Like most families, we enjoy dining out once in a while as a treat or just a change from our usual fare at home. Also like most families, we have had to curtail our restaurant trips as we try to cut back on unnecessary expenses. Fortunately, there are several ways to enjoy restaurant meals at home while avoiding the cost of eating out.
1. Buy restaurant brand food products. My son loves Buffalo Wild Wings; unfortunately, my daughter - and my wallet - doesn't! I have taken him several times for a Mom-Son outing and even with just the two of us and water for beverages, the total can approach $20. I've noticed that they sell bottles of their sauce for $4.25. That one bottle will last us several meals, giving us the taste of the restaurant wings at a price that is much easier on my budget. Bob Evans and Frisches' Big Boy are just 2 other establishments that come to mind that also sell their specialty foods and condiments to take home.
2. Look for similar copy-cat recipes for your favorite restaurant dish. A quick Google search for "restaurant copycat recipes" brought up 133,000 sites. Your local library may have copycat books available to check out. And don't forget to check the newspaper. The Columbus Dispatch has a Wednesday food section every week, and one of the features is a reader column where you can write in and request a recipe, and other readers reply. Perhaps it's one you remember from a specific restaurant or just something you have made in the past, but more than likely you will see a response printed in a couple of weeks. Maybe your paper has something similar?
3. Ask the restaurant for the recipe. Some places will do this, some won't. If it is a local establishment, you can try asking the owner or the chef. If it is part of a chain, you can try writing to the corporate office. If this doesn't work and you like to experiment in the kitchen, you can always try to recreate a recipe on your own. Now, I'm no good at this. I can't pick apart dishes and tell you 90% of what is in something unless it is super-basic, but a lot of people can.
These are just a few ways to have a restaurant meal at home. How do you do it? For more Frugal Friday ideas, visit Life as Mom (www.lifeasmom.com).
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2 comments:
i'm now addicted to the red lobster cheddar biscuits copy-cat recipe! :)
Great idea. I totally agree, if you google a recipe, chances are you will find something similar.
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