# How often do you eat out?



## R. Zimm

Eating out is becoming a problem with us for two reasons. Number one, both my wife and I are gluten intolerant so many places are just off limits. Number two, with changes in our health care and taxes the price is starting to rise and what used to be affordable is getting too high. One way we are saving is to make extra when we cook to have lunches for both of us to bring to work. That balances out but gives us flexibility to eat out here and there. Right now we eat out about twice a week on average but sometimes more frequently just because we are forced to by our schedule(s).

What about you? Do you eat out often or mostly cook your own?


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## TWHRider

When I was working, I ate out just about every day for lunch.

Since his heart attack, Mr. TWHRider packs a lunch every day.

We might go out for dinner once or twice a year.  We prefer using the gas grill which has been on its last leg for five years but Mr. TWH loves that grill and keeps re-building it.  It's been re-built so many times it doesn't even resemble itself anymorelayful:


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## SeaBreeze

We don't eat out very often at all, will have some take out or delivery food from good restaurants nearby every now and then.  We like good food, also the comfort of eating it at home.  We'll buy shrimp, crab legs, salmon fillets, rib-eye steaks, pork ribs, lamb chops, etc. and make them at home.  Cheaper that way, and also tastes better.  We have a charcoal grill only, and hubby likes to make the meats on that, great flavor.

There's also a lot of unsavory things happening behind the scenes at restaurants/fast food places nowadays.  If you've ever seen some shows like Kitchen Nightmares, you'll know what I mean, LOL!   Many times the food is not fresh, or cleaned very well, and the hygiene of the preparers and servers leave a lot to be desired.

We ate out and had take out/delivery a LOT more when we were younger and both working, but honestly, I really don't miss it at all.


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## rkunsaw

Eating out is very rare for us. When my wife was having to go to a specialist in the city, 60 miles away we would stop at a restaurant. The only meal I remember not cooking at home last year was when I stopped at sonic and took burgers home.

When traveling it's different of course. We eat a bit on the road but still most meals are at one of the kids homes.

A friend sent $50 for our anniversary last October and told us to have a nice meal . We finally did in January.


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## pchinvegas

Eating out has always been a favorite of mine. I love trying new restaurants and finding great eating places. We eat out on Friday nights, our Pizza night and now that we have discovered Papa Murphy's, it's eat in as you cook the pizza at home. We have a great Catfish restaurant near by as well. But, Mexican food is still my favorite.


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## FishWisher

I have become too grumpy to enjoy eating out much anymore. I don't like listening to the noisy, squalling brats, the $2.25 coffee, the crowds, etc.

But I have learned a few things that help me avoid that which I don't like: 

For cheap eating ya just can't beat the $1 Menu at MickeyD's and other fast food joints. I can get a darn good McChicken and a McDouble and a senior cup of coffee. I give 'em $3 and get change back! And at Denny's they have the 2-4-6-8 Value Menu and I can have and egg plus biscuit and gravy for $2. Or a good "slam" for $4. Can't beat it! But ya gotta watch out for the Denny's coffee - it's over $2!

I go for breakfast or lunch at 11:00 and the places usually aren't busy and noisy. If I go to dinner around 4:00 it's also pretty slow - and usually quiet! Places that insist on inflicting rock 'n roll on me while I try to have a quiet meal I just don't go to anymore. And unfortunately that included MickeyD's, but some are worse than others. 

And one more thing: Don't ya wish the photos of the food that restaurants advertise really looked that way when you buy it? For example, I've never been served a McDouble that actually looks like this ad photo:


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## pchinvegas

Oh FishWisher your funny ! I know McD's tastes great but not really good for ya!  Cheaper is not always better.  But, I certainly understand.


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## SeaBreeze

I'm not a fan of cheap fast food, I know too much about it. If you've ever seen them selling those McRib sandwiches, think twice before you order...http://www.naturalnews.com/038442_McDonalds_McRib_sandwich_restructured_meat_technology.html .   Thankfully I've never tried one.

Every now and then I make the mistake and try some food from Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Long John Silvers, only to remember why I stopped going there years back. 

