Learn how to enjoy takeout & dining out with intention without sacrificing health, control, or your budget!
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Take-out is awesome.
There’s the unbeatable convenience of ordering Uber Eats after a long day as you sit in the carpool line, realizing you forgot to defrost the meatballs. There’s the excitement of trying a new steakhouse downtown, or the geshmak of sipping a kosher cocktail while demolishing all-you-can-eat sushi.
I get it. I crave it too.
But if you’re reading this, chances are you’re looking to improve your health, maybe shed a few post-Yom Tov pounds, or like me, save money and feel better. No more stomach aches. No more eating past the point of comfort. And no more scary credit card bills.
In this article, I’ll share the simple approach I use (and often recommend) to enjoy the delicious world of takeout and restaurants, without giving it up completely.
Eating Out for Convenience: Not as a Crutch
Let’s be honest: life’s hectic. Sometimes the meat gets freezer-burned. Sometimes the kids melt down. Sometimes you’re just too wiped to cook. In moments like these, takeout is a lifesaver. It’s a tool that helps you survive the chaos. And that’s exactly how I think we should view it: as a backup plan, not the main plan.
The problem comes when “I’m too tired to cook” becomes the default every night. When restaurants or Uber Eats turn into our personal chefs instead of the occasional rescue squad. Every time we eat out, we give up a little control over what’s going into our bodies, how much oil, salt, sugar, or portions we’re really getting. And that’s fine once in a while! But if it’s happening daily, it can quietly work against our health goals without us even realizing it.
I’m not saying ditch the takeout menus. I’m saying use them wisely! Keep takeout for those “I just can’t even” moments. Let it be the tool that gets you through a move, a broken oven, a late-night meeting. When you save it for true convenience, it feels like a help, not a habit.
Eating Out for Enjoyment: Making It Count
Food isn’t just fuel, it’s an experience. A date night. A family Sheva Bracha. A long-overdue catch-up with friends. In those moments, eating out isn’t about filling your stomach; it’s about living life!
When we shift our mindset and see restaurants as an experience instead of a regular pit stop, two things happen: First, we enjoy it more. We slow down, savor, and actually appreciate the meal. Second, we stop relying on it for basic nutrition, which, let’s be honest, is hard to control when someone else is cooking. You can’t exactly ask the chef to swap oils, cut the sodium, or shrink the portions.
A personal story: When I first got married, my wife and I lived for Uber Eats and Grubhub promos. We’d stalk email promos and DansDeals, switching between our accounts to score discounts. We weren’t doing any crazy shtick, just two newlyweds figuring out how to eat out every week for cheap, thanks to the apps begging us to order. And honestly? It worked. We were hooked. 2 kids vs. a trillion-dollar industry…
Bringing It All Together
Takeout’s not the enemy. Eating out isn’t “bad.” But when we pause to think why we’re reaching for that menu, whether it’s true convenience or true enjoyment, we take back control. We stop defaulting to habits that drain our wallets and leave us feeling sluggish, and instead start using restaurants in a way that actually supports our lives! I’m not here to tell you to give it up. I’m here to help you own it. Use it when it matters. Enjoy it when it counts. And trust yourself to fill the in-between with food that fuels you, not just feeds you.
The content provided in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of your physician, registered dietitian, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health, nutrition, or fitness regimen.
The Essentials in 60 Seconds!
Let’s be real: takeout is awesome. It saves the day when life’s crazy, forgot to defrost dinner, too tired to cook, or juggling a million things. It’s convenient, and that’s exactly how we should use it: as a backup plan, not the everyday plan. When takeout becomes the norm instead of the exception, we lose control over what’s going into our bodies: more oil, salt, sugar, and bigger portions than we realize.
Eating out also has another amazing role: enjoyment. It’s the date night you’ve been waiting for, the night out with guys, the family Chanuka party. In those moments, eating out isn’t just food, it’s connection and joy.
So here’s the thing: we don’t want takeout to be our default chef, or restaurants to replace our kitchen. By saving eating out for true convenience or real enjoyment, we stay in charge! We get to control what we eat most of the time, and still enjoy the fun, social moments guilt-free.
It’s not about cutting it out: it’s about using it on purpose. Eat out & enjoy it. But let it be an experience & not a routine.
