Is ordering takeout your default solution when your day derails and you don’t have a meal plan in place for dinner?
A few days ago, at the tail end of a very long day, it occurred to me that I had no meal plan in place for that nights’ dinner.
In this situation I typically default to takeout. However, takeout is highly expensive, and, lately, I had overindulged in that option way too often.
While driving, I considered my very limited options for putting a meal on the table without defaulting to takeout.
Since I knew we had eggs, and I can make a decent omelet in just minutes, I settled on breakfast for dinner. Our meal was on the table just minutes after walking through the door.
Best of all, I didn’t spend a dime on takeout.
To eliminate the temptation to default to takeout, I decided to intentionally create a list of quick and easy takeout alternatives.
Quick and Easy Takeout Alternatives
Breakfast for dinner
Not everyone likes breakfast for dinner, but luckily, we do.
The options to turn breakfast into dinner are numerous.
Omelets, pancakes and eggs, and eggs over easy are three of the easiest options that come to mind.
Even adding precooked bacon, the expense is much less than stopping for takeout.
Start a list of quick and easy takeout alternatives and add all the breakfast options your family would enjoy.
Sandwiches
Making sandwiches for dinner is an option I often choose.
However, after paying a nice chunk of change for a sandwich I could easily duplicate, I decided it was definitely a decent choice.
Since then, I have made a point to gather sandwich ideas from restaurant menus.
Hearty, meal worthy sandwiches, are surprisingly easy to create.
Add a side of fries or onion rings, and you’ve created a twenty-dollar meal, all for a fraction of the cost.
Currently, my favorite three sandwich options are chicken breast with grilled peppers and onions, Italian sausage sandwiches, and ham, with bacon and Swiss cheese.
Add at least three sandwich options to the now growing list of quick and easy takeout alternatives.
Restaurant quality frozen meals
Restaurant quality frozen meal options abound at places like Sam’s Club, and Costco’s. (I am assuming Costco’s since we don’t have one nearby.)
My go-to for a restaurant quality frozen meal is shrimp scampi.
Take the time to scope out the stores and choose a couple of go to frozen meals for your list.
In order to break the takeout habit, even though it sounds odd, you must plan for when you haven’t planned.
Ensure the pantry is stocked with enough essential items items to put together at least 3 takeout alternative meals.
If, at the end of a long day, you are faced with a grocery store stop or takeout, I’m confident takeout has a better chance of winning.
Intentionally creating some quick and easy takeout alternatives ensures that enjoying takeout remains a treat and not a default reaction to a long day.
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