My husband and I recently started an experiment of sorts. We try not to eat out too often, but when we do we are always surprised at how expensive it is. Even our favorite Indian restaurant, once a bargin, has gone up steadily over the past two years. Can you really eat out without spending a ton of cash?

Now I know we could each get one slice of pizza and not spend a ton of money, but I am referring to more healthy meals. Can you get a filling, non fast-food meal without spending a lot? One thing we have started doing to save a bit of cash is to share a meal. For example, we enjoy going to Panera on occassion. Pretty healthy, reasonably priced food, right? It is, but it is still somewhat difficult to feed two people for under $15-$20 bucks, even at Panera. So the other day we shared a tuna salad (I don’t eat meat but do eat tuna) sandwhich on whole grain bread, that came with kettle chips and a pickle. I got an iced tea and my husband just got a free water. The bill came to under $9. Surprisingly, splitting the sandwhich and chips (I ate the pickle) did fill us both up. We just assumed that it wouldn’t be enough food because we usually get two meals, but we were wrong. It was just the right amount of food to be satisfied without being stuffed and it cost less than $9 dollars!

We have tried this with some of our favorite take out places in the past to much success, so now we are going to keep experimenting with the shared meal idea at other restaurants and see how we do. I have to admit, I get a big charge out of saving money and since going out to eat truly is one of my favorite things, I am willing to experiment to find ways to enjoy going out to eat without spending a lot of money. I know, just eat at home right? We do most of the time, but everyone deserves a treat once in a while!

Do you share meals? How do you save money when eating out?

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