> what's really gone up is prepared food, even at cheap places. My observation is that it has increased by the same rate on both sides, so DIY cooking has the

> what's really gone up is prepared food, even at cheap places. My observation is that it has increased by the same rate on both sides, so DIY cooking has the same relative advantage. The absolute impact is simply larger now. My monthly grocery bill is right under $500 today - just for myself. But, this is very nearly 100% of my meals. I will eat out about 10-20 times a year. I think meal prep is pretty much mandatory if you want to enjoy quality food without spending 4 figures/m. I find time in the kitchen is fantastic for unwinding from work or filling dead time between tasks. I run 3 batches throughout the week, each usually good for 7 days. The system is sophisticated at this point with a "queue" in my freezer and color-coded containers. Right now, if I did absolutely no more cooking, I could enjoy high-quality meals for another week. Living with a reasonable buffer of food in your freezer will change how you do things. For me, the temptation to order a pizza is almost always negated when very tasty chicken-fried rice is only 3-5 minutes away and already paid for.