This is a quick overview of why cooking at home can be beneficial to the average American family. This overview is simply the cost of the food; it does not include preparation time, cost of equipment (pots, pans, knives, etc.), cost of gas/electricity to do the cooking… but it also does not include the health benefits, or potential reduction in medical costs. Some of these things are hard to average especially since a lot of cook ware is made to last a lifetime or more (I use a lot of cast iron that I got from my mom) and the more you use it the less its cost averages out to be in the end. Extending your lifespan with healthy foods, and reducing medical bills may be worth a lot more to some than others. So I am making you aware of what is not included, and why it is not included, but obviously do not plan on figuring out or finding sources to include it. Also, be aware that these figures are based on national averages through 2011, your results may vary but the ratio of home cooking to going out to eat should remain fairly consistent. This is also for a family of four, and does not include what you might save with leftovers… some times batch cooking a large pot of chicken noodle soup for instance might feed a family of four for 3 or more meals at about $25 total cost to make.

Home Made:

Vegtable Stir Fry and Rice – $8.62
Rice and Pinto Beans – $9.26
Chicken Dinner – $13.78
Steak Dinner – $23.18

Out to Eat:

McDonald’s – $27.89
Arby’s – $34.00
Chili’s – $69.64
Outback Steakhouse – $109.82

And for fun the average single US restaurant meal costs $35.65 and the average meal price at the 20 costliest San Francisco restaurants is $85.27 per plate!

As you can see, even with a steak dinner including baked potatoes, and a vegetable side cooked at home for a family of four is cheaper than going to McDonald’s! I’m not suggesting that you have steak and potatoes every night, as that would not be very budget conscious… but I’ve known a lot of people who believed that they were saving money by going to McDonald’s every night for dinner… many of them actually have the audacity to suggest that they cannot afford to cook at home, absolutely foolish talk! A Vegtable stir fry dinner for four, or even throwing in a little tofu, or shrimp would be 1/2 the cost of going to McDonald’s.