Just realized my 'cheap' chili recipe cost more than takeout after I added it up

My buddy Mark swore by this chili recipe he found online, said it would save me a ton on groceries. I tried it last month, throwing in canned beans, tomatoes, ground beef, spices, and even a splash of beer. After I shopped for everything, the total came to around $18 for six servings, which seemed decent. But then I figured out the per-serving cost was about $3, which is basically what I pay for a bowl at the local diner on special. So I'm wondering if his advice was actually bad or if I just bought pricier ingredients. Has anyone else had a 'budget' recipe that secretly cost as much as eating out?

2 comments

2 Comments

valthomas19d ago

Huh, I gotta call this out - $3 a serving for chili that took time and effort? That's basically the same as takeout without the convenience. You're paying extra for the CHORE of cooking it yourself.

lane.drew19d ago

Man I feel this one hard. I made a "budget" lentil soup last winter that was supposed to be like a dollar a bowl but by the time I bought fresh herbs, fancy smoked paprika, and a nice crusty bread to go with it I was out like fifteen bucks. I swear half the time these cheap recipes assume you already have a spice cabinet that costs fifty dollars to fill up from scratch.