No Dining Challenge: Save on food

Have you ever tried to be super disciplined with your money, only to realize at the end of each month that you’re still overspending or breaking your budget? The truth is, you may be spending too much dining out.

I used to rack up big expenses for takeout and restaurants. At the time, I was too lazy to prepare my own meals and it was costing me a lot of money – until I decided to change things up by taking on the no-food challenge.

Of course you have to eat to stay alive and healthy. Food is one of our basic needs, so it’s important to limit food spending so that it doesn’t eat up too much of your income. Preparing a simple meal at home costs about $4, while ordering takeout or dining out can cost you four times as much.

Clearly, there’s no denying that you can save a significant amount of money by taking the no-meal challenge seriously.

What’s a challenge without eating?

The No Eating Challenge is exactly what you think it is. You simply challenge yourself to not eat out for a period of time while you focus more on home-cooked meals. Over time, this challenge can teach you how to not spend a dime at restaurants, helping you cut down on food expenses and eat healthy.

How much money can you save by not eating out?

The amount of money you save on the no-meal challenge depends on how long you’ve been participating in the challenge and how well you can prepare homemade meals on a budget.

Basically, during the no-eat challenge, you also have to learn how to make delicious meals without earning money. That’s where you’ll find the real benefit.

Benefits Challenges No meals

The no-diet challenge offers a variety of benefits that will help your finances and even your well-being. Here are some top reasons why you should take this challenge seriously:

The no-meal challenge will save you money

This is the most obvious reason why someone would want to try a no-diet challenge.

For example, let’s say you’re a family of five and you usually eat out three times a week. At $15 per plate, you’ll spend $225 per week and up to $900 per month. But if you replace dining out with home-cooked meals that cost about $5 per person, you’ll save hundreds of dollars each month. Imagine what you could do with all that extra cash. You can contribute to it important financial goals and reap the rewards later.

The no-food challenge will help you enjoy healthier meals

If you think eating out is healthier than cooking at home, you have a lesson to learn.

Homemade meals can lead to a healthier lifestyle because you have the option to prepare your meals in a more hygienic kitchen, choose fresh ingredients and even avoid spices you may be allergic to.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to lose weight, you need to strictly monitor your calorie intake. You can control it by preparing your own meals.

The no food challenge is a good example

In addition to helping your pocketbook and promoting good health, the no-diet challenge allows you to set a good example for your friends and those around you.

At the time I stopped eating out, I had a sister who thought I made a great decision. She mimicked the challenge and eventually learned to rely on home-cooked meals.

Sometimes people who are closer to us are inspired by our lifestyle and our decisions. So show the people around you that you don’t have to visit restaurants or order takeout to enjoy delicious and nutritious meals. It can be your own small way of passing on good habits to others.

The no-meal challenge promotes family bonding

A family that eats together learns to appreciate and value quality time. Dining together tends to improve the relationship you have with your children and spouse. It’s an opportunity to bring together conversations about informal things that affect everyone.

Of course, visiting a restaurant seems like an exciting thing. But home-cooked meals will definitely feel more authentic. In addition, you can sometimes have fun cooking, where each member of the family can contribute to the preparation of the dish. This will help you appreciate each other’s efforts while you eat.

The no-food challenge will improve your culinary skills

It is certain that the longer you spend in the kitchen, the better you will cook.

Sometimes a lot of people say that the reason they resort to dining out is because they can’t cook. But the truth is, if you eat out, you’ll never have the chance to test your culinary skills.

You can try different recipes during the no eating challenge. You can watch tutorials from seasoned chefs on YouTube and learn impressive cooking techniques. You will eventually become your own super talented chef.

Tips for surviving 30 days without food

Remember, it’s called a “challenge” for a reason. This won’t be easy. Here are some helpful tips you may need to tackle your no-food challenge:

1. Prepare your favorite food at home

Would you agree that one of the common reasons people go to a restaurant is to eat their favorite food?

I remember enjoying Chipotle’s fresh burritos, especially on the weekends. I would go eat it regularly as it is one of my favorite foods. However, when I learned how to replicate a Chipotle burrito at home, I realized that I could enjoy almost the same dining experience without leaving the house. After all, I was more interested in the food than the restaurant itself.

Luxury restaurants don’t just lure you in if you know how to prepare delicious dishes from their menu. In fact, you may end up inviting friends over every time you make your favorite meal. You would like them to participate in this joyful experience.

