As a single working mom to 2 hungry, growing boys, I prepare breakfasts, lunches, and dinners all week. So at least once a week I am happy to let someone else handle it for me! I especially like going to locally-owned, small businesses. Dining out or eating carry-out, at least once per week can be a good habit to develop. Try something new or go to your favorite place, but you should be eating out this week at a locally-owned restaurant, and here are a few reasons why:
Our lives can be busy, leaving not a whole lot of time to spend hours in the kitchen. If you’ll be running errands or have plans to be out of the house for a bit, there’s nothing easier than making a restaurant stop on your way home -- not to mention, the convenience of having someone else cook for you!
How many times have you struggled recently figuring out what to have to eat? When you eat at home all the time, you’ll likely fall into a routine of eating the same things. Eating out or ordering carryout at a restaurant gives you the chance to have something different! And while you’re enjoying your delicious meal, you get another “taste” of how convenient getting food prepared by someone else is.
If your week was rather busy and you found yourself eating at separate times from your family members, eating out or sitting down together to a take-out meal is a great way to bond and get the family back together. And since you don’t have to worry about who’s going to be preparing and serving the meal, all you have to focus on is catching up with your loved ones!
Now, perhaps more than any other time in our lives, it’s important to support our local businesses. A small restaurant provides jobs to people in the community, who, in turn, are likely to spend their wages at local shops. In addition, local restaurants and other businesses are much more likely to support local events and give back to the community. Local restaurants are more likely to buy from other local businesses for their ingredients and supplies also, therefore keeping more money in the local area. If you can’t fit a family meal out into your busy schedule, consider taking clients and business associates out to eat. In an effort to help support our restaurants and bars, tax policies have been changed and are now provided to encourage dining out for business meetings.
Ultimately, you work hard, and you deserve a break. Why make more work for yourself by dirtying up that kitchen with a dinner mess? Even if you enjoy cooking, everyone needs the opportunity to relax and let someone else take over the work on a regular basis. It is important to take time for yourself, and what is more enjoyable than eating a good meal that a skilled chef is proud to put on your table? Let someone serve you for a change; you deserve it. And remember to tip your servers! They deserve it too.
