A Simple Delicious Way to Cut Your Food Costs Even as Prices Soar
Recently, I posted an impromptu fan poll on our EC Facebook page asking, “What is your greatest financial temptation?” Answer choices: accepting more credit, vacation, clothes, new car, stuff for the house, eating out, and none-of-the-above. I thought I could easily predict the poll results: Stuff for the house would win. And I was wrong! The runaway winner at 41% was eating out. I should not have been surprised.
How much do you think the average American spends in a year by eating out, picking up, or home delivery of food prepared and provided by restaurants?
Consumer units
In 2021 (the latest release), the average “consumer unit” spent $3,751 when eating food away from home, according to the U.S. Department of Labor—a consumer unit being defined as 2.5 people of whom 1.3 are earners, in a household with 1.9 vehicles. You know, your typical family with half a kid, someone working one-third of the time, and a vehicle that’s so on its last leg it could only be considered nine-tenths of a car.
Regardless of the humorous definition of a typical family, I find that $3,751 figure to be not only startling but worse, seriously understated. Reportedly, 81% of the money spent at full-service restaurants in America is paid in plastic. That means only 19% pay with cash.
Mostly debt-ridden
Add to this fact roughly half of all credit-card purchases turn into revolving consumer debt for many of those “consumer units.” That means that by the time all of that eating out actually gets paid for, the real number is at least double. Let’s just round it off at $5,000 per consumer unit that pays with a credit card and is revolving its debt.
And wasteful
Add one more thing to the equation: Wasted food at home. I know the routine because I struggle with it as well: You load up with groceries, but then the week gets crazy busy, and who’s got the time or the desire to cook dinner seven days in a row?
It’s so much easier to just grab something to bring home or to traipse once again to a marginally satisfying restaurant, drop $40 plus tax and tip (at least another 20 percent pushing that bill to nearly $50) and wonder what on earth you were thinking. And it’s not really easier when you consider all of the time, effort, and money that takes.
Without meaning to let it happen (again), the stuff you bought at the supermarket has begun decomposing and in what seems like no time at all and into the trash it goes. You may as well have just thrown the money into the trash and saved all that time and effort at the grocery store.
Time to pivot
Whether eating out is your top temptation or it comes in second or third, you can deal with it more effectively if you can figure out how to make eating at home more convenient and more delicious than going out. Let me repeat that: Make eating at home more convenient and more delicious than going out. Let me offer these suggestions:
Make a plan, stick to it
This doesn’t have to be anything more elaborate than something like, Monday: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce. That’s the easy part. It’s the “stick to it” part that throws us off course so easily because there are so many options.
The secret here is to take control of your mind. Do not allow any room for doubt or alternatives like, “… if I feel like it,” or “…if we get home in time.” Don’t allow a thought like that to have a spot in your frontal lobe—the part of your brain that makes decisions.
Make it special
I’m the last person on earth to suggest we ban eating out altogether. But we all know that eating out too often removes much of the enjoyment. In fact, it becomes a pain to figure out, “Where shall we go this time?”
If you save eating out for special times like birthdays, anniversaries, or other celebrations, it will take on a new kind of joy.
Make it better
The annoying temptation to eat out all of the time will melt away when you become such a fabulous cook that eating at home is faster, cheaper, and better than eating out. It’s that simple.
Make sauce!
The fastest way to get up to speed with making your own food at home faster and better is just one word: sauce.
A great sauce:
- makes food look better, which prompts even the pickiest eaters to dive in
- makes food taste better than restaurant fare, which given my experience is not hard to do
- makes meals cost less
You’ve already paid for the groceries so no worries about a big surprise on your next credit card statement, either.
Bonus:
A quick, delicious sauce is the best way to repurpose or even disguise leftovers.
Here for your culinary enjoyment are six of the best, easiest, and most scrumptious sauce recipes ever. These recipes could make all the difference to help you eat out less, enjoy eating at home more—and pocket the difference.
Note: You will find printable recipe cards for each of the six recipes that follow, when you scroll waaaay down.
One more thing
What are your best budget cooking tips? How do you eat healthy without spending a lot of money? Let us know in the comments below … and yes, waaay below after the recipe cards. Remember: Keep it brief, keep it positive, and skip the personal stuff.
Teriyaki Sauce
Perfect for chicken, over rice, and for dipping just about anything you can imagine.
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin*
- 1/4 cup Japanese cooking wine (sake)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the ingredients and allow to boil until the sauce reduces by half and thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Bring to room temperature before serving.
