Project Update

As I typed in the $8.64 I spent on lunch today it occurred to me I haven't really discussed how the Eat at Home Project is going in awhile. As you can see from the running total, we have spent $296.97 on eating out since the project began in early January. Our budget for this time period is $320.00. You may recall we decided to allow ourselves $20 a week because we knew we couldn't go cold turkey. However, this amount will only equal about a third of the money we spent on eating out last year.

I must admit, we've cheated a little along the way. For example, the school function the guys just returned from isn't counted in the total because they didn't really have a choice about eating out on a three-day trip - especially during the 14 hours they spent at Magic Mountain, where they couldn't even take a water bottle with them. The reasoning is that this expense falls outside of the parameters of the project and only happens once or twice a year. On the other hand, when Jeff and I took the choir kids on a short - one night - trip to Flagstaff, we packed food and didn't eat out at all. So, when it is feasible we take our own food, but those events that seem beyond our control are not tallied in the running count.

Looking at the count, we are currently running about $23 under budget, which is worse than last time I took stock of our project totals. Spring seems to be pushing us in terms of wanting to just pick up a burger on the way home. Third quarter (between January and mid-March) is usually tough at school because Jeff works nearly every weekend. However, fourth quarter should be a time of winding down. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked that way this year. Stress (over budget cuts, changing curriculum, and adding freshmen to our school) has taken over our lives. When we're stressed, we eat out because it is just easier to let someone else fix dinner. It is also easier to fall off the wagon when other people are around. For example, I took my normal lunch to district office this morning where I was working on changes in state standards. But when lunch time rolled around a couple of group members invited me to join them for the break, and when a Greek cafe beckons, I just can't say no (veggie gyro, stuffed grape leaves, orange tea - oh my).


I've been contemplating a solution to this slippery slope of dining out all day, but haven't arrived at any epiphanies yet. First, I considered buying more frozen foods for dinner. While I'm sure this will help, it isn't a taste-tempting thought. In general, frozen foods are fine for speeding up the dinner process, but not something I want to eat on their own. (Though, my son would probably eat pizza every night if I let him.) Next, I thought about turning the task of fixing dinner over to Jeff once or twice a week. However, I'm the one who plans dinner options and purchases groceries, so he would be stuck following my lead, which probably isn't a good idea. After all, if I'm going to don an apron and stir a pot, I want to have a little say in the matter rather than being told what to cook as if I'm hired help. (On the other hand, if I were paid well, I think hired help might be the way to go!) Finally, the idea of just leaving everyone to his own devices once a week crossed my mind because my son knows how to stir up a box of mac and cheese, make a grilled ham sandwich, or throw a pizza in the oven, as does Jeff. The trouble with this option is that everyone waits around to see who will be the first to step into the kitchen to forage. If that first person looks as if she (yep, usually me) is cooking something - no matter how humble - that's what everyone else wants for dinner. Don't get me wrong. I don't feel abused or put upon because it has traditionally been my job to keep us all fed. Jeff does plenty of chores, but cooking isn't his thing just like taking out the trash and cleaning the cat box aren't mine.

In light of the continuing tough economy I'm not ready to call it quits on the project, but as the end of the school year plays out, I'll have to remind myself frequently that anything we eat at home is probably better than fast food. I'll also have to keep looking at the bottom line and remember that every penny I don't see in the total column is one still in the bank.