I however, HATE eating out.
Growing up, eating out at restaurants was generally reserved for special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations – so to me, eating at restaurants on a daily basis seems like an unnecessary expense especially when cooking is a viable option. I’ve turned into the Goodness Gracious Me character, Mrs “I can make it at home for nothing” (it’s never been clearer that I am my mother’s daughter).
This weekend was a prime example of why I love cooking, and why it economically makes sense to me. A group of us went out to Princeton for the weekend to get away from the hustle and bustle of the noisy city. Knowing that there was a plan for a BBQ I voluntarily signed up to put together a menu and do the shopping. When it comes to grilling, I adore the planning and preparation. Once the grill is on…all I want to do is sit down, sip on some sangria and gorge myself with food.
Stephanie and I went to Shoprite to pick up all our ingredients including 2 racks of baby back ribs, 6lbs of meat for lamb and beef kebabs, ground beef (for burgers), sausages, 24 chicken drumsticks, bell peppers, potato salad, corn-on-the-cob, baguettes, portabella mushrooms and much, much, much more…
We had enough food to feed 11 for dinner and lunch the next day. With the sangria and beer added in as well, everything came to under $200 – less than $20 a head. WHAT?! Had we stayed in Manhattan for the weekend, we easily would have dropped $20 on one meal that would have lasted no longer than 90 minutes (they want to get you in and out as soon as possible).
Not only were we all absolutely stuffed by the end of the weekend, but the memories made were priceless. Cooking brings people together, from the planning and preparation to the eating – it’s a beautiful way to share time with friends and family, and turns out it’s a wise economical choice too!
(Originally posted May 24, 2010)
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