*Most supermarkets carry this as Kikkoman Manjo Aji Mirin Cooking Rice Wine in the Asian section of the store. Seasoned rice vinegar is a reasonable substitute.
All-Purpose Dipping Sauce
Walt’s Wharf is a famous seafood restaurant in Seal Beach, Calif., featuring grilled baby artichokes with this dipping sauce as its signature appetizer. Simply amazing. And equally awesome served alongside just about any vegetable—raw or steamed. Or drizzled over chicken, beef, or poultry!
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons season salt
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Combine with a whisk then keep chilled until use. Makes 2 cups. Serves 16 – 24. Or 2. It all depends.
Cilantro Cream Sauce
This delicious sauce can be used as a dip or as a sauce for artichokes, fish, or chicken. In fact, you could smear it on just about anything and experience a delicious heavenly bite.
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 (7-ounce) can tomatillo salsa
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Place everything in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl. Done.
Alfredo Sauce
Why spend $18 for a plate of pasta with Alfredo sauce at that restaurant down the street when you can make it yourself for about a buck per serving at home? This is the recipe you need to do that.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 cups milk
- 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Melt butter in a medium-size, nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk as necessary. Toss with hot pasta to serve. Serves 4-6
Marinara Sauce
This is it—the marinara sauce everyone loves, even the kiddos.
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans Italian stewed tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup white wine
In a food processor place Italian stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, sugar, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Enchilada Sauce
This is the enchilada sauce that’s so delicious you’ll be tempted to take a bath in it. And yes it contains chocolate. Make it ahead as it stores well in the fridge.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons chili powder (mild or hot)
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 square (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion until tender. Stir in garlic, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon; saute for a few minutes.
Stir in flour and chili powder, stirring until sauce thickens. Slowly whisk in chicken broth; reduce until sauce reaches desired consistency, about 20 mins (your mileage may vary). Stir in chocolate until melted and well blended. Use with your favorite enchilada recipe. Or my favorite.
Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin SEE NOTES
- ¼ cup Japanese cooking wine (sake)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp white sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over high medium high heat, combine the ingredients and allow to boil until the sauce reduces by half and thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
All-Purpose Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tspn season salt
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Combine with a whisk then keep chilled until use. Makes 2 cups. Makes 2 cups. Serves 16 - 24. Or 2. It all depends.
Notes
Nutrition
Cilantro Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- 1 tbsp sour cream
- 7 ounce can tomatillo salsa
- 1 tspn freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tspn celery salt
- ½ tspn ground cumin
- 2 tspn garlic powder
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Place everything in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl. Done.
Nutrition
Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tspn garlic powder
- 2 cups milk
- 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅛ tspn ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium-size, nonstick saucepan over medium heat.
- Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth.
- Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps.
- Stir in Parmesan and pepper.
- Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. The sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk as necessary.
- Toss with hot pasta to serve. Serves 4-6
Nutrition
Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 29 ounce Italian stewed tomatoes 2 (14.5 oz.) cans
- 6 ounce can tomato paste 1 (6-oz.) can
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tspn dried oregano
- 1 tspn salt
- 1 tbsp granulated white sugar
- ¼ tspn ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup white wine
Instructions
- In a food processor place Italian stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, sugar, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes.
- Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over your favorite pasta, chicken, meatballs. Serves 8-10
Nutrition
Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh garlic
- 1 tspn dried oregano
- 1 tspn ground cumin
- ¼ tspn ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 5 tbsp chili powder mild or hot
- 4 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ square semisweet chocolate
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Saute onion until tender
- Stir in garlic, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon; saute for a few minutes.
- Stir in flour and chili powder, stirring until sauce thickens.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth; reduce until sauce reaches desired consistency, about 20 mins (your mileage may vary).
- Stir in chocolate until melted and well blended.
- Use with your favorite enchilada recipe. Or my favorite.
I normally try to remember to defrost whatever I’m going to eat the day b4 n when I do that then it’s easy to eat at home. I also use a food saver to freeze my food so they last for a very long time.
I make 12 pints of spaghetti sauce in a stock pot. This costs about a $1. A pint. I cook enough boneless pork chops in the sauce for a meal these are very good. Sauce goes in the freezer just thaw and it is ready for a meal. I also double meals that I can freeze. After feeding 4 boys I learned to make extra of everything.
I have to try the enchilada sauce! I don’t like canned, it always tastes metallic to me. this sounds easy enough, AND contains chocolate! 🙂