4 Reasons to Choose Prepared Meal Delivery Over Eating Out
According to numbers from Pew Research, the average American spent over $3,000 in 2017 on eating out. In fact, for individuals between ages 35 and 55, that number was even higher, with an average of $4,200 spent on eating at restaurants or grabbing takeout. This number seems to only be climbing as time goes by, which may be caused by rising restaurant costs. However, the biggest contributing factor seems to be an increased desire for convenience and time-saving options.
That being said, our desire for convenience comes at a price! There are many things about eating out that are simply not very good for us. Here are the top three reasons that you should think about cutting back on restaurants and fast food this year:
Cut Back on Cost
The biggest reason that people need to cut back on dinners out is the cost. Eating in restaurants nightly can cost $10-25 per person. Even when a meal at home is equivalent to the cost of a restaurant meal, you’ll still save on overhead costs and tips that are added to your bill at a restaurant.
Save Yourself Time
In addition, it’s important to remember costs that come in forms besides money. Time spent waiting for food, waiting for reservations, and traveling can all add up. Eating at home is definitely preferable when you’re concerned about time, but fast meals at home are seldom healthy or delicious. If you’re prioritizing fresh, healthy meals, you may find yourself spending exhaustive amounts of time planning it all out.
Moderate Calories and Meet Health Goals
Perhaps the biggest problem with eating out is the overabundance of calories in restaurant foods. With restaurants offering convenient meal deals, it is not unusual to catch yourself eating a giant burger and a huge pile of fries, all while drinking an equally enormous sugary drink. When you consider the condiments and sauces, you could easily be picking up a few hundred extra calories from a single restaurant meal.
Even when you opt for a healthier entree while you’re eating out, there are usually hidden calories that are included throughout the meal, including extra butter in that rice and extra-sugary salad dressings.
Here at Lean Lifestyle, we do all the portioning and nutritional math for you, so that you know that your delicious meal is curated to your fitness goals and needs.
Make Healthy Choices Together
Families who eat together at home are more supportive when it comes to healthy dieting and weight loss. Kids can learn a lot about nutrition just by seeing your example when you opt for a healthier lifestyle. All of this will lead to a lifelong appreciation of good food and nutrition. Before you find yourself in another drive-thru, now is the time to commit to cutting down on eating out. The less you eat out, the more time and money you will save, and the easier it will be to stay healthy.
Contact Us to Get Started
If you love the healthy options and flexibility of home-cooked meals, but you struggle to find the time and energy to cook for yourself and plan out a menu that will help with your health goals, consider one of Lean Lifestyle’s meal plan deliveries, an easy way to get fresh meals and balanced nutrition that supports your weight-loss goals every day.
