Saving money usually means staying in and cooking but some meals are actually cheaper at a restaurant. This is because of something called economy of scale where big kitchens buy ingredients in bulk for way less than we can at the store. Here are ten dishes that might save your wallet and your time if you just let the pros handle them.
Sushi Rolls
Buying sushi grade fish and specialty rice vinegar in tiny amounts for just one dinner is super expensive at the grocery store. Restaurants buy these premium items in huge batches and turn them into rolls that are often 40% cheaper than trying it yourself.
Authentic Ramen
Real ramen broth takes hours of simmering with bones and aromatics that can really run up your grocery bill and your gas stove usage. Ordering a bowl gives you all that deep flavor without you having to buy a whole bunch of expensive spices you might only use once.
Fried Chicken
Frying at home requires a massive amount of expensive oil that usually gets thrown away after just one use which is a total waste of money. Fast food spots and local diners reuse oil efficiently and buy chicken by the crate to keep your combo meal price way down.
The Pho Noodle Soup
Making the perfect clear broth for Pho requires pounds of beef bones and specific herbs like star anise that cost a lot in small jars. Street stalls and Vietnamese restaurants make such huge pots that a single bowl ends up being a fraction of the cost of your home ingredients.
Pizza By The Slice
If you want a pizza with five different toppings you would have to buy full bags of cheese and meats that might go bad before you finish them. Grabbing a single slice or a lunch deal lets you enjoy all those toppings without the high upfront cost of a full pantry haul.
Fish And Chips
Fresh white fish fillets are pricey at the market and making a beer batter from scratch for just two people is rarely worth the effort. Restaurants get their fish delivered daily at wholesale prices and can offer a full plate for much less than a supermarket fish counter.
Street Tacos
Taco stands use every part of the meat and buy tortillas by the thousands so they can sell them for just a few dollars each. If you tried to buy the meat and several fresh salsas and herbs at home, you would easily spend triple the price for a small family dinner.
Falafel Wraps
Making falafel means soaking chickpeas and buying jars of tahini and piles of fresh parsley which adds up fast if you aren’t making fifty of them. Most Mediterranean spots offer these wraps as a budget friendly staple because they already have the deep fryers running all day.
Indian Biryani
This famous rice dish uses saffron and ghee which are some of the most expensive ingredients in any kitchen across the world. Because restaurants cook Biryani in massive communal pots they can spread that high cost across hundreds of servings, making it a total steal for you.
Rotisserie Chicken
It is a well known secret that many grocery stores sell pre-cooked rotisserie chickens for less than the price of a raw bird on the shelf. They do this to get you in the door but it means you get a fully seasoned hot meal for a price that home cooking just can’t beat.
