Tired of paying too much for simple restaurant dishes? Good news: you can make many of them right at home, and often with better results! With some basic cooking skills and fresh ingredients, you can whip up meals that rival your favorite spots.
Table of Contents
1. Cheese Quesadillas
All you need for a fabulous cheese quesadilla is a tortilla and cheese of choice. Sprinkle however much cheese you want on the tortilla, and heat in the microwave or stove. If you fancy dipping the quesadilla in guacamole, sour cream, salsa, or any other topping, add it to the side of your plate and save $15.
2. Pasta
"Pasta is so easy to get right. You can make amazing pasta with entirely shelf-stable ingredients, no less. For dirt cheap. It's literally one of the single best value dishes to make at home. And yet there it is at a restaurant, oddly expensive. Presumably because if it were too cheap, nobody would spend money on the pricier entrees," this pasta lover reports.
3. Avocado Toast
Someone shared they paid $29 for avocado toast in Hawaii. Although Hawaii does have more expensive food costs than other places in the U.S., $29 is a hefty price for some seasoned avocado slathered on a few pieces of toasted bread.
4. Edamame
Edamame is always overpriced at restaurants, but I always order it. There's something satisfying about shelling the peapods before eating sushi or pad thai that keeps me doling out extra dollars for the delicious (yet expensive) soybeans. Get the recipe
5. Steak
"This is a big one for me. I get that steak houses are fancy and elegant and have ambiance and whatever, but their main item is dead simple to make with a small investment in equipment. Nothing a steakhouse produces is overly complicated relative to the price. I can make a steak that's just as good or better than most steak houses for the price of drinks and maybe an appetizer," a cook replies.
6. Salads
Restaurants rarely make salads taste better than a homemade combo of fruit, veggies, croutons, and cheese. Yet, convenience comes into play, and sometimes, eating dishes you can make at home tastes better when a chef prepares them for you. I adore ordering salads when I dine out, although I could fix one at home for a lower price.
7. French Toast
Ordering French toast and breakfast items is similar to ordering salads in restaurants. You could save a profit by making French toast from scratch, considering French toast asks for eggs and bread, cream, and maybe some vanilla.
8. Burgers
A self-proclaimed burger snob admits he never orders a burger at a restaurant because he makes far better burgers than the undercooked ones restaurants try to serve him. He continues to say that homemade burgers are quicker and cheaper than those made at restaurants. Get the recipe
9. Hotdogs
A parent comments their child always asks for a hotdog when they go out to restaurants, but the parent says he can make a tastier, healthier batch of hotdogs for the price of one soggy, undercooked dog at a restaurant.
10. Scallops
"The last time I ordered scallops in a restaurant, I think they went into a time machine and brought them back from the '60s. The cook had grabbed a fistful of scallops (I say that because they were still in the shape of his inner fist when they arrived), threw the clump of medium-small sized scallops in a stainless steel au gratin dish, dumped a ladle of butter over them and threw them under the broiler. When they took them out, they hit them with a shake of paprika, a sprig of parsley, and two small lemon wedges," a dissatisfied seafood customer recollects.
Source: Reddit.
12 American Foods People From Other Countries Find Gross
American cuisine, known for its bold flavors, large portions, and unique combinations, can sometimes leave visitors scratching their heads.
Click Here For 12 American Foods People From Other Countries Find Gross
10 Fast-Food Burgers That Beat Out Fancy Restaurants
Here are 10 fast-food burgers that stand out for their flavor, proving that sometimes simpler is indeed better.
Click Here For 10 Fast-Food Burgers That Beat Out Fancy Restaurants
14 Casseroles So Good, You'll Delete Your Takeout Apps
Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food, offering endless variety and the kind of heartwarming goodness that only home-cooked meals can provide
Click Here For 14 Casseroles So Good, You'll Delete Your Takeout Apps