I never want to eat out AGAIN!!!
 

Through my weight loss journey/self discovery, I've learned the art of healthy, gourmet cooking. I seriously feel like that has made this journey quite painless/effortless. It made it so easy to turn down food at parties, etc. because I honestly looked forward to my own pre-prepared meals (which I'd freeze a month in advance).

Ok...so now I've made my goal weight and I got to thinking about all the things I wanna do this summer. The only thing I could think of was, "how am I going to transport my meals?" and "I wonder if that hotel has a microwave?" Is that creepy/weird or what? I seriously PREFER my meals. I make very high quality and truly flavorfully delishous dishes and NO RESTAURANT can honestly touch my cooking with a 10 foot fork!:eek:

Sooo...I just finished lunch (marinated filet mignon w/A1 sauce, over mashed potatoes - yes, REAL butter and brocolli, AND my second...and last...SLICE of PUMPKIN PIE for dessert...YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!:D) and thought...I know...maybe it would just be more cost effective (considering how much is costs to EAT OUT), to just get some type of portable food heater. I can always transport my food in a cooler and if staying in a hotel, they've always got endless supplies of ice.

My question is....am I crazy for thinking like this?:?: Is there anyone else in this entire world (or 3fc board) that loves their own food as much as I do and looks at places like Applebees, McDonalds, etc. as inferior/garbage not fit for human consumption?

No and yes, in that order.

My HR department hates me because when I travel for business, I do all kinds of crazy stuff like getting meal ingredients at grocery stores, and/or buying only a piece of protein from a restaurant (BBQ and Grill places are great for this - just buy a chicken breast or piece of steak) and putting them on salads from grocery store ingredients. They can never figure out what receipts go to what meals.

i feel the same way-we live with my husbands family (moving out next friday-yayyyyy!), and they LIVE off of hot pockets, pizza rolls, corn dogs, and hot dogs. its crazy..they are all really thin but they never cook at home, and i just cant handle all of the crap they put in their bodies-I CANT WAIT to cook my first meal back on my own :) :) :) (i do cook my own food there, but it isnt the same)

I don't think it is crazy at all! You love what you eat, you know it's good for you, so why sacrifice and eat something else you know you are going to dread eating. I say go for it! Show those fast food places and restaurant chains that you don't need to eat their "stuff"! http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-fc/boxer.gif

Emme - My new favorite smiley!:D

Cooking every meal for 9 months (not even eating out once), has really opened my eyes to alot of the crap these restaurants are using without care or concern to quality. Seems I'd rather pay $60 for an entire huge Costco sized filet of beef than one lousy dinner at the local Sizzler!:dizzy: :lol:

A few months ago, hubby, son and I "went out to eat" at McDonalds. I hadn't been in years - I am not much for fast food places. I got their angus burger. I felt ill for a FULL 24 hours afterwords. I do not feel like that after a good, homecooked or high end resturnat burger.

I hate how when you go out to eat, your options for veggies are a salad made of iceberg lettuce, broccoli or mixed veggies. And they always come swimming in some kind of butter/oil concoction. ~gag~ There are sooo many veggies and so many different ways to cook them - I would rather do it myself.

It has become somewhat of a problem for us to eat out because I have become such a great cook. I also cook very healthy and gourmet dishes that usually taste better than I can get anywhere out. My boyfriend always prefers for me to cook, but sometimes feels guilty and wants to take me out. If we do go out it has to be really high quality food. Fast food is never an option for us.

I WISH this was a problem, you ladies are a true inspiration and I've been meaning to ask you JoyfulLoser how your "frozen meals" bit works: what containers do you use to freeze the meals? How do you do it? I've always wanted to know!!! PLEASE tell me, I've gotten better at preparing meals, but between school, work, working out and LIFE I wish I could just pop a "meal" into the microwave and go from there...sooooo much easier, thanks in advance!

I guess for me, when my husband and I go out to eat, we go to good restaurants. Not crappy chains or fast food places. High-end bistros, delicious Indian food, Ethiopian, Burmese -- stuff that we never make at home, and never as well (and my husband is quite a good cook). So while I agree that I prefer home cooking to Applebees or McDonald's, it's nice every few months to go to a place that cooks a particular style of fare well. Last night, we went out to a bistro and I had steamed mussels and duck leg confit. Not my average meal at home, certainly! It was so good! And while I had a few more calories than I'd normally have with a meal at home, it was worth it for the ambiance and flavor.

