Meal Prep Tip: Prepare ingredients instead
Meal preparation is overrated. Instead, prepare your ingredients with these six time-saving hacks.
As a busy single mother of an 11-year-old daughter, Ellen Hornberger loved the convenience of having restaurant meals delivered to her door, but she realized how much delivery cost.
After downloading a money management app last year, Hornberger took a deep look at her finances and discovered she was spending about three-quarters of her food budget ($942 a month) on takeout.
“Before, we only did simple things that were a little more expensive,” Hornberger said.
No more. She canceled DoorDash and started making dinner at home, saving hundreds of dollars each month. She said not only has she been cooking more, but her daughter has started cooking as well.
“I hated cooking. Now I wear an apron. Who am I?” said the 33-year-old sales program manager from New Jersey. “But you know the fact that I’m changing my habits means the economy is changing.”
As rising food prices force Americans to tighten their belts, eating in rather than eating out is becoming a more affordable and popular option.
Living in shelters during the pandemic has turned even novice cooks into expert home cooks, from chopping garlic to cracking eggs. But the moment the world opened up for business again, sourdough starters were once again thrown out of the fun of eating out.
Now, Americans are turning their attention back to food processors and salad spinners. According to a recent YouGov survey, three-quarters of Americans now cook at least several times a week. Only 2% of people never cook, and a further 10% cook less than once a month.
Research shows that the number one reason for this is to save money, and there’s never been a better time than now when high prices are straining household budgets.
Wages continue to grow at a faster pace than average prices, but the nation remains sour over the high cost of living, even as President Donald Trump touts a strong economy and package of policies ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Already, one in five shoppers rate their ability to afford daily living expenses as poor or poor, an increase of 8.5 percentage points over the past five years, according to market research firm Kantar.
More than half of Americans (53%) say they’ve eaten out less frequently in the past 12 months to save money on food, Kanter said.
Analysts now worry that food will become even more expensive as oil and gas prices soar due to the Iran war.
“When oil shocks occur, the effects tend to ripple through household finances quickly, increasing consumers’ focus on everyday costs and often creating trade-offs in spending on things like dining out, travel, entertainment, apparel and retail,” Dave Marcotte, senior vice president of strategic advisory at Kantar, told USA TODAY.
Even before this economic crisis, Americans were spending more time in the kitchen.
According to a 2025 National Institutes of Health analysis, more American adults are cooking today than they were 20 years ago. The analysis found that on average, the proportion of men who cook increased from 36% to 52%, and for women from 69% to 72%.
Annika Andring, 33, and her husband cook most of their meals at their Colorado home, from steak salads topped with arugula to “fancy” boxes of mac and cheese topped with savory meats and roasted vegetables.
“We’re not necessarily skimping on food,” says Andring, who works in human resources. “Eating at home is a lot cheaper than eating out. Even if it’s $10 per person, it’s still cheaper than eating out for more than $20 per person.”
According to Pew Research, eating home-cooked meals is much more common than ordering takeout, delivery, or eating at a restaurant. It found that nearly nine in 10 people eat home-cooked meals at least several times a week, compared to 17% who order takeout or delivery and 12% who frequently eat at restaurants.
This trend is fueled by soaring restaurant prices and delivery fees that are squeezing disposable income. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on-the-go grocery prices rose 3.9% over the past 12 months, but grocery prices rose more modestly at 2.4%.
They told USA TODAY that weekly meal planning helps home cooks stay on budget, and choosing fresh ingredients helps them eat healthier.
Eating at home not only saves money, but also avoids hidden costs like tips, delivery fees, and service fees, which can add to your food bill with leftovers.
On a recent evening, Robert Belpasso, 31, was boiling homemade bone stock in his New York City apartment. On the menu was a $5 rotisserie chicken from Costco and a chicken vegetable soup made with fresh vegetables from Whole Foods.
This foodie mother trained him to be cost conscious and look for bargains without sacrificing taste or freshness. He can make a delicious meal at home for $10 to $20 and split it into four or five meals.
“I don’t budget too much or think too much about it,” said Belpasso, who works in the technology industry. “If I walk out of the supermarket and spend less than $100, I’m happy.”
