7th March 2024, 6:54 PM
(This post was last modified: 7th March 2024, 6:55 PM by Uptight 534. Edited 1 time in total.)
(6th March 2024, 9:31 PM)Different Wrote: I'd say they're about a 50-50 split. Even if you were to prepare a meal at home, the cost of grocery is even more expensive nowadays.
Definition of "cool story, bro" wall of text right below.
Note: All these are pre-tax, store-brand from my local basic supermarket, and in Freedom Units™ (do not feel like converting). Taking this extremely basic recipe from AllRecipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8805/c...d-chicken/. Right now at my supermarket, a whole 4 pound chicken would be $9.96 ($2.49/lb), 64 oz of buttermilk is $3.49 (tangent, this could be cheaper with milk + white vinegar), five pounds of flour is $2.99, and 128 oz of vegetable oil is $9.99. I am not even going to count the price of salt/pepper/paprika.
For sides, two pounds of brown rice is $2.39 and a 1.5 lb package of frozen green beans is $2.59 (throw seasonings/sauce on these sides or whatever, it is minuscule in cost). Let's say we use one serving for each chicken meal. I usually get four to five meals out of the green beans and about eight to ten from the rice. Just going to say water for drink (I drink from the tap, so my whatever my water bill is (very low)).
Grand total is $31.41. Recipe says 8 servings (seems very high, I am going to say ~3-4, depending on how much you eat (two-three chicken pieces each meal).You will be able to have everything, except the chicken for future times you have to meal prep. Say we are conservative and this gives you three meals, that is $10.47 per meal. My local Church's is $24.99 for an 8 piece mixed fried chicken dinner with four biscuits and one large side (assuming 2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 thighs, and 2 drumsticks; do not know weight, so there is the major error. Also, fast-food places usually split the breasts in half, so you get more breast meat on the homemade one). Say we get three meals, that will be $8.33 per meal. Also, assuming tap water for drink. $10.47 versus $8.33.
Looks like fast food is cheaper, but wait! You still have enough flour, oil, buttermilk, and spices for another meal prep. All you need is another $9.96 chicken. Now grand total is $41.37 (initial purchase, plus second chicken) and you can get six meals for a price of $6.90. After this second meal prep, you will need to purchase more flour and oil (going to say, the AllRecipes recipes seems to use a little too much of the flour and oil, so you may get more meals out of one purchase).
Let's say you want to be a madlad and DoorDash it, the price will be $32.49 pre-checkout and $43.51 post-check out for one meal. I am not even going to break down the math on this one.
To summarize, yes, the initial purchase at the supermarket may be more (homemade $10.47/meal versus Church's $8.33/meal), but once you purchase staple ingredients in bulk (flour, oil, vinegar, spices/seasonings, sauces, eggs, breadcrumbs, etc.), the savings start to show in the long run (adding a second chicken makes the homemade meal $6.90/meal versus Church's $8.33/meal (total of six meals here). I am also not going to touch on the nutritional health/value of this homemade version versus Church's.
Big errors in this, I do not know the weight of the Church's eight pieces of chicken, so I do not know the cost/weight ratio between Church's and homemade. Also, this does not factor in initial opportunity cost of getting kitchen equipment. I also have no dietary restrictions, so I can go with regular cheapo-depot groceries (e.g., lactose-intolerant person may have to buy a more expensive lactose-free milk). Looked it up for shiggles, Church's "Spicy" varieties do not have dairy, according to their nutrition sheet: https://www.churchs.com/wp-content/uploa...120121.pdf. You will be SOL if you have Celiac Disease, though.
This took me about 1.5 hours to do, and I am punched out. Sorry my thoughts are all over the place, so let me know if there are any errors.
(7th March 2024, 9:26 AM)Different Wrote: @Uptight 534 I know you like fried chicken, man. There had to be at least one fast food chain that you enjoyed going to before.
Reasons stated above why I do not get fast food, plus there are many local restaurants that have the same thing at a much better quality (last time in general was about six months ago at Chipotle). Last time I got fried chicken out was either at a local Nashville hot chicken or a Chinese restaurant, which both blew the socks off any fast-food place. In general, I do not eat fried stuff to begin with due to health and cost (baked or grilled chicken with only seasonings/sauce is significantly cheaper and better for your health). To answer your question, Popeye's for fast-food.
Note, I am not a miser and do go out to eat, but at local sit-down restaurants about two-three times a month.