Let’s not forget that this is also an opportunity to significantly improve your cooking skills.

2. Cook with friends

Cooking can be overwhelming at times, especially if you are preparing a large meal all by yourself. So it is better to ask some friends for help if you can.

Cooking is easier when tasks are shared between different hands. From cutting to cleaning and washing dishes, there’s something for everyone to do.

Let’s not forget that if you do it with your friends, the whole process will be more enjoyable and fun. It’s one of the best ways to causally spend time with the people you care about.

3. Make It A Date Night

Did you know that you can turn cooking at home into a romance? cheap dating for you and your partner?

One of the best ways to show your partner you care is to cook together and for them. It’s fun and romantic to join hands in the kitchen and prepare a special meal for the family. Plus, it means you get an extra pair of hands to help speed up your cooking.

Want to speed it up? To add even more excitement to your date, make sure the food you prepare is a new recipe or something you haven’t cooked in a very long time. Visit your favorite bookstore and get a cookbook. Then find a random recipe and make it your nightly meal.

4. Try intermittent fasting

Preparing meals every day can sometimes be tiring. A lot of people can agree with that. This is why intermittent fasting may be one option you should consider during a no-meal challenge.

Instead of preparing three meals a day, you can prepare one or two meals a day. This means that you will “fast” for a set period of time during which you do not eat: perhaps in the morning or in the afternoon. During this shorter time, you consume larger meals. If you want to eat larger meals less often, this can be helpful.

Note that this is suitable for people who are trying to lose weight. Intermittent fasting can be very effective. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your own research and do what’s best for your health.

5. Learn to prepare “quick” meals

When you’re looking to save money outside of eating out, you also need to consider the amount of time you spend preparing meals at home. Sometimes you can be quite busy with work, so it is difficult to sacrifice a few hours in the kitchen. So what are you doing? You should choose a variety of delicious “no-cook” meals in case you are too busy to cook.

No-cook food is food that you don’t have to “cook” or heat. You can have salads, sandwiches and wraps for example. Whenever you’re hungry, you can snack on your meals without cooking instead of eating out.

6. Get used to food preparation

Being able to save time while cooking at home is very important. After all, there are many other things to do besides preparing meals. This is where meal planning comes in handy. This means you can prepare a lot of food at once and then eat it throughout the week.

For example, you can save a lot of time and a significant amount of money by preparing lunches and dinners for the entire work week on Sunday evenings! So whenever you’re having a particularly hectic or stressful day, you’ll be less inclined to spend money on takeout. Instead, you will go to meals prepared in the refrigerator.

7. Give your home a “restaurant look”

Let’s say you want to embark on a 30-day no-eating challenge, which is a relatively long time; One way to stay consistent is to make your home a restaurant.

You may want to upgrade or change the dining area in the living room or kitchen. For example, you can change your seating, turn the tables or change some of your cutlery. Whenever you are ready to eat, especially in the evening, you can play some calm music and burn some incense sticks to make your home smell nice.

When a special occasion like a wedding anniversary or birthday comes up, your home can be the perfect place to celebrate and be merry. Every meal can fill you with joy and satisfaction.

By having a fresh and interesting dining experience at home, you may no longer be interested in eating out.

8. Don’t be too hard on yourself

Well, you don’t have to call it add#ction. But the moment you realize that it’s really hard for you to stop eating out, it’s safe to say that you’re technically “addicted” to eating out. Now it would be difficult to break this habit by adapting to a new lifestyle. Imagine waking up every morning and making breakfast when you can just walk to the nearest restaurant or coffee shop instead.

This is why you need to be easy on yourself during the no food challenge. Instead of completely giving up on your outdoor dining experience, you can start by reducing the number of times you eat out each week.

For example, if you used to eat out 4 times a week, you can do it twice a week. In time, you will find that the will will adapt completely. It’s all about taking baby steps until you’re strong enough to sprint.

Quick Recap: How to Save on Food with the No Food Challenge

You can start a healthy lifestyle and get into the habit of cooking more at home by joining the no-food challenge. You might even discover that you have a hidden cooking talent you didn’t know you had. Now that this post has some tips to help you avoid dining out, you should start the challenge soon and see what works.

Keep in mind that spending money on takeaways and fine dining can be a really nice way to treat yourself. However, you should not do this regularly as it can negatively affect your health as well as your savings.

Pin it for later!

Sharing is caring!