lent update

I mentioned in an earlier post that for Lent, I gave up eating at restaurants and fast-food joints (drive-thrus included). Well...it's has been so much easier doing this than I ever imagined. I admit though that I did have a slip up yesterday. I was out running errands. It was 15 minutes until the kids would be home from school. I hadn't had lunch. I was STARVING. I knew that I had to get something to eat before the kiddos hit the door or I would be a huge grouch. Blimpie was right there and on the way home. I stopped. I cheated.

But other than that, for 17 days now I've prepped 3 meals each day for myself and usually everyone else in my family. (My kids sometimes buy a school lunch instead of taking their lunch kits) And yes, I do know that lent started more than 17 days ago, but we were on vacation when it began and so we began our Lenten Journey the day we got back home.

Things I'm learning...

It's amazing how much we've used fast food due to lack of planning. A trip through the drive-thru on a Saturday afternoon easily costs our family $25. It doesn't take long to sit down and plan out a menu. My children are (finally!) good eaters and so it's pretty easy to think of things that the whole family will enjoy. On nights where I know we have practices or meetings, I have been using the crock pot. On Saturdays when we are running home in between games, I make sure we have leftovers that can be reheated or have things to make a good sandwich. And don't get me wrong, there are often times that chicken nuggets and french fries get thrown into the oven for a quick meal.

I'm learning that it is not that difficult to prep meals at home and avoid eating out. It takes some planning, but it saves so much money and it is so much healthier.

What about you? How often do you cook and eat at home? How many times each week do you eat at a restaurant?