I DREAD eating out! Too much is going on these days and you just can't trust people. It wasn't like that years ago.

I prefer to eat home - sure there's the dirty dishes but it's usually casual dining except for holidays and parties, you can listen to the music you want or even the news (which I try not to eat and listen to - too depressing), you can have seconds if you want - at no extra charge - what you don't finish you can freeze or save for the next meal/day. Try to go to a restaurant, kick off your shoes, loosen your belt, and get seconds!!! LOL And at home - dessert doesn't cost extra.

Also - you are not listening to someone's whining brat that needs a crack on their crack! (sorry - but if you got one of those in my day you never misbehaved again!), no one is brushing up against you passing by while you are trying to eat (some fattie stepping over too far and hitting your elbow as you are placing the fork in your mouth!), no one is asking (while your mouth is full of course) if you would like anything as they walk by not waiting for you to tell them what you would like!, no one is coughing on you, sneezing in your direction and the bathroom is cleaner at home than a public bathroom is.

There is no need to check your dishes and silverware to see if the previous person's meal and mouth germs are still stuck to it. Your cups and glasses won't have leftover lipstick on them, your napkin most likely wasn't dropped on the floor and then picked up and used for your setting and you also know for sure that you weren't served someone's leftover rolls, butter, etc.

You don't have to wonder if the cook that is scratching body parts and hair is the one that completed your plate before serving...............I'll stop there.

We eat at home most of the time...but I do love going out and being waited on. It's nice having someone bring everything to me instead of me bringing everything to everyone.

It's getting harder and harder to find good food for a decent price though.

If you think paying for 6 is bad... try paying for 8 or 10. My parents had to feed anywhere from 8 to 10 when I was a kid because there were 4 biological children, plus at least 2 'foster' kids or 'strays' that were staying with us for some reason.

I love to do both, although, after reading Mama Mangia's post, eating out seems a lot less appealing. :p

I enjoy cooking in because it's cheaper and healthier. And, it sure is nice to see the smiles on the faces of folks while they are eating something *you* cooked. And I enjoy eating out because I get to spend more time just *being* with family, and I get to eat something I probably wouldn't cook at home.

I agree marymoomoo, Mama's post certainly put eating out in a whole new light. Makes me glad that we don't do that very often, we've even cut down on ordering pizza, but that's just because I don't want to eat pizza right now.

I like cooking at home because every night I hear, "Mmmm, this is good dear," or, "Mmmm, Momma you gotta make this again."