurant employees who’ve spit in someone’s food, rubbed it on the floor or worse… a LOT worse.
The truth is, it’s way too easy for a staff member to tamper with your food if they’re having a bad day, and it’s not always easy to detect when that happens.
6. Limited choices for certain diets
As someone who follows a special diet, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find food that meets my dietary restrictions when eating out. This is particularly true if you’re vegan, gluten-free, lactose-intolerant or have any other food intolerances.
Sure, restaurants are getting better at catering to different dietary needs these days (they’d miss out on business if they didn’t). But more often than not, the choices available to those with special diets are limited and less-than-appetizing.
7. Getting to and from the restaurant
Okay, so this one might not seem like a big deal, but considering how much of a hassle it can be to get to and from the restaurant, it’s definitely worth mentioning.
If you’re driving, there’s finding parking; if you’re taking public transportation, there are delays or cancellations to deal with; if you’re taking a taxi, it’s gonna cost you.
All the time and money spent just getting to a restaurant could be put towards preparing your own meal at home.
8. Other diners
Have you ever been to a restaurant and had your meal rudely interrupted by a loud or obnoxious neighboring table? Or maybe you’ve been unlucky enough to have someone’s child shrieking and running around, knocking over waiters and making a mess?
Eating out means sharing the dining space with others – for better or worse. Not everyone shows as much respect as they should when dining in public, which means that the peaceful meal you had in mind could be ruined.
9. Lack of that personal touch
There’s something special about a home-cooked meal that you just can’t replicate when eating out. The sense of satisfaction you get from whipping up a delicious dinner for your family or friends, the comfort of knowing exactly what’s in your food, and the ability to personalize each dish to your own taste are all things we should value.
More than just cost savings or health benefits, it’s an intimate form of expression; self-care if you will.
10. The environment
Last but not least, eating out can have a significant impact on the environment.
From the energy required to prepare, store and transport food from restaurant to table – often requiring imported ingredients with a considerable carbon footprint – to the heaps of left over food that ends up in landfills, the environmental impact of dining out is not negligible.
It’s no secret that restaurants and take out spots produce a lot of waste, from disposable cutlery and paper napkins to food scraps and packaging materials. Eating out often means contributing to this wastefulness, which ultimately harms our planet.
Wrapping things up
While we all love a good meal out with friends, dining out shouldn’t be our go-to all the time. From the cost to unknown ingredients and hygiene concerns, there are plenty of reasons why you should consider cutting down on your restaurant trips.
By cooking at home, you have more control over what goes into your food, which means that you can eat healthier and even save money in the long run.