Is it cheaper to eat out?

[Familyonthemove]

Interesting question, don't understand why it seemed to prokove some aggressive replies. Perhaps the eating in brigade needs to lighten up.on the red meat?

But I think it depends on your personal circumstances. I travel out of Thailand srveral times a month for my work - so if I buy all the fresh ingredients needed to cook, they would just go off on the fridge while I'm away. So for me, eating out is cheaper.

[jak2002003]

Thai food

Go and eat it from the market or Thai restaurant, street vendors. Can eat it outside or take away back to you house.. Cheaper, tastier, no washing up or preparation, social with other people, fun, unlimited foods to choose from.... many of which time consuming to make yourself or hard to find the ingredients.

Farang Food

Make it yourself. Tastier (if you are a half decent cook), cheaper, authentic, show off to your friends and family.

NOTE... once you find good Thai food places, either by chance or recommendations, you will know you are eating healthy and fresh food.... in 10 years living here and eating 80 percent Thai food bought from the local markets, small Thai restaurants, or the street vendors, I have NEVER had food poisoning from these places. Eating one time at a commercial pizza store in a shopping mall I got food poisoning.... so people saying Thai food from the Thai food vendors is risky don't know what they are talking about.... and if you don't want MSG or sugar added.. simply tell them not to put it in... its not rocket science!!!!!!

[smotherb]

I am pleased to say, I eat what I want where I want and when I want. My wife is a great cook, she does all my favorite western and eastern foods, but we enjoy eating out, so we eat out 8-10 times a week. I don't really care what it costs.

[little mary sunshine]

YES

[NickJ]

I eat in house 98% of the time. I would rather spend a little extra and buy the best Ingriedients and cook healthy. The one problem I see with Thai counterparts is they dont like leftovers. I cook big batchs of certain stuff like soups and pasta sauces and freeze them for later. having a big chest freezer helps.

[BudRight]

If you are happy to eat meals out that are loaded with MSG, fat, salt, sugar, unwashed vegetables, and god knows what else, then eating out is probably the cheaper option.

MSG: Harmless

Fat: Filling and helps with weight loss

Salt: Neccesary to sustain human life.

Sugar: " "

Unwashed Vegtables: do you really want them washed in canal water?

God knows what else: speculation

[bazza40]

A pad thai at my favourite Thai restaurant in Lamphun Road is 30 baht, I could not cook it for that little if I purchased all the ingredients at Rimping.

Sorry to be contentious, but here's a clue, the Thai restaurant in Lamphun road don't buy their groceries at Rimping.

If they did, they would be charging 100bht for pad Thai.

No, they probably buy their supplies at Warorot Market. Any other statements of the bleeding obvious you'd like to add?

[giddyup]

If you are happy to eat meals out that are loaded with MSG, fat, salt, sugar, unwashed vegetables, and god knows what else, then eating out is probably the cheaper option.

MSG: Harmless

Fat: Filling and helps with weight loss

Salt: Neccesary to sustain human life.

Sugar: " "

Unwashed Vegtables: do you really want them washed in canal water?

God knows what else: speculation

You pay your money and you take your chances.

[giddyup]

I am pleased to say, I eat what I want where I want and when I want. My wife is a great cook, she does all my favorite western and eastern foods, but we enjoy eating out, so we eat out 8-10 times a week. I don't really care what it costs.

When does she cook if you eat out 8-10 times a week?

[DrTuner]

The price of food is not in the top 5 criteria when I select what I'll eat. Has very little relevance with the taste. But if it were, I'd be cooking home in batches and storing in fridge/freezer. I'm done with street food and food courts, their quality went down at the same time their MSG usage shot through the roof.

[giddyup]

The price of food is not in the top 5 criteria when I select what I'll eat. Has very little relevance with the taste. But if it were, I'd be cooking home in batches and storing in fridge/freezer. I'm done with street food and food courts, their quality went down at the same time their MSG usage shot through the roof.

According to Budright MSG, fat, salt sugar, are all perfectly healthy ingredients in Thai cooking, but he probably thinks KFC is the height of culinary excellence.

[dick dasterdly]

The answer has to be yes, its cheaper to eat out.

But those meals only consist of the cheapest of the cheap ingredients, and its doubtful that the veggies have been washed properly to get rid of pesticides etc. Additionally, I think battery farmed meat and eggs are 'beyond the pale'.

Everyone to their own.

[sead]

for 1-2 persons i think so. Big fresh snapper for 2 is 150bht incl. all

wienerschnitsel with potatoes etc is 120bht

i never eat fried though .

[smotherb]

I am pleased to say, I eat what I want where I want and when I want. My wife is a great cook, she does all my favorite western and eastern foods, but we enjoy eating out, so we eat out 8-10 times a week. I don't really care what it costs.

When does she cook if you eat out 8-10 times a week?

Well, let me think, I had breakfast, lunch and dinner today, that's; let me pull off my shoes to do the math. Oh, yeah, that's 3 times. And, that's for one day. Um, er, ah, how many days in a week again? Well, you do the math--er wait, it's apparent you cannot. Ask someone on the next bar stool.

