The slow economy has sparked more meals eaten in, according to the Food Management Institute Grocery Shopper Trends 2008. Seventy-one percent of Americans say they are cutting back on weekly restaurant meals, and 58 percent say they are eating more leftovers. This can be a great thing for both health and wealth. According to the report, Ninety-one percent say they eat healthier when dining at home. Families also save money eating at home, when restaurant meals cost more than double per person (a median of $12 spent in the restaurant compared with $5 eating at home).
What about lunchbox economics? Even when you compare a brown bagged lunch to a fast food meal, you will save an average of $4 per day (source CBS News). On average, a takeout meal from a fast food restaurant costs $6, while packing a lunchbox only costs $2 per meal. The money you save increases if you factor in the quest for healthy lunches–to eat out healthy costs more than the unhealthy fast food options that abound. Over the course of a year you can save thousands of dollars by bringing your lunch, and eat healthier, too! When you consider that you can pay for a pretty sweet vacation with the money you save by packing a lunch, the effort becomes truly worthwhile!
How often do you pack a lunchbox? Has this increased, decreased, or stayed the same through these tough economic times?
