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— Marielle Segarra, Host, Like Kit

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When I don’t have time to pack a lunch, I’ll order a slop bowl from one of the many fast-casual chains (slop bowl distributors) near NPR’s office.

They usually contain: lukewarm meat chopped into cubes, lentils, rice and greens, all made soggy with sauce — even when I ask for a light touch. Without fail, I stop eating halfway through the bowl, even though I’m still hungry. Oh, and I pay $18 for the pleasure.

This is the kind of dining out experience that I’m trying to avoid. The kind where you spend way too much money on mediocre food and end up feeling like you got taken for a ride.

At Life Kit, we want to help you avoid situations like these. We have tips for you on how to dine out on a budget, from my interview with NPR’s Joe Hernandez. Over the last few months, he’s been sharing ways to save money on meals and groceries in his series How to Cut Your Food Bill.

Eat out without overspending

A person looking at a menu at a takeout place.

Abi Inman/NPR

3 ways to spend less on takeout and at restaurants

Adapted from Joe Hernandez’s digital story

🧠 Think about why you’re eating out. Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet, says determining why you're eating out can help you choose a restaurant that meets your needs and doesn't cause you to overspend.

"You might be getting just as much value and enjoyment by going out for a less expensive pizza than a nicer restaurant," Palmer says, "so just putting some time into thinking about why you're going out, what you want to get out of it, that can help guide your decisions."

🛻 Pick up your takeout. The website LendingTree found that fast-food and fast-casual delivery orders in the top 10 U.S. metro areas cost nearly 80% more than if customers had picked them up themselves.

If it's the convenience of delivery you're after, you can factor those extra costs into your budget, experts say.
But if you're able to pick up your order yourself, save the dough.

🥡 Fill the to-go box early. Put half of your meal in a to-go box right away. Restaurant portions can be excessive. In an analysis from the nonprofit ReFED, 25% of restaurant customers said they leave food on their plates always or most of the time.

Immediately socking away half of your meal can help you avoid overeating and prevent food waste. It also means you've got lunch for the next day at no additional cost.

Stop overspending at restaurants

More ways to save at restaurants, from our audience

Drink at home! I find that my final bill is at least 20 to 30% lower when we skip the cocktails. — Erik Klass

And fill up on whatever is free. Bread? Salad? Drink refills? This gives you more to take home. — Chris Hayward

Skip the overpriced appetizers and get an extra meal instead, often for just a few more bucks. My wife and I usually just order a third meal and share all three, taking home everything we didn't eat and having leftovers for days. Not only do we feel we get more bang for our buck, but we also get to enjoy more variety at the restaurant. — Marc Rura

Don't stiff your server! I have a waitress granddaughter who is routinely stiffed or under-tipped. If you are going to eat at a restaurant, proper tipping must be part of the expense rather than saving money on the backs of hardworking, underpaid wait staff! — Ginny Young

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Quote of the week: Why you should treat a divorce like a death

If you have a loved one going through a divorce, care for them “as if there had been an actual death," says divorce coach Karen McNenny, author of The Good Divorce: How to End Your Marriage Without Ending Your Family. Organize a meal train for them. Make sure they have somewhere to go for the holidays.

Grief is one of the most underestimated emotions when it comes to ending a marriage, she says. It can leave people feeling alone and unsupported.

McNenny shares more insights on divorce and mental health. Read them here.

Read the interview here

Video of the week: Make your summer special

Don’t let summer fly by without getting what you want out of the season — whether that’s making a sour cherry pie, doing multiple cannonballs into a saltwater pool or hitting your goal of reading a dozen books.

Happiness expert Gretchen Rubin talks to Life Kit host Marielle Segarra about how to plan your dream summer.

Watch the video on Instagram, then click here to print and fill out a worksheet with Rubin’s exercises.

Don’t miss these stories and episodes!

Holly Morris/NPR

A kid's guide to climate change (plus a printable comic). Learning about climate change? Here's a comic for kids about what it is and how it's affecting the planet — as explained by kids who are experiencing it. And find out how to print this comic at home!

How to dump an energy vampire. Need some advice? In this edition of Dear Life Kit, we're pulling wisdom from the vast Life Kit archives to help you. We talk about how to avoid energy vampires, set firmer boundaries with friends at work and navigate your own success when others are struggling.

Hate food waste? 7 creative ways to turn your leftovers into a new meal. We asked our audience to share their favorite go-to recipes for leftovers. Here are seven dishes — like stuffed peppers and a biryani casserole — that can help you use up all your fridge scraps.

5 safety tips to keep you out of the emergency room this summer. Experts share guidance on how to prevent common summertime health risks, such as drowning, fire accidents and heat exhaustion.

This newsletter is curated by Malaka Gharib and edited by Clare Marie Schneider.

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