How often do you eat takeaways?

[Freyaaaa]

I work in a pretty stressful job and often have to work overtime. Lately, I've noticed that I'm eating 4-5 takeaways a week and sticking to simple foods like sandwiches when I'm at home.

While I haven't put on weight yet (I'm still in my mid-20s). Using "Just Eat" is so easy and convenient, but I'm becoming increasingly concerned about my health.

I came to this realisation when the takeaway driver said the staff at the shop were surprised when they found out I was a female in my 20's apparently they thought I'd be a bloke in my 40's.

Now I'm too ashamed to order from them again. 😭😂

How often do you eat takeaways & how do you make time to prepare your own food?

Once in a month, if any. Try Hello Fresh if no time to make big meals, they're very handy and fast and you get lots of healthy options.

I usually keep some chicken in the freezer, just diced with cajun seasoning. Also I make up a batch of rice and portion and freeze that too. I usually stick it in the fridge the night before then stick chicken in the airfryer and just microwave the rice.

Make a batch of spag bol and portion out, it’s a super easy option.

Honestly as one person I would really recommend an airfryer, you can chuck salmon in there easily, just do a bit of veg, rice from freezer, nice healthy dinner.

2-3 times a year and that's usually when staying with friends and they suggest a Chinese.
We've never used Deliveroo or Just Eat and I'm constantly shocked at how many people do, the city is rammed with delivery bikes.

Even if you're slim and feel healthy please make sure you're eating plenty of fruit and vegetables along with your takeaways, they act like little sponges cleaning as they travel along.

For easy healthy meals I like Emily English, she's Emthenutritionist on Instagram.

We eat out quite a lot, lunches and the odd dinner but I find takeaways disappointing generally. We have however got a new Indian takeaway which is gorgeous so this may increase.

Once or twice a year?

4 to 5 times a week is a lot. I couldn't do it simply from a wasting money perspective.
If I was you I'd find some really quick and easy recipes you can make on evening when you're tired. Things like:
Halloumi burgers and salad.
Veg omelette with crusty bread
Jacket potatoes (cooked the day before so it just needs re-heating)
Pasta, pesto and prawns
Nice shop bought pizzas etc.

You'd save an absolute fortune!

May get chips from the (excellent) chippy once a month or so but that is it.

Even when away in the MoHo we prepare our own meals, we never eat out or bring something back.

Once every few months though I have to admit the only reason it isn't more is the lack of quality and choice round here. We go out for lunch or tea maybe once a month, again not much choice locally so we have to go further afield. I cannot justify spending money on crap food anymore.
Agree with pp. Slow cooker, a Ninja and M&S ready meals are what you need! You Tube and TikTok are chock full of easy recipes. Make more than what you need and freeze.

Even though you are thin,you can still have a high cholesterol level. It's possible for skinny people to have heart attacks!

Never. There's always something that you can make at home in 15mins even if it's beans or egg on toast or an omelette or a tuna salad with boiled new potatoes. I cook meaks like spag.bol, chilli, homemade soups in bigger quantities than I need for one meal so I can just heat things up and not have to cook every night: I only have to cook rice or pasta if I haven't got some to heat up. Worst case I just eat some breakfast cereal - a mix of muesli, granola, bran flakes, chopped dried dates, some blueberries, raspberries, half a banana - it's not rocket science.

I had a take away Indian delivered on the day I first moved onto the house I currently live in because I hadn't unpacked anything and I was so tired - that was September 2001. I just don't see the need for take aways.

Never. Genuinely trying to remember the last time. Think it was sometime in 2017 for a family birthday.

I often have really busy weeks but am sure many of my meals in these weeks are quicker than the time it would take to order a takeaway?

Some ideas:

• stir fry (can buy packs of ready chopped veg)
• fish (can get frozen fillets) and frozen veg
• omelette
• salad with various protein
• cooked chicken (either cooked earlier in week or can buy cooked chicken) with frozen veg or salad
• jacket potato
• pitta, houmous, chopped raw veg
• something on toast
• fresh soup
• pasta with pesto or chopped tomatoes and frozen veg
• microwave rice packs with tinned mixed beans
• even shop bought things you can stick in the oven will be cheaper/healthier (fishcakes, quiche, ready made packs of roast veg, look up tray bake recipes,etc.)
• if you ever make anything (on less busy days) such as bolognese, chilli, curry - always make double or even triple and freeze. It's no more effort and you'll build up a bank of ready means.

Once a month if that. I don't know how ppl afford it, we both work and I hate to spend loads of money on a unhealthy takeaway, it's doesn't always taste great either so I regret it when we do.

Home cooked meal is far more nutritious and cheaper

I was going to say a couple of times a year but then realised we haven't ordered a takeaway so far this year.
We do eat out a couple of times a week and despite trying to make healthy choices I'm sure it's sometimes as unhealthy as a takeaway.

3-4 times a year. Family of 5 so eating out/takeaways are expensive and I always feel like I've wasted money afterwards.

Almost never. I can practically do a weekly shop for the price of a Chinese! Plus I find most of them are so salty I wake up in the night really dehydrated when I eat them. And my own food is mostly nicer.

I estimate every three months?

Once a month.

My dad owned a Chinese restaurant and take away but we didn’t eat the food on the menu as it’s been changed radically for English palates. DH likes it as does DS so we do have one occasionally.

2-3 times a year. Over-priced and disappointing is my verdict.

It definitely depends where you live. There are lots of amazing restaurants that deliver near me, I’m not at all limited to unhealthy, salty or generic. It’s very expensive though so we do limit it. Also I like cooking.

If you weren’t bothered by the cost though it would be totally possible to have a very healthy diet eating nothing but take away where I live.

Once a week. Friday night is always take away night in our house

Probably about twice a month - so expensive! Fish & chips is well over £20 for 2 now & that’s just normal portions, not large, and no sides. We never order Dominoes as their prices are ridiculous. I’ve noticed Indian & Chinese has gone up recently.

Maybe twice a year? I'm coeliac and lactose intolerant which cuts a lot out, and I love veg which all takeaways are short of. Hub used to eat them every week, now he has them if we go to ILs and they do me something I can eat on the side.

About 7 years ago I went through a period of eating takeaway every day as i was busy. It cost a fortune, made me ill and I was a size 24!

If you could get takeaways with decent veg then I may be persuaded!

Never. Waste of money.

I'm on my own and use meal subscriptions. The smallest package you can buy is for two people but I always try to have it for dinner then take it into work next day for lunch.

Me, never. It's pretty much impossible to safely get gluten free and vegetarian food delivered. And I live so close to town I may as well buy a nice ready meal and prepped veg.

The kids have fish n chips once a month.

I had them loads when I was your age - we used to get Christmas cards from the local takeaways 😂

I can't get away with that health wise or finances wise as middle aged woman with kids. It's all meal planning and cooking from scratch for me now with a once a month takeaway when we get paid. Sigh.