"You'd save so much money cooking at home" is the kind of advice that's easy to tune out because it's rarely backed by an actual number. Here's the real one, from U.S. government spending data, not a guess.
In 2024, the average U.S. household spent $3,945 a year on food away from home (restaurants, delivery, takeout) and $6,224 a year on groceries. Eating out doesn't replace the grocery bill, for most households it stacks on top of it.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2024Of every dollar Americans spent on food in 2024, 58.9% went to food away from home, the highest share ever recorded in the data. A decade ago it was meaningfully lower.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Expenditure Series, 2024What this looks like week to week
$3,945 a year on food away from home works out to about $76 a week, roughly the cost of two to three casual takeout orders. Most people don't notice that total building up, because it's rarely one big purchase, it's a dozen small, individually reasonable-seeming ones.
Why cooking at home doesn't need to be a full swap to matter
Nobody needs to cook every single meal to change this number meaningfully. Shifting even two or three dinners a week from takeout to a $2-4 home-cooked serving is the difference between that $3,945 figure and a fraction of it, without an all-or-nothing overhaul.
The real barrier usually isn't cost
Most people already know eating out costs more. What actually drives the habit is not having a fast, no-decision dinner ready to go when takeout is one tap away. That's a planning problem, not a willpower one, and it's the specific thing a short list of go-to dinners fixes.
Dinners that cost less than a coffee, most nights
Every recipe lists the real cost per serving, so you can see exactly what you're saving before you even cook it.
See the cookbook and bundles →Quick questions
How much does eating out actually cost per year?
About $3,945 a year on food away from home, based on U.S. government spending data, which works out to roughly $76 a week, about two to three casual takeout orders.
Do I need to cook every meal to save money?
No, shifting even two or three dinners a week from takeout to a $2-4 home-cooked serving is the difference between the $3,945 yearly figure and a fraction of it.
Why do people keep eating out even though they know it costs more?
It's usually not a willpower problem, it's not having a fast, no-decision dinner ready to go when takeout is one tap away, which is a planning problem a short list of go-to dinners fixes.
Is it fine to still eat out sometimes if I mostly cook at home?
Yes, the goal isn't an all-or-nothing overhaul, shifting a couple of dinners a week away from takeout is what actually changes the yearly total.