Jennie at Just a Girl participated in April’s No Buying Things Challenge (which I’m sad that I missed out on). She noted that her only downfall was eating out. I commented that I had the same issue. Hence, our No Eating Out Challenge was born.
First we needed rules. Why do we need rules? you may ask. The challenge is fairly straightforward. Stop eating out. you may assert. Well, let me tell you why. We both said that our main social activities involve eating out. If we stopped eating out entirely for the entire month, then we’d become hermits, recluses even! (Wo)man can not live on science alone! So, we compromised:
We can only eat out once a week and it must be in a social setting. Husband and Dr. Man do not count as a social setting.
That’s the only hard and fast rule of this challenge. Jennie has some rules of her own and I’m doing a variation on that (2 drinks or dessert, but not both).
We’re also doing “confessionals.” Where we tell the world (or at least our readers) when we stumble. I think this is going to be a fairly hard challenge for the two of us. Jennie is traveling for a week and Dr. Man moves back home. Both of these things are huge triggers for eating out. However, we’re up to the challenge!
(Famous last words, right?)
Well said!
Oh man, I could not do this one! I’d never see my friends!
I love the idea of this challenge, but I think I want to implement it the OTHER way. Meaning, we must acquire food from some other source other than me slaving over the stove at least once a week!
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind cooking, but when I’m working six 14-hour days in a row, the LAST thing I want to do is cook dinner (and I absolutely positively cannot bring myself to cook out of a box, or th frozen food section — every night I cook completely from scratch). My fiance is a cheapie so we eat out maybe once every other month, but damnit I think I deserve a break now and then!
Also, if you’re looking for ways to be social without eating out, have everyone over for dinner! I would say at least three times a month we wind up with 6-10 people crowded around our little kitchen (but it does help that I am very competent in the kitchen).
It gets easier with time, as you learn a variety of things to make for the times when it is hardest to avoid going out (my problem times were lunch if I came to work unprepared or dinner if I got off work too late – I am learning those are not valid excuses!). Good luck!
What about take out?
I’d love to join you on this one but I am going into the field where it is eat out or don’t eat. Best of luck! Looking forward to hearing how you do!
NaComLeaveMo
“What about take out?” was my thought too. This house wouldn’t cope without take out. Morning sickness and a lack of ability to make a decision means that merely deciding what is for dinner is too much for my addled brain.
Good luck with your challenge.
My husband and I gave up eating out for a year after we bought our first house. It was tough at first, but got much easier as time went on. Good luck to you and congrats on your new home!!
I just started blogging yesterday (just in time for NaComLeavMo!), so please stop by and say hello if you get a chance. 🙂
http://lupuspie.blogspot.com
wow! This sounds like a big challenge. Are you allowed to have pot luck dinner parties? that is the way I would go!
here from nacomleavmo!
Thanks for all the well wishes! I’m thinking that it’s going to be really hard!
Potluck dinners are definitely allowed and I think that’s going to be the only way I see my friends!
Hi from NaComLeavMo, eating out is one of my biggest issues. It’s not that I dislike cooking, it’s the cleaning that gets me. Good luck on this endeavour. I hope that you are uber successful!
Hey Amanda, thanks for the comments re: choosing between family and work. I’m not sure if men don’t feel the pressure to choose, I know MR.SM was very envious about my taking the 1 year mat, he debated about taking the pat leave but faced the same issues I did, re: effect on career. He also struggles with putting in the hours required and participating in raising the monkey, that said. It is easier in the sense that asking me to make the choice to put my career on hold is more acceptable than vice versa – though that could be because he’s been supporting my arse since we’ve been together. sorry for the long comment. LOVE your blog, so great to meet a fellow biochem grad student. thanks for the link!
Just wanted to say thank you so much for stopping by to say hello! I hope we can keep in touch! 🙂
Wow, you are a brave soul. I don’t eat out all the time but it is such a treat I don’t think I could give it up for a month.
Good luck with you challenge!
Sounds fun! =) Good Luck!
So it has started – any problems with the first day? Heehee.
Usually when one says they will not do something, the desire to do it is magnified 100 times. Have fun!!
We eat out only once a week now so would need to work on the only two drinks….!
Alyson LID 01/27/06 IA Chine
NCLM