The battle between food cost and convenience leaves some people in London, Ontario, struggling to decide whether to cook or buy their next meal.
This applies to Alma Mux Wahl.
Each week, Wahl spends about $60 on food and drink orders at restaurants and cafes such as Grace Bodega and The Green Window in downtown London.
“I’m not always organized enough to bring lunch with me,” Mux Wahl said. “But I think it’s probably cheaper to cook at home. It’s just the time and organization that gets to you sometimes.”
Despite the costs associated with eating out, Mux Wahl finds that when she orders from a restaurant, she is not only paying for the food, but also for the atmosphere.
A restaurant worker prepares food at SOI Thaifoon, a Thai restaurant in downtown Kitchener, Ontario. (Arfa Rana/CBC)
“The social aspect of going out with colleagues or friends and sometimes getting out of the work environment – it’s worth the cost.”
Spending is also rising for restaurants
Michael Von Massow, a professor of food economics at the University of Guelph, says restaurants tend to be more expensive because you are also paying for the environment and the people who prepare the food.
“Just as food prices in the supermarket have risen, we know that restaurant prices have also risen. Added to this are the increased rents and labor costs,” said Massow.
“In many of these cases, restaurant prices have actually increased more than grocery store prices.”
Michael Von Massow, a professor of food economics at the University of Guelph, says restaurants tend to be more expensive because you’re also paying for the environment and the food preparers. (Arfa Rana/CBC)
However, in some cases it may be more cost-effective to purchase a meal that is already prepared and packaged.
“When we’re both tired, these rotisserie chickens are relatively inexpensive at our house. In fact, it’s often cheaper to buy a cooked chicken at the grocery store than it is to buy a raw chicken and cook it at home,” Massow said. “So if you’re selective and vigilant, you can buy things that are affordable and healthy too.”
Food budgeting is a focus in the cooking school
A chef at Fanshawe College said some students in their culinary arts program have expressed their concerns about rising food prices to him directly.
Tuition for the two-year culinary management and culinary arts program at Fanshawe College includes the cost of ingredients students use to cook in the labs twice a week.
“Unfortunately, we have had to make some adjustments to lab fees due to food costs,” said Patrick Hersey, professor and coordinator of the culinary management and culinary arts programs.
That’s why Hersey also teaches his students how to plan their lunch and dinner meals to make the most of simple ingredients and avoid wasting more money – or food – on meals than is absolutely necessary.
Tuition fees for the two-year Culinary Management program and the Culinary Skills program at Fanshawe College include the cost of ingredients. (Arfa Rana/CBC)
“You’ll be amazed at how you can mix a cup of flour and a potato and the next thing you know you have gnocchi for four people,” Hersey said.
He said that people tend to make cooking at home more costly when they decide to put together a unique dish with new ingredients. He gives the example of someone making shawarma for the first time.
“I know you probably need to have at least six different spices in your pantry to marinate or season the meat,” Hersey said. “Ideally, you want to avoid buying an ingredient that you’re only going to use once or twice.”
He added that if you have a craving for a dish with ingredients you don’t normally use at home, it’s best to order takeaway or prepare the dish yourself but reuse the ingredients to avoid food waste.