 I worked at a Taco Bell for a few weeks in my early twenties.  After seeing their backscenes habits, I not only quit the job, but stopped eating there.  When you drop ground meat (not beef) on their filthy floors, they want you to pick it all up and put in in the fryer.  Workers were sneezing on, and drooling in the trays of various ingredients, and just stirring in the objectonal fluids.  Gave the mgr. a piece of my mind before I quit (and that was tough, I don't have much to spare). layful:


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## pchinvegas

Unfortunately, SeaBreeze I have worked in gourmet restaurants in my bar-tending days and seen just as many infractions. People are people and sometimes they are just not always interested in public health. 
I quit eating meat 6 years ago. So other than a french fry occasionally, I don't do fast food much. Give me fresh vegetables !


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## Ozarkgal

We seldom eat out anymore for several reasons.   

!.  Our geographical location prohibits eating out often.

 2. Screaming babies and unruly kids running all over the restaurant with parents oblivious to the annoyance they are causing to other patrons. (A biggie for me.) Almost never in my life have I been to a restaurant where there was not a screaming baby. They are alway seated next to us. I am a screaming baby magnet in restaurants and planes.When I go to a restaurant, I always ask for the non-kid section. I get some pretty sour looks at times.

 3. I Don't trust the food handlers and food preparers. There are too many restaurants where the hygeine of the staff is questionable at best.

4.  I am very particular about the way food is prepared.  Don't throw slop down in front of me, charge me a fortune for it and not expect a complaint.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




5.  I can cook better than most restaurant food I have had.  

I do myself, the restaurant staff and baby toting patrons a favor by eating at home mostly.


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## TWHRider

^^^well said.  I still wish we had a "LIKE" button that we could click on and it would say, right in the person's post, that "you like this".

Would save a lot of typing and wasted space - lol lol


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## FishWisher

Any food you don't grow/butcher yourself should be suspect. Even your own has doubtless been subjected to some critter's pee or poop. Ever think about what's in just plain ol' dirt? And home butchering isn't as clean as the commercial places. 

The same type human beings that run the fast food joints are running the lines at the canneries, slaughter houses, etc.

That being true, and knowing that a certain amount of rat crap, and other stuff as bad, are allowed into "approved" foods meant for humans, I guess we can simply choose our poison.

I reckon MickeyD's McChicken is as safely prepared as say... Heinz catsup. Or Safeway's steaks. Or name your favorite food. Such is real life...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20013038-10391704.html


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## R. Zimm

Seems like the "eat ins" are out numbering the "eat outs" for now. Those arguments are sound in every way. Where we live there are many good eateries but too many are really just fancy bars so those the food is not that great. We also have so nice ethnic local places (mostly Thai and Latino) that have been around for a long time and are not fancy but when you see a bunch of their family members eating there it gives you some sense of security.


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## Ozarkgal

FishWisher said:


> Any food you don't grow/butcher yourself should be suspect. Even your own has doubtless been subjected to some critter's pee or poop. Ever think about what's in just plain ol' dirt? And home butchering isn't as clean as the commercial places.
> 
> The same type human beings that run the fast food joints are running the lines at the canneries, slaughter houses, etc.
> 
> That being true, and knowing that a certain amount of rat crap, and other stuff as bad, are allowed into "approved" foods meant for humans, I guess we can simply choose our poison.
> 
> I reckon MickeyD's McChicken is as safely prepared as say... Heinz catsup. Or Safeway's steaks. Or name your favorite food. Such is real life...
> 
> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20013038-10391704.html




I really don't dwell too much on what has happened when the food is being processed. It's a given that some contamination can and does occur during processing. Properly cooking meat at recommended temps and thoroughly washing fresh veggies will take care of most of that.  If you think about the millions of tons of food processed every day, the instances of contaminations and recalls are low in comparison.

What concerns me is what happens between the time the food has been cooked and presented to me, and what virus or bacteria the handlers unintentionally or otherwise, are passing on to the finished product after it has been cooked. 

Oh, and number 6 on my list of why I don't enjoy restaurants much is the blasting music that many have taken to playing.  It is impossible to enjoy a meal and have a conversation with the music blaring.  This is done to discourage people from lingering...in other words, eat and get the hell out, we want your table. 

 I remember back in the day when we would linger over a good meal with cocktails, a meal, dessert, coffee and lots of good conversation. We never felt rushed to eat and get out.


