Who needs Restaurant

TOEFL Independent Writing Example 1 – Stating a Preference

Some people prefer to eat meals at restaurants, while others prefer to prepare and eat food in their own home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

How many times a week can you eat your meal at restaurants? Eating out continuously may be possible. However, it does not contribute to a sustainable family life.

Personally, I believe that what we eat shows the quality of our life style.  Especially, people who care about their health are very careful about their food selection. Some of them don’t just cook their own food and eat at home, they even grow their own vegetables and fruit.  I feel very lucky because at an early age my parents taught me the importance of nutrition and healthy food choice. So, if I am not traveling, I prefer to eat at home. I love cooking, and when I go grocery shopping, I enjoy selecting fresh vegetables, fruits and healthy food options. If I need to buy packed or ready to eat products, I always read the ingredients to make sure they do not contain preservatives and chemicals. So many times, I put the products back after I read the ingredients because sometimes, I do not even understand them. I do not think restaurants are as selective as I am when they select the items they serve; it is a business for them, so their profit will be their first consideration. For this reason, I eat at home because my first consideration is my health.

Eating at home has other benefits, such as saving money, because eating at restaurants can be very expensive. Especially in America, besides food cost when we eat out, we need to pay at least fifteen percent tip. Also, the same amount of money we spend for a meal at the restaurant can be equal to our several days grocery shopping expense.  It is indisputably one of the best ways to save money. Therefore, whenever we want to save extra money, the first thing we do is to cut down on the amount of eating out.  

Even though preparing and eating our food can be very time consuming, it is still a great way to spend time as a family. My husband and I enjoy our grocery shopping and also, we cook after work while we are talking about our days. It helps us to reconnect after a busy work day. On the other hand, cooking together helps us to discover each other and ourselves, while trying new recipes from different cultures. I must admit it is not easy to clean up, after cooking and eating.  Sometimes it takes all our evening, but we are getting better each day, and learning to manage our time more efficiently.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that preparing my own food and eating at home where I know where my food is coming from is the best option.  This is because not only does it help me maintain a healthy life style and stay fit, but it also helps me to spend quality time with my husband.