From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

badmemory said:

I don't think there is any difference in their young world between takeaway & fakeaway, except maybe to taste something which you feel unable to try.

I think that is actually a valuable point badmemory - and I think I won't go the takeaway route (although it would be different/a treat for us, as we never have takeaways), but focus on making the 'meal out' happen at least once this year.

VintageHistorian said:

I think dining out also just gives them an opportunity to try something they might not normally have at home, and gives them the chance to exercise a choice………….. but when you're out and there's several things on the menu that look nice then it can become a good lesson in how to make a decision….

Hmmmmm, LG takes after DH, and is a bit 'rabbit in the headlights' with choice. But, I can see how practice in choosing can build confidence. I don't know - with the Indian restaurant as an example - how successful this trip would be at building confidence in choice. For example, Madras, Balti, Tikka, Korma mean nothing to LG - so rather than seeing what (veggie) options come in those curries - let's say mixed veg - and then working out from the description which might be hot, which might be creamy/coconutty or tomatoey, LG would just say there was 'nothing for them to eat', That's why my plan would be perhaps to create an 'on table' buffet of the veg sides - which they would be more familiar with, and make up a curry plate from that. So lentil dhal, saag aloo, matar paneer, boiled rice, garlic rice, peshwari naan etc etc. But then I guess I'd be exercising the choice again……. 🤔 Something to give some thought to.

Greying X

redofromstart

I am not vegetarian but there are some superb vegetarian Indian places if you go to the right cities. I would never have tried Dosa for example if I hadn't been taken to a veggie place by a colleague. Not something I have ever made successfully at home, reasonably priced and something a bit different.

Greying_Pilgrim

That I agree with you 100% redo. I was going to start small-scale and locally - but maybe I go the whole hog and dash off to Leicester, Bolton, Bristol, Bradford, Glasgow, Cardiff…… Think BIG in '26 Greying! 😁

Greying X

Suffolksue

most places ,you can look at the menu on line before you go so it wouldn’t be completely unfamiliar .

Even just looking at a variety of different restaurants and their menus might help.

Greying_Pilgrim

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81863749#Comment_81863749

You're quite right Suffolksue - I was looking online at the menus for the Restaurant/Takeaway and the other Indian Takeaway, that's how I realised we'd probably be better off going for a try of several side dishes, rather than for one curry. The curry recipes tend to be limited to 'mixed veg', but balti-style, or madras style, or korma style….. The veg sides seem to have a bit more variety - spinach, potato, mushroom. But taking redo's point, these are not vegetarian Indian restaurants, so maybe a better way to do things would be to save up to go to a vegetarian Indian restaurant 🤔

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Ha ha - I've just been down a rabbit hole for 'Vegetarian Indian Restaurants'. It would be me with the choice overload if I ever get to one of those places - it all sounds so scrummy! 😁

Washing was brought in about half an hour ago. I was going to get it in anyway, but some kind soul started up a particularly stinky bonfire, so DH came rushing in, imploring me to fetch it in quick. It was much drier than I ever anticipated I would get it today. I'm so glad sometimes I'm stubborn, and that I put it out on the line, as the breeze was so useful. I have put it in front of the dehu - initially for 1hr, and we'll see if anymore time is needed after that. Getting DH's workwear laundered is always a pressure, but I'm so pleased I've managed to pull it off today. It'll all definitely be dry come Monday morning, whichever way I finish it off.

We had soup for lunch. I fried up an onion with a bit of garlic in the Prc. Added in the carrots from yesterday's mix pack, and added a bit of water. Cooked up under pressure for a few mins, NPR and then blitzed. I added in a completely frozen block of winter lentil soup that we'd had the other week, and a tin of baked beans. Let it all simmer together and when it was totally defrosted and piping hot, it was ready to serve. DH and LG liked it. There was just enough for everyone to have one full bowl each. Frozen sliced carrots and a serving of soup decluttered out of the freezer and the family fed - win.

DH has cut the hedge back (before the birdies start nesting), in order that if we get around to changing the fence panels, we can at least (in theory) take them out/slot them in without having to fight the hawthorn about it 😁 He took the cuttings and a few other bits and bobs to the recycling centre, as we no longer pay for the green waste collection. A little robin came to investigate/keep him company as he was trying to work. It came so close 😁

I have no idea what's for tea. I'll conjour up something, we've food and ingredients a-plenty, thank goodness.

Greying X

Blackcats

GP - you did make me smile when you described children running around restaurants and spitting out their food. There are a trio of toddlers at our leisure centre who go to the cafe with their mums after swimming. The mums seem to scroll through their phones and show each other their screens. Meanwhile the children run round and round and round chasing each other whilst alternating between screaming and shovelling crisps into their mouths. When a child falls over as they inevitably do, they are picked up, dusted off and set loose to run round again. I know I sound like an old bat but I expect these are sweet children and nice parents who seem to have become oblivious to anyone else.

I agree that a takeaway v home cooked meal would give the chef a break but might not have much impact for LG. I also think that you are an imaginative curry cook so maybe a curry restaurant might not be much of a treat for LG because they are used to a great variety of curries. Likewise pizza/pasta eateries might not offer a unique experience. Do you like Chinese or Thai food? That might be more of a risk in terms of choice of dishes and I'm not sure about veggie options but the settings and food presentation are often very elegant and it might seem different to LG.

Baileys_Babe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81863749#Comment_81863749

I was going to suggest looking at the menus online and possibly turning it in to a holiday project or doing a little bit every weekend and ending with going for a meal. For the project LG (with the help of yourself or Mr GP) could research what each type of dish, Balti: where it originated, main ingredients, heat levels etc. If lassi is on the menu and other dishes they haven't heard of or encountered, as well as researching ingredients that are new.

We used to live near a lovely friendly Indian restaurant, I regularly ordered the thali because I enjoyed the variety.

Greying_Pilgrim

We're not au fait with Chinese cuisine, and that's why in many ways, a good chinese restaurant would really be money well spent, as it would be techniques and ingredients/flavourings that we wouldn't be familiar with. In terms of indonesian cuisine, we're lucky enough to be friends with someone who has first-hand experience 😁 and they are responsible for me trying out tempeh, which I wouldn't have done without their example. But again, a good Thai or Indonesian restaurant that used tofu/seitan or vegetables as ingredients - rather than simply additions to prepped sauces, would be a terrific introduction to that cuisine style. I'm up for all that - and if LG isn't, well then here's the kiddies choice of nuggets or fish finger hun 🤣

Greying X

greenbee

I think Beanie's idea is a good one. Lunch at a cafe with a simple/easy to navigate/inexpensive menu as a starting point. One of my favourite things to eat out is poached egg on toast, as making poached eggs at home is a faff. And maybe work up to a 'special' meal and pick somewhere with good veggie options but things you wouldn't make at home - maybe chinese (actually, chinese would be good for takeout). And takeout might be a good way of learning to navigate menus in a less stressful environment - plenty of time to look and choose at some, work out the bill etc. Plenty of people will do a small takeout order and add stuff they have at home (e.g. have a couple of dishes from the takeaway and do rice at home). Sushi might be a fun option!