I love all these newbies tips, Werebear, and I am sure there are people who've been low-carbing for months who'd benefit from reading them. I agree that you have a fantastic, upbeat delivery and facility with words.
With regard to eating out, it's true that it *can be* cheaper to eat at home, but eating out, we're not only paying for ingredients. We're helping to pay for the building, the equipment, the chef, kitchen and serving staff wages, training for the staff, insurance, decor, utilities, accountant and many other costs. We get the food served in a pleasant environment by attentive waiting staff who are on hand when we need anything. You count up how much time it would take if you were having people round, to plan the menu, buy the ingredients, set and decorate the table, get the place looking spic and span, clean the loo, prepare the meal, meet your guests, serve drinks, wash up or stack and empty the dishwasher, tidy everything away etc. and as an hourly rate, $8 might not seem enough, and that isn't even counting the cost of food, and possible wastage. Here in the UK, we'd be paying the equivalent of about $8-12 for a seafood starter in the cheapest places, including corner take-aways in seedy locations, and more than that for a main course, which would only be seafood and noodles or rice, and precious few veggies, if any. If I consider what I'd be getting for that, it's still a bargain.
Eating out in Chinese restaurants, it is possible to get simple and delicious stir-fries which are in keeping with Atkins - a good Chinese restaurant cooks everything fresh anyway - you can just ask them for a simple stir-fry containing whatever you fancy. However, you have to watch for monosodium glutamate. The Chinese use it the way we use salt - as a seasoning - in home and restaurant cooking. The habit is so engrained, that it would be difficult to ensure that it wasn't still added.
Most of the meals which are cooked in my house are of sufficient quantity to provide several meals. Soups, pates, eggs, salads, fish and shellfish at lunch, when I prefer something lighter, and rich stews and curries etc. in the evening. I always enjoyed cooking, and I have never been one to buy in packaged meals full of sugar, gum and additives - I have always preferred the quality and flavour of home-made food and good restaurant/bar meals .. but Atkins encouraged me to buy better quality, and not to be scared of fat, butter, cream, olive oil and lots of luxury choices which have totally transformed my diet from good to sublime.
Last edited by Kirsteen : Mon, Mar-26-12 at 06:54.
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