According to MSN Money, eating out is cheaper than cooking in due to rising food costs for consumers and decreasing costs for restaurants. But is it good for you? Let’s one of the dinners mentioned in the article, shall we?

The Meal: 10oz ribeye steak dinner w/ soup, salad, and asparagus.

Outback Steakhouse
If you were being a prudent eater, you would get your ribeye with a cup of chicken tortilla soup, a house salad, and grilled asparagus—-thus minimizing your caloric intake. But who are you kidding? That baked potato soup w/ bacon and those Aussie fries sure do sound delicious.

Cost: $17.99 and up to 2175 calories

Home Cooking
Staying in allows you to make better cooking and eating decisions. For example, check out this awesome carrot-fennel soup recipe, which is really darn delicious and way less expensive to make than a store-bought can of soup. Asparagus out of season? Substitute it for a local, seasonal alternative and save a few bucks. For smaller appetites, maybe a 6- or 8-ounce portion of ribeye is a better way to go, easily saving nearly $4.

Cost: $20.52 according to MSN Money, but really as low as $13, and about 1000 calories*, give or take a few

If you’re concerned about rising food costs, get creative! Eat healthy, shop seasonally, and be aware of portion sizes. But when you do need a break from the kitchen, eating out is a perfectly good, budget-friendly alternative. Just stay away from that baked potato soup…

*Ribeye, 547; soup, 110; salad, 200; asparagus, 27; oil for cooking, ~40

Calorie sources:
livestrong.com
caloriecount.about.com
outback.com