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## R. Zimm

Yes, table turnover is a core measurement of a restaurant's profitability and many companies watch it like they do payroll. I can understand it though, in today's business environment it's any wonder these businesses can survive. It will not get any easier with our current political situation.

During the depth of the latest/current recession my wife and I decided to eat out slightly more often since we both had (fairly) secure jobs and work for the county government (ie, the taxpayers). So we did that and made sure we tipped generously.

We thought is was the right thing to do.


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## TICA

I love going to a nice restaurant and eating something that I haven't cooked.  Having said that, after reading this thread, I may never eat out again.

I would hope that any wine consumed during a good meal would kill off all the nastiness that your good people have talked about.


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## TWHRider

TICA said:


> I love going to a nice restaurant and eating something that I haven't cooked.  Having said that, after reading this thread, I may never eat out again.
> 
> I would hope that any wine consumed during a good meal would kill off all the nastiness that your good people have talked about.



:rofl:Too funny  We have done a great job with our un-intended lobbying against restaurants  

 I love Red Lobster but after reading all the comments, I'm not sure I even want to make the annual birthday trek when it gets here -lollol


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## FishWisher

I hope I haven't discouraged anyone from eating out! I should post a photo of me. You would see that all the terrible stuff I have written hasn't diminished my appetite a bit - and that includes restaurants.

This photo just taken Saturday night at Wifey's 70th birthday. I am prepared for the coming famine!


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## R. Zimm

What a great photo, Happy Birthday! Love the suspenderz!


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## SeaBreeze

Nice photo, and the birthday girl looks lovely!


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## Ozarkgal

I'm sorry if I discouraged anyone from eating out in their favorite restaurants. Having ranted on them, I will say that I do enjoy a nice clean place with good food and service.  I am the first to be impressed, and tip well for it.  It just seems those places are far and few between these days. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




F.W....Nice photo, happy birthday to the missus and I also like the red suspenders.


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## FishWisher

Y'all are very kind. Thank you. The color red (and especially red hearts) is kinda Wifey's trademark what with being born on Valentine's Day and all. I tell the youngsters in the family that red suspenders can be worn only if you've worked in the woods. They don't pay attention to this old man, as usual, as none of them have ever been tempted to wear suspenders anyway.


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## rkunsaw

Nice photo. Proof that home cookin' is the best.


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## pchinvegas

Great Pic, FishWisher, beautiful couple.  Nothing discourages me from eating out. I am pretty healthy  and just enjoy being out.


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## R. Zimm

There is nothing wrong with taking precautions about eating out. There have been many cases of food bourne illnesses and everyone I have ever spoken to who has worked in food service says the same thing about what goes on. I just use some common sense and keep my eyes (and nose) open!


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## SeaSparkle

There's a really good deli in town that serves homestyle dinners, so depending what's on the menu.. sometimes I treat myself to that on the way home from work.
I haven't really been dining out lately, now that I think of it..  of course, I've got dating on hold so maybe that's the reason LOL


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## SeaBreeze

We just had some crispy chili rellenos that we took out from a good Mexican food restaurant by us, they also have super tasty and tender pork carnitas on the weekends, and excellent salsa.  Don't take out from there too often, but regularly get pints of their salsa to eat with the organic tortilla chips we buy from Costco. :saturn:


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## R. Zimm

I eat at a Mexican place the other night, a new one in an area I do not travel much anymore. It was great and they even had a three piece Mariachi Band playing. I got great service, the place was clean and you could see that the manager was watching everything.

I told my wife about it and she said she wants to go sometime soon.


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## pchinvegas

Love Mexican food it is the best. Our favorite makes the best vegetarian burritos for me and have Margaritas in HUGE glasses. The have roaming singers who play guitar, it's very nice.


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## SifuPhil

I used to support the entire restaurant industry of New York City all by myself in my younger days. I didn't even boil water on my own, for fear of burning it - that's how often I ate out. I had reserved tables at a dozen restaurants in my neighborhood and all the waiters and waitresses knew me by name and knew what I wanted.

But that was when I was young, dumb and full of crumbs.

