Is ordering takeaway a false convenience?

Slowly but eventually people are becoming more impatient towards simple tasks such as:

• getting dressed to buy grocery
• taking a shower
• brushing teeth 2-3 times a day
• clipping nails

and today's highlight....

• cooking/preparing a simple meal

The false convenience

Today's example of 'false convenience' is when we order food or takeway because we 'just can't be bothered to cook', today and everyday. The irony is when you start to realise 'ordering food' actually takes longer than cooking a simple meal.

A break down of the total time it takes to order a meal:

• browsing meals - 15 minutes
• adding meal to basket and then checking out - 10 minutes
• meal delivery time - 30 minutes - 45 minutes

So, the overall total time to order and recieve your meal would take about an hour. A meal which could be eaten in less than 30 minutes. Seems pretty contradictory especially when you realise you spent around £20-£30 for all this so called 'convenience'.

Let's break it down, shall we?

• Meal cost - approximately £25
• Delivery fee - around £4.00
• Delivery time - about 30 minutes

The whole experience cost you around £30, and the length of time you had to wait to consume your meal was around 30 minutes (also +15 minutes browsing and paying) which totals to 45 minutes. All of this hassle just to consume a meal in just about 20 minutes. Is this truly supposed to be convinient or have we convinced ourselves into this fallacy because of inevitable laziness? We humans can be lazy sometimes, but is ordering food everyday healthy and/or beneficial? Our pockets are emotying due to the economy and many of us are struggling financially but takeaways is also megatively impacxting pur overall wellbeing. You could be ordering healthy and low calorie foods but, the concern is about not cooking your own meals. This eventually leads to developing unhealthy habits particularly becoming lazy.

The comparison

We dread the thought of going to the kitchen, turning on the stove, and just the whole cooking prepartion, beause it seems like it will take us forever. But really, it only takes about the same time (if not less) when you order food online. Don't believe me? Let's compare then.

Example meal: Fried egg & tomato sandwich + apple juice

• Fry egg & tomato - 15 minutes
• prepare bread - 5 minutes
• apple juice - 5 minutes (to pout into glass)

Total time: 25 minutes

Now, let's quickly compare this 20-minute meal to the one ordered online which took about 45 minutes in total. Where's the convenience in this? There's one; the fact that someone else cooked and prepared the meal instead of ourselves. In return, you had to spend money and time for something you could do yourself with not a single penny spent. Oh and another advantage to cooking your meals from home is that your meal will be hot and fresh. This is usually not the case with most food ordered online; most arrive lukewarm and do not taste as fresh.

Final thoughts

For our own health and well being, it would be advisable to avoid ordering food online regurarly. Perhaps every once in a while, special occasions or when you really cannot actually cook. There are mutliple benefits to cooking your own meals; saving tons of money, enjoy fresh (and hot) food as well as saving yourself time waiting or worrying whether food will be delivered on time or delayed. At the end of the day, everyone is free to do what best conviences them. If you are not struggling financially or health wise due to frequently ordering takeaways, then you do you. However, if you have recognised the neagtive impact ordering takeaway has on your overall lifestyle, perhaps now is the time to think things over. Now, takeaway food can be and in fact, is addictive - visually stimulating foods combined with unique flavours and the wide variety of cuisine selection makes takeaway food extremely irresistible. we could take a balacned approach to this. Order takeaway food on special occasions rather than too often.

Let's always remember: too much of anything, is never a good thing.