[giddyup]

I am pleased to say, I eat what I want where I want and when I want. My wife is a great cook, she does all my favorite western and eastern foods, but we enjoy eating out, so we eat out 8-10 times a week. I don't really care what it costs.

When does she cook if you eat out 8-10 times a week?

Well, let me think, I had breakfast, lunch and dinner today, that's; let me pull off my shoes to do the math. Oh, yeah, that's 3 times. And, that's for one day. Um, er, ah, how many days in a week again? Well, you do the math--er wait, it's apparent you cannot. Ask someone on the next bar stool.

Very few people eat cooked meals three times a day, especially falangs. Usually toast or cereal for breakfast, maybe a couple of sandwiches for lunch, or a big lunch and something light in the evenings, but if you are saying you eat 21 cooked meals a week, I stand corrected.

[Don Mega]

I am pleased to say, I eat what I want where I want and when I want. My wife is a great cook, she does all my favorite western and eastern foods, but we enjoy eating out, so we eat out 8-10 times a week. I don't really care what it costs.

When does she cook if you eat out 8-10 times a week?

Well, let me think, I had breakfast, lunch and dinner today, that's; let me pull off my shoes to do the math. Oh, yeah, that's 3 times. And, that's for one day. Um, er, ah, how many days in a week again? Well, you do the math--er wait, it's apparent you cannot. Ask someone on the next bar stool.

Very few people eat cooked meals three times a day, especially falangs. Usually toast or cereal for breakfast, maybe a couple of sandwiches for lunch, or a big lunch and something light in the evenings, but if you are saying you eat 21 cooked meals a week, I stand corrected.

Yeah cooking every meal is overrated. For shits and giggles I often just thaw some sausages and slap em straight on a plate with an egg freshly cracked from it's shell.

[MissAndry]

Eat anything imported into Thailand, or anything even remotely considered foreign like potatoes, and the cost of eating becomes higher than almost anywhere else, whether you eat out or cook at home. The only thing cheap in Thailand is street food, and you get what you pay for.

Potatoes from Tesco Lotus in Thailand are considerably cheaper than potatoes from Tesco in London UK.

Depends on the season in europe.

April and May in the London Vs May and June in Chiang Mai

But this thread seems to have departed from the original question "Is it cheaper to eat out", and becoming a boast thread for all the wealthy to tell us they can afford to eat out for every meal.

The answer is still the same, it's always cheaper to eat at home, and I enjoy cooking my own food.

Edited June 20, 2016 by MissAndry

[DrTuner]

For shits and giggles I often just thaw some sausages and slap em straight on a plate with an egg freshly cracked from it's shell.

You should try that with some laarp moo and koi plaa on the side, just to make sure your liver doesn't miss out on the feast.

[DrTuner]

Double.

Edited June 20, 2016 by DrTuner

[Don Mega]

For shits and giggles I often just thaw some sausages and slap em straight on a plate with an egg freshly cracked from it's shell.

You should try that with some laarp moo and koi plaa on the side, just to make sure your liver doesn't miss out on the feast.

Dunno what that is but it sounds Thai. I dont do Thai.

EDIT;

Actually that's a lie, I ate some sort of fried rice dish with pork about 6 years ago.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Don Mega

[giddyup]

Yeah cooking every meal is overrated. For shits and giggles I often just thaw some sausages and slap em straight on a plate with an egg freshly cracked from it's shell.

You obviously have never heard of a sandwich or cereal, things that don't need cooking.

[Don Mega]

Yeah cooking every meal is overrated. For shits and giggles I often just thaw some sausages and slap em straight on a plate with an egg freshly cracked from it's shell.

You obviously have never heard of a sandwich or cereal, things that don't need cooking.

Sandwiches, I eat them every day, Toasted.

Cereal... whats that ?

[soistalker]

I ordered Pad Thai, standing in the afternoon sun whilst the street food vender made someone else's order. There was a crate with 50 or 60 fresh eggs on it. As I waited, I watched him cook, looking over the ingredients. In the middle of the crate, I saw a singular cracked egg. It was then that I knew that cracked egg had my name on it. He chose eggs in order for the other person he was cooking for. When it was time for him to prepare my lunch, he chose the cracked egg from the middle. I just walked away hungry, but not potentially, and more or less deliberately, food poisoned.

[anotheruser]

The places I eat out at are much more expensive than eating at home. This is western food. The food is also better as no matter what I pay or try in this city I am usually somewhat underwhelmed.

I tried a piece of chicken from the stall in front of my house the other day but it was so greasy and nasty. It gave me gut rot the entire day. People who make fun of KFC and eat that crap need there heads examined. So it seems to me if you like to eat in places that have real furniture and actual ambiance rather than outside on plastic chairs with rats running around it will probably cost more to go out. People are only comparing the cost of ingredients but there is also something to be said about the atmosphere you eat in. To eat anywhere remotely as nice as the atmosphere and level of comfort as my own home will always cost more.