Now, because of geographic, financial and health reasons I rarely if ever eat out. Geographically I live in the black hole section of town - nothing exists here, least of all restaurants. Financially I've learned that it's far more economical to make my own egg/sausage/cheese biscuit at home (about $0.75 worth of ingredients) than it is to drop $2.99 on the convenience store version that's been sitting slowing thawing out in their crappy little refrigerator and which, when unwrapped and nuked, looks like Fat Fanny and her Famous Fido Foo-Foo were sitting on it.

Tastes about like that as well.

Health reasons ... I have to go against Fishwisher here. I've done too much research, in books and in person, to think that all prepared food is the same. I've seen the chicken farms that some of the fast-food companies employ, where the chickens are barely able to go by that name - when you don't have a beak or feathers I don't know what you are, but I DO know you aren't a chicken.

I've had hairs in my burgers and Band-Aids in my chili. I've had frozen pasteurized processed cheese food-stuff passed off as REAL cheese. Meat that has given me gall bladder attacks from all the grease they cooked it in. Veggies with sand and small pebbles in them. Food that was overcooked, undercooked, or stale. 

I don't really eat much anymore ... if I'm hungry I'll munch on pretzels or popcorn (plain). Maybe two or three times a week I'll have what would be considered a regular meal; other than that I just pick. But I seem to be healthy enough, my stomach doesn't do an Exorcist imitation like it does when I used to eat fast-food, and I save enough money to buy the occasional pepperoni pizza from the little old Italian couple I know downtown.


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## pchinvegas

SifuPhil you make being financially burdened, in the poor side of town, being old and not having much appetite sound great !


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## SifuPhil

pchinvegas said:


> SifuPhil you make being financially burdened, in the poor side of town, being old and not having much appetite sound great !









I'm rich in many ways ... just not those that society finds admirable. I'm healthy, I enjoy life, I work at what I love, I appreciate nature and I have a warped sense of humor - what more could I ask for?

I don't see myself as being financially burdened, though - more like "free of financial obligations". The "poor side of town" is where you often find the most giving, down-to-earth people. Old? Nah - it's just a state of mind. As for not having much of an appetite, I rejoice in the fact that I'll never look like the Goodyear blimp.

It's all in one's perspective.


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## R. Zimm

That's true. Sometimes wealthier poeple are in very poor health from eating too much, eating unhealthy, and having others do their manual labor. Look around the World, many of the longest living populations are concidered "poor" by our standards. They eat fresh food they grow themselves and walk around and work every day. What a concept!


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## SeaBreeze

R. Zimm said:


> That's true. Sometimes wealthier poeple are in very poor health from eating too much, eating unhealthy, and having others do their manual labor. Look around the World, many of the longest living populations are concidered "poor" by our standards. They eat fresh food they grow themselves and walk around and work every day. What a concept!



A lot of people from other countries who were eating whole foods and staying active, come to America and start doing like Homer Simpson, ordering a bucket of chicken with extra skin.  Before long they are obese, and suffering from related diseases like diabetes.  We send them some unhealthy junk...http://www.alternet.org/story/15446..._the_whole_world_fat_and_unhealthy?paging=off


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## R. Zimm

It's the "American Way"!


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## SifuPhil

R. Zimm said:


> It's the "American Way"!



Too true!

I wonder, though, when you really sit down and think it through ... what's better - starving or growing obese?


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## TWHRider

R. Zimm said:


> That's true. Sometimes wealthier poeple are in very poor health from eating too much, eating unhealthy, and having others do their manual labor. Look around the World, many of the longest living populations are concidered "poor" by our standards. They eat fresh food they grow themselves and walk around and work every day. What a concept!



True.  I was raised "Old MacDonald's dairy farm" dirt poor.  We had our own smoke house, raised all our vegetables and desert was whatever fruit-bearing tree or bush was in season.

Mom churned our butter, made sour cream and buttermilk.  I drank fresh milk --- as in straight from the cow, no pastuerizing <GASP!!!!>

I lived that life until I was almost 11, when dad just could not make a living off our 38 acres anymore; five of that was in woods.  38 acres was paltry even in the Old Days.