I heard somewhere that many hotels can bring a microwave to your room if you ask. Maybe you don't have to invest in a portable device.

Most run of the mill restaurants just aren't good enough to waste money/calories on.

I do travel quite a bit for work, and I do enjoy the fact that someone else is paying to feed me for a few days. If I can order off the menu wherever I am, I don't mind being a pain in the butt, asking for substitutions and deletions and all that jazz. If the only option is fast food, I'll probably have almonds or whatever else I can find in the bottom of my briefcase. :)

I hate when the only option is some crappy buffet. I usually end up getting a huge plate of salad, and then picking some chicken out of whatever gloppy pasta dish they are serving, wiping off the sauce as best I can, and enduring the weird looks from my colleagues.

I think doing what works for you is the only good option.

Ok...so you guys DO know what I mean. If I could get the same QUALITY eating out, then I really wouldn't mind it on occasion (being I'm cheap...sooooo:p), but I just feel like I'm paying through the nose for CRAP. I'm mad as heck and I'm not gonna take it anymore!:mad: :carrot:

Sooooo...I was thinking...I should do something CELEBRATORY for meeting my 60 lb weight loss goal. I thought, hmmm...since I love food, why not prepare something really delishous, something that I'd spend an arm and a leg on in one of my favorite 5-star dining establishment. Below is what I came up with:

Main Course:
1. Lobster tail w/drawn butter
2. Baked potato
3. grilled asparagus over baby spinach

For Appetizer:
4. Crablegs w/drawn butter

So whatchu think...any other suggestions?:cool:

I'm not really like this (yet)! But hopefully soon, eh? I can cook pretty well but I'm kind of lazy when it comes to things like cooking although I do eat mostly home-cooked meals because that's what fits in with my lifestyle right now. I find I enjoy food more when other people make it because by the time I've made a meal, I'm all "fooded" out by the taste, smell etc and usually don't feel much like eating it that day anymore. I love to eat out and admit to occasionally indulging in crap food, but I think the one way in which I'm similar to what you described is that I no longer eat things that I don't like the taste of just because I paid for them. I'm not going to waste calories on something I won't enjoy.

I for one, love to go out to eat. I'm a pretty decent cook, and I love to put on a spread, but I just get so tired of cleaning up the mess. Cooking day in and day out for my family of starving wolves takes it's toll. Even with the freshest farm raised beef, pork and poultry...even with the huge organic garden out back...Give me an invite from any of our dearest friends and I can stick the roast back in the freezer in a heartbeat!

We live many miles from the nearest fast food restaurant, but we have some absolutely wonderful locally owned diners and cafes. They need the business and I need a break sometimes :)

You're not crazy.

To be fair, I've been to one or two nice restaurants (not chains) in my time that had food worthy of the calories.

But, chain restaurants? :p Quite frankly Applebee's has possibly the most disgusting food I've ever tasted in my entire life. I would literally rather skip a meal than choose anything at that chain.

Every once in a very great while I've had fast food... and it is what it is. It's not superb. It's okay if I'm in a true rush. And as long as it's not every week (and as long as it's never Applebees), then I'm okay with it.

By the way, that celebratory meal you've picked out sounds divine! I hope you enjoy it. =)

OMG, my mouth is watering...that sounds extravagant! I give it two thumbs up!

If it's because you really like your cooking better - then no, but if it's because your afraid of what the restaurant food is going to do to the scale then yes. I too LOVE eating out, but I would never choose McDonald's or Applebee's for that matter - their food doesn't appeal to me. But a decent steak house, or Cheesecake Factory - or Panera or Chipotle if you're going the fast food route, count me in. I can ALWAYS find things that are on plan, and if I don't want to eat on plan - then I don't and I savour every bite. It's not convenient for me to pack my meals when I travel, but I never travel for business it's always pleasure, so if it was more often I may have a different opinion. So for me, eating out is acceptable occassionally (which to me means at least once a week). But that's what work for me.

