If you’re eager to save money while eating right, stick close to your own kitchen, researchers say.
“Frequent eating out was associated with lower diet quality, more ’empty calories’ and higher diet costs” compared to home cooking, said study author Adam Drewnowski.
The troublemakers for regular restaurant-goers are solid fats, calories, alcohol and added sugar, added Drewnowski, who directs the University of Washington’s Center for Public Health Nutrition. The findings come from surveys of more than 400 Seattle-area residents.
The healthier-at-home results shouldn’t come as a surprise, said Lona Sandon, a Dallas nutritionist who wasn’t involved in the study.
“Preparing your food at home gives you control over what goes on your plate,” said Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
Many Americans eat out at restaurants or fast food places on a regular basis. While these meals are preferred due to their price and availability, research shows that cooking at home can actually be cheaper and much more healthier than eating out. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.