Week One - DONE!

It's the end of week one of my personal challenge to not eat out and I am happy to say it was a complete success on every level!

Confession: I did purchase things to eat TWICE, but hear me out on this one, please.

The first time was the very first day of my challenge. I packed my lunch bag full so I wouldn't be tempted to buy anything if I fell into the "starving" category. However, I forgot about breakfast. I rarely eat breakfast before I get to work, so that posed a problem. Do I try to get by on just an apple, do I bum food off someone else, or do I cut myself some slack and go buy something?

Considering breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I didn't feel like being a bum that day, I decided I would purchase something from the cafeteria at work. My choice had to be healthy, filling and cheap. A huge cup of oatmeal fit the bill = $2. I may have broke my rule the first day, but I chalked it up to a rookie mistake.

The second purchase was for a day with my niece. Her birthday was approaching and I thought I would take her to my favorite cupcake place, Icing on the Cupcake, for a special treat = $2.75.

Miss Emma and her cupcake. Happy 6th birthday! 

Combine that with the $51.35 I spent at Winco for the week, the total spent on food was $56.10. If my math skills serve me right, that means I saved over ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS from my weekly average (nevermind I just re-worked the numbers and I probably saved closer to $130!).

WOW.

Do you realize that could translate to at least $5200 a year saved?

Not only that, but it has been nice for a change to plan at least 4 meals for the week and go shopping for all those ingredients. I'm typically the sort of person who plans meal by meal and can end up making several trips to the store in one week.

Time saved. Gas saved.

And yes. I've been eating a lot healthier. I've realized that there are times I am not really that hungry, but if I had the opportunity for a vanilla latte, breakfast burrito from work or a taco salad from my favorite hole in the wall, I would have eaten it anyway. But when you aren't that hungry, leftovers just don't sound appealing.

Calories saved.

I may have even lost a pound or two - even without purposefully cooking low-calorie or low-fat. My new love of grilled sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere sandwiches definitely are not either *smile*

Money, time, gas and calories saved. Sound appealing? I challenge you to try this as well - even if just for a week!

(p.s. Thank you co-worker Craig for sharing half of your breakfast burrito with me Saturday morning! It was divine.... and FREE!)