Cook from scratch to save money. It is automatic. Unless you are springing for prime cuts of steak or exotic mushrooms (in which case, feel free to cook a meal for me some time), you will always spend more money eating out than you will cooking from scratch, especially when you factor in nutrition. Heating up a frozen pizza you picked up from the grocery store doesn’t count. Those things are expensive, too (and tiny; they are very tiny).
Still knowing something is good for you and your budget and actually doing it are too different things, as most of use with exercise equipment that doubles as coat racks can attest. There are plenty of times when I just look at the kitchen and lose heart, when I need extra motivation to get out the ingredients and make dinner. Oh boy does going out to eat look good in those moments.
One way to combat the not wanting to cook is to cook big. I often get a slightly bigger ham or turkey or assemble two lasagna or two meatloaf instead of one when I prepare dinner. It doesn’t take much extra effort, yet it produces an extra meal that can be pulled out of the freezer on those unmotivated days.
On days that I don’t mind cooking, I might make some extra side dishes or do some baking beyond our normal meals to fill in some gaps in the freezer.
Doing it Anyway
Sometimes I have to go a little tough love on myself. No matter how discouraged or tires, I tell myself that I just have to cook anyway. I try to focus on the fact that I am taking care of my family, both by providing good meals and by saving our money. I give myself permission to grumble for a minute or two, and then I get to work anyway.
Timing is Everything
Because I am a morning person and I can usually make my own work hours, I try to tackle cooking before the afternoon if possible. Many dishes can be fully prepared and put in the refrigerator or crockpot ahead of time, or at the very least be partially prepared. By timing my cooking for when I have the most energy in the day (and often also the least interruption) I tend to enjoy it more and get more done. Night people can take the opposite approach, preparing dishes once the kids are in bed.