Setting aside a pretty decent gene pool full of non-smokers on both sides, I attribute my resilience to living that life style the first 11 years of my life.  Also the fact that mom never did make things out of a box.  Everything she made, until the end, never came from a box:love_heart:  I learned to cook that way from her and maintained "no box cooking and baking" until Erik graduated from high school.  It's a lot of why I am so sick to death of cooking - lol lol lol


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## irene54

Hello, Well we used to eat often out but i started gaining weight so we stopped. We Only eat out on the weekends because i do not want to cook.


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## R. Zimm

Whether starving of obese, one is under nourished.  Starvation from lake of food intake but obese from intake of calories but no nutrition. Either way you are starving but if you are obese it takes longer.


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## SifuPhil

R. Zimm said:


> Whether starving of obese, one is under nourished.  Starvation from lake of food intake but obese from intake of calories but no nutrition. Either way you are starving *but if you are obese it takes longer*.



Which I would think would be the preferred way to go. So air-dropping those Big Macs is actually a GOOD thing. Of course they could always send fresh vegetables and prime cuts of meat, but somehow I don't think our humanitarian budget would support such largesse. It's far cheaper to send horse-meat and stale lettuce.


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## pchinvegas

I like the way you think SifuPhil, I too am very fortunate and enjoy life. Being financially burdened does not mean I let it bother me much. I do what I can and the bills will be there next payday. Life is way to short to allow anything to get me down.


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## SifuPhil

pchinvegas said:


> I like the way you think SifuPhil ...



I believe the psychiatrists call it "Dissociative Fugue / Depersonalization Disorder with attendant Bipolar Disorder with underlying symptoms of Kleptomania, Trichotillomania and Intermittent Explosive Disorder".  

In other words, a _wackadoo_.




> I too am very fortunate and enjoy life. Being financially burdened does not mean I let it bother me much. I do what I can and the bills will be there next payday. Life is way to short to allow anything to get me down.



That's it. 

It helps that I've never been a financial wiz - when I have it I spend it, and as long as I have some sort of roof over my head, be it slate, rubber or cardboard, I'll use my money in whatever fashion pleases me and damn tomorrow.


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## SeaSparkle

SeaBreeze said:


> A lot of people from other countries who were eating whole foods and staying active, come to America and start doing like Homer Simpson, ordering a bucket of chicken with extra skin.  Before long they are obese, and suffering from related diseases like diabetes.  We send them some unhealthy junk...http://www.alternet.org/story/15446..._the_whole_world_fat_and_unhealthy?paging=off



Really good link.. ended up reading their article on fracking too~


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## R. Zimm

Well, one thing about eating out is that if you have the extra income to do this once and a while you are helping other people who need jobs. So, support those less fortunate that yourself and eat out!

Oh, and don't forget the tip!


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## pchinvegas

Here in Vegas, most often you can eat out cheaper than cooking at home. But, not always as healthy


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## Bikeman48088

I typically eat at least one meal a day out. My wife and I both travel a lot (some times together), so we don't keep the refrig stocked very well.


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## pchinvegas

Ah, once a week, not as often as I like. Eating out is one of my favorite things to do


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## SifuPhil

pchinvegas said:


> Ah, once a week, not as often as I like. Eating out is one of my favorite things to do



I thought you said Vegas is full of cheap places to eat ... I would think you have no excuse, unless it's time-related.


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## R. Zimm

Our choice of eating out often is based on time and energy. If we have both had a hard day at work and neither of us feels like cooking then we might head out somewhere. Then the problem is where! I don't much care but my wife is much more picky but if I try to get her to chose she complains about that as well.


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## FastTrax

How often do you eat out? I'm not touching that one. ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!


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## Lakeland living

I rarely eat out, can't stand the salt most of the time. Or the sugar, no matter what they name it.


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## Butterfly

Under the present circumstances, I never eat out.


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## CinnamonSugar

Very little and only in desperation (and then I usually wish I'd planned ahead better) =(


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## Aunt Bea

I haven't been to a restaurant of any kind in over two years.

Usually when I do go out to eat it's because an old friend is in town or my sister wants to get together and see which of us looks worse.

Diabetes took the *WOW *out of dining out for me.

It's about the same with entertaining at home.  These days all I can muster for guests is a stiff drink and a bowl of mixed nuts or a fistful of takeaway menus and the phone.


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