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When's the last time you made a home-cooked meal? Be honest. And no, combining a few premade items (like salads and frozen dinners) doesn't count. Chances are, it's probably been a while since you made something completely from scratch—and you're not alone. Even in 2023, there was already an upward trend of Americans spending more on takeout. In fact, Americans spent an all-time low of 44.3% on food at home, and an all-time high of 55.7% on food away from home.

Here's another question for you: If you took a look at your bank account, what percentage of it did you spend on restaurants, food delivery, and fast food in the past month? The number you see might just surprise you and draw your attention to just how much more you've been spending on eating out.

Convenience

Why have we been spending more on takeout than making our own dishes at home? The latter seems like a no-brainer: it's usually cheaper to make our own meals, and it's a lot healthier, too. And yet, the current trend seems to say the opposite.

One big reason this might be is simply due to convenience. If you're hungry or craving something specific, it's much easier to call your favorite restaurant or hop in the drive-thru of a fast-food place than it is to whip something up at home. Plus, with delivery apps like Uber Eats, Skip the Dishes, and DoorDash—the only thing standing between you and takeout is a quick tap of your finger.

Busy Schedules

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It's not just that takeout is convenient and easy to get our hands on, though. Sometimes, even if we wanted to make a home-cooked meal, our schedules rarely allow it. After a busy nine-to-five, plus any other extracurriculars to head to after work, there's simply no time to cook. Even if we tried to make it work, we'd probably end up eating way past our bedtime, and that's not a good thing, either.

But what about meal prepping? Surely that's a good solution if you want home-cooked meals but are too busy during the week to do it, right? Even with meal prepping, though, it often means spending time grocery shopping, thinking up different dish ideas, and willing yourself to not get sick of eating the same thing five days in a row. Sometimes, those reasons alone can dampen motivation.

Cooking Feels Like a Chore

Cooking in itself also feels a lot like a chore, especially when it's something you feel like you have to do. Sure, it can be fun to get creative in the kitchen on the weekends or when you have free time on your hands, but being expected to dedicate precious time to cook after work is a thought that already sounds tiring. It doesn't help that some recipes take a while to prepare, and that not everyone is a natural chef.

Grocery Bills

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The rising price of groceries, too, can discourage you from cooking at home. In the US, these inflated costs can make home-cooked meals feel more like a distant thing of the past. After all, why cook at home when you can get it made for you for cheaper?

The answer, after weighing all the options, seems obvious. Instead of grocery shopping every week and spending hours fixing something up in the kitchen, heading to a drive-thru or getting takeout delivered to your doorstep might be the most logical choice—even if it isn't the best or healthiest one.