I definitely agree. I love my own food. I know what goes in there (not only caloriewise!) and I know it will taste good.
I do love great restaurants and if I find one I will be loyal forever (if you keep up with the quality!). However, if I don't know a restaurant I will only try it once. If you mess it up, I won't be back unless somebody else invites me and pays.
I used to go out for business lunches quite a bit and I must say there are not many restaurants (especially fancy ones) that deserve my money. Food lacks quality ingredients, inspiration and passion. You can taste all of that!
I am also done with chain restaurants and fast food, apart from a handful good ones.
I am not wasting my money or waist on them. I rather spend half a day in the kitchen than having dinner at a mediocre restaurant.
I wish more people would think like that because it would sure cause restaurants to step it up. When I look at friends or co-workers... geez! I mean different preferences ok, but quality is quality!

Life is too short for bad food. There are very few restaurants that we will eat at & we have to order our brocolli rare or it comes as mush.

As dini22 said, most hotels will have a microwave and sometimes a mini fridge in your room for you for a small fee if you let them know in advance. 2 of my children have food allergies, and it is just to stressful on us to eat out all the time while on vacation. I have even had hotels wave the fee when I say that it is for health concerns.

Actually, I usually find the best room rates are at Residence Inns which have a full kitchen with a big fridge. Also they are VERY nice for having a proper sofa to relax on.

I'm also often disappointed by the quality of food served at restaurants. However, I don't like to cook nor am I good at it.

I was thinking about this thread as I was getting all dolled up to go out for dinner tonight with my family. :) Sometimes it's all about the clothes and the company. When we go out and eat, it's rarely about the food, it's about the fun. Though I'm sure this might be a rural "thing". "Going to town" has a whole different meaning when you live 15 miles from anywhere. ;)

I prefer to eat my own food too.

I think about the gross things back in the kitchen. I also have been helping my friend out on a food truck, and know how stuff like "oil" from the fyer doesn't get changed every day. Many grilled veggies are prepared one day, but used the next day.

I also used to work in an ice cream shop back in high school and remember how we didn't have time to thoroughly wash stuff like the strawberries.

I guess being a bit of a germaphobe will help me from staying away from eating out.

I totally forgot to answer your question...no, you are not crazy for thinknig like that. I also want to bring my own prepared food with me wherever I go.

I do this with school, short trips, even vegas, and just snacks when i'm on the go. There is too much garbage out there...snacks full of chemicals and preservatives.

Another reason why i do this is to save money. I did try the ice machine thing at the hotel I was staying at in vegas. I kept this cucumber salad that I made (with vinegar and red onions) cold by putting it in the ice bucket. It worked for the first night, the second night, it started to get a little warmer, still chilly, and even with replacing the ice 2 times the next day. I just start to worry about the food not being cold enough after a while. If you have a mini fridge you won't have to worry about it. But then finding a way to heat it up will be hard. I guess at some point you will realize what works and what doesn't and find ways to still enjoy "outside" food that you trust and can eat without worrying about your nutrition/diet.

Same for me. Although my husband likes to go out for breakfast a couple of times a week, too, and THAT, I prefer to have at home. I can cook my eggs with PAM and be satisfied, but I have no control of the butter or oil they use in restaurants.

I do find it challenging to regularly go out to eat and still stay within my calories, but I suppose that is part of learning to make a lifestyle change.

At the risk of sounding like a walking contradiction...does "chinese food" count as eating out? My 12 yr old FORCED me to buy it tonight...and I have no resistance when it comes to that food!:o Actually...I LOVED it! Barring take out (which includes my favorite Jamaican, Chinese, DiGiorno 3 meat pizza, Thai & Etheopian take out joints), I hate all restaurants around here.

I'm divorced. Not dating currently. Have a back yard like an amusement park (fully equipped for entertainment), and am a general recluse. So I guess eating in just suits my lifestyle. I'm an "indoors girl" if you will.

At the end of the day...it's about finding what fits.:)

To all you lovely ladies going out tonight for a "night on the town", have BIG FUN and knock em dead in your best red pumps!:carrot:

I'm about to kick back with a smoothie and a movie!:cool: Night all and thanks for all your comments.:hug: