If you live in a populated area, there are probably numerous places that serve or deliver cheap, fast takeout food. If you’re juggling a busy schedule, chances are you take advantage of these services at least a couple times a week.
However convenience comes at a price. Spending $10 on dinner may seem economical, but that one dish is worth a fraction of the cost in ingredients. The price tag of that one dinner can translate into hundreds of dollars over the course of a year. Not to mention the packaging and disposable containers, and the food is usually higher in fat, calories and salt than just about anything homemade!
If you want to save money start with a time out on take out and make it yourself. What is your favorite take out? Is it pizza, stir-fry or curry? These are all easy meals to make even for a beginner cook. The key is to plan ahead and stock your pantry or freezer with the right ingredients. Before you make your regular trip to the grocery store check your pantry and stock up on what you need. An occasional trip to an ethnic market may be in order, but it will be worthwhile.
You can buy some wonderful jars of curry sauce. All you need to do is add some vegetables and meat and you have an instant dinner. Here are a few steps to get started on “make-in” dinners.
Think ahead about which dishes you eat out most often. Look up recipes for the foods you tend to order. Focus on recipes that are fast and easy.
Stock your kitchen with the necessary ingredients. Do you need fish sauce? Coconut milk? Buy enough so you have them on hand for when you need them.
Make the freezer your best friend. Slice up ingredients and tuck them away in a small freezer container so they are ready when you need them.
If you love Asian or Indian food consider purchasing a rice cooker. It will ensure perfect gains at practically zero effort.
Consider using your slow cooker. That way you can put the raw food in before you leave for work and come home at the end of the day with a delicious meal waiting.
For a quick homemade pizza purchase a pre-baked pizza shell. Work with frozen pizza dough or learn to make pizza dough. Homemade pizza can be a very quick meal and fresh always tastes better than take out!
Nancy on the Home Front 
Loving the pictures of your pantry/store cupboard, mine has some similar boxes and jars, Nutella and Marmite to name just two! I think I imagine that because we live in different countries that here would be few similarities! My view has always been to make your own but many of our friends don’t think twice about takeaways and it’s true whether you can afford them or not it’s the fatty contents and E numbers that worry me! Nick and I always suffer with digestive problems whenever we have takeaways! Good post!
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Thank you Julie, the Marmite was a gift from our daughter when they got back from London! 🙂 Not sure I could find it locally! My husband and I find it much more satisfying to eat at home. Although I do enjoy it when someone else does the cooking!
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Next edition for quick meals: Casserole dish favorites you can portion and freeze ……lasagna, shepherd’s pie, chicken divan(sp?), tuna mac & cheese, apple crisp, etc…
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Great ideas! We always have frozen dinners on hand!
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