This is a reason I do not eat Thai food more often, either the atmosphere is terrible or the prices are the same as eating something else I would rather have if I am going to spend real money on a feed. I just don't do the food courts or outdoor stalls. I also don't enjoy eating in malls in general and it seems like that's where most of your mid range Thai places seem to be. I am sure there are exceptions but I really don't care. When I eat out around twice a week I do it as a treat and not just out of pure necessity because I am unable to prepare my own food like many on this board seem to be.

[MissAndry]

This is a reason I do not eat Thai food more often, either the atmosphere is terrible or the prices are the same as eating something else I would rather have if I am going to spend real money on a feed.

"cow tom guy" at this restaurant in CM, 50bht for a bowl bigger than I can eat.

If you don't like the trees and shaded tables right on the river, you can eat in the air conditioned room.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/At-Khualek-Cafe-Restuarant/344916645679759

Edited June 22, 2016 by MissAndry

[Mokesh]

For keeping better health ingredients and nutritious foods is a must. Without this health management isn't possible.

[smotherb]

I am pleased to say, I eat what I want where I want and when I want. My wife is a great cook, she does all my favorite western and eastern foods, but we enjoy eating out, so we eat out 8-10 times a week. I don't really care what it costs.

When does she cook if you eat out 8-10 times a week?

Well, let me think, I had breakfast, lunch and dinner today, that's; let me pull off my shoes to do the math. Oh, yeah, that's 3 times. And, that's for one day. Um, er, ah, how many days in a week again? Well, you do the math--er wait, it's apparent you cannot. Ask someone on the next bar stool.

Very few people eat cooked meals three times a day, especially falangs. Usually toast or cereal for breakfast, maybe a couple of sandwiches for lunch, or a big lunch and something light in the evenings, but if you are saying you eat 21 cooked meals a week, I stand corrected.

You were corrected in my previous post. Now, you seem to have changed your story; where did you drum up the "cooked meals" part?

I said I ate out 8-10 times a week; you scoffed at that. Almost all of my meals are cooked by someone. I do occasionally eat sandwiches at home, usually from meat my wife has cooked. I had a meatloaf sandwich yesterday, from the meatloaf my wife made night before last--is that a cooked meal?

My breakfasts at home are either eggs with bacon, ham or sausage--and my wife cooks it--or we have jam and biscuits (scones to some), but my wife makes the jam and the biscuits--is that a cooked meal?--or I enjoy papaya, lime, and toasted muffins; my wife doesn't cook the papaya or the lime, but she does bake the muffins--is that a cooked meal?--or sometimes, I may just have a cup of coffee and tomato juice, but my wife brews the coffee and juices the tomatoes with some horseradish and chili--is that a cooked meal? We may go out for breakfast to a noodle/dim sum shop--is that a cooked meal?--or we may go out to eat a western breakfast. I like sausage rolls and eggs or a bacon and cheese omelet; can't stand the meal filled cumberland sausages and canned beans the Brits love so well.

If you like, I can continue with lunch and dinner; however, I hope you get the point. My wife is a good cook and we still eat out 8-10 times a week. As I said in my intitial post, "I eat what I want where I want and when I want." I am not and never want to be the average person.

[smotherb]

I ordered Pad Thai, standing in the afternoon sun whilst the street food vender made someone else's order. There was a crate with 50 or 60 fresh eggs on it. As I waited, I watched him cook, looking over the ingredients. In the middle of the crate, I saw a singular cracked egg. It was then that I knew that cracked egg had my name on it. He chose eggs in order for the other person he was cooking for. When it was time for him to prepare my lunch, he chose the cracked egg from the middle. I just walked away hungry, but not potentially, and more or less deliberately, food poisoned.

So, you ordered the food and then left without paying? Why didn't you tell him you did not want the cracked egg?

[smotherb]

Soup and a nice salad for me all the time....skip the street garbage and fast food joints.....???

I too enjoy a good soup and salad. Mixed salads with meat and cream of vegetable soups are my favorites. Thailand has some great salads with meat and soups with coconut milk. A salad I enjoy is yum naem--a traditional Thai greens salad with thin slices of naem, a spicy pickled pork tripe sausage which is also popular in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. If you can handle the hot, it is a great light salad, best served with a cold beer. If a soup is needed, there are many coconut milk-based soups. Toem cah het--coconut milk with mushrooms is my favorite and cools down the naem. Since my wife is not into spices, she often has a yum het, a salad with mushrooms and a toem cah gai or pla--chicken or fish in the coconut milk-based soup.

You'll have to forgive my attempt at phonetical spelling of Thai.

[Fabricus]

If you care about your health eating in is the best option as you can choose the quality of the ingredients. It's more expensive than street food but if you include self inflicted heath problems it's cheeper by a mile. You can't put a price on your health. In my opinion

Completely agree.

Eating out is overrated and overpriced. Years ago I made a point of checking out many of Bangkok's so-called "best restaurants". I don't recall being impressed even once; one time I remember paying about 1000 Baht for a lobster thermidor which had been ruined because the chef added too much lime juice.

I can cook much better stuff at home.