Saving you the most time and money: Dining in or dining out?

CLEVELAND - When it comes to the decision of dining in or dining out, many families have to consider more than just the cost; they have to also think about the time invested.

The Hilko family, from Lorain, is a busy family of four. They dine out at restaurants several times a week because of their busy schedules with work, school and sports. Michelle Hilko also has two picky eaters in the family, so she has to often prepare several meals a night.

"There are so many different things to cook and different things they like as opposed to what Bryan and I eat," she said.

NewsChannel5 asked the family to eat out at two restaurants and then cook the same meals at home to see if the time saved by eating out was worth more than the savings to eat at home.

The first restaurant they dined at was Fiesta Jalapenos in North Ridgeville. There, the family ordered four taco lunches. The bill, with drinks and tip included, was nearly $40.

The next day the family traveled to a local Wendy's where they ordered four sets of burgers and French fries. The cost of that meal totaled $15.

The next step for the family was to grocery shop at Marc's for all the items they ate at the two restaurants and prepare the meals at home. The complete grocery bill was just under $32.

The Hilkos stocked up on ground beef, chicken, French fries, tomatoes, cheese, and other fixings for the two meals.

What the Hilkos learned is that dining in can deliver big savings versus eating out. They also learned how big of a role nutrition plays into your thought process. Eating at Wendy's, for a family of four, cost about the same as making the cheeseburger and fries for all four family members. However, if you eat at home, you can shop for lower-fat beef and cheese, plus eat wheat buns.

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When it came to eating at the Mexican restaurant, the Hilkos found that it did eat into their budget. It was nearly 50 percent more to eat out than to make the food at home. Still, Michelle Hilko told NewsChannel5 they will continue to dine out.

"It's just a little more convenient for us to be able to eat together as a family when we are all busy," she said. For the Hilkos, family time is not something they are willing to put a price on.