Listen, I know I write this newsletter, so I have one million picky-eater-approved-allergy-friendly-one-pan-5-ingredient-no-bake-30-minute-sneaky-protein recipes stashed away in my mental memory bank, but I’m only human. When it’s this cold, The Delivery Demogorgon is a recurring character at our dinner table.

That said, last Tuesday I spent $92 on Chipotle for my family of four. We ordered online, so that’s $2 for delivery and $22 in “taxes & other fees.” And then, 4 steak burrito bowls came to $78. We didn’t even get “guac is extra” because I thought I was being sooo thrifty remembering that I have some (probably) soft avocados rolling around the bottom of my produce drawer. When the order arrived, the bowls were half full and the lettuce was looking a little…tired.

That was my final straw.

I could have made the exact same thing for about $12. It would have tasted better. The portions would have been bigger. And everyone would be so happy they’d shower me in praise and “you’re the bests,” which is great because I love validation (we haven’t reached the teenage years yet, thank goodness)!

I was mad at myself for approximately 47 seconds about that (nearly) $100 that I would never get back, but then I set out to figure out the formula for all of my takeout faves so it would never happen again.

…and here we are. Read on for 7 recipes for your favorite restaurant dishes that you can make at home for a seventh of the price!

🤫 A Top Secret Pepper Hack Just for Our Newsletter Community 🌶️

My favorite thing to search on Pepper that makes me feel like I’ve hacked the entire internet is, “copycat.”

Thousands of recipes come up for things you're currently overpaying for.

Chili's queso. Texas Roadhouse rolls. Crumbl cookies. Starbucks frappes and their iconic lemon loaf. Animal Style fries. Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. Everything you could possibly be craving. Someone even figured out the secret to Cane's sauce and I'm pretty sure they should win a Nobel Prize.

It’s a goldmine. Figuring this out gave the same energy as learning the trick to the coin-sweepy machine at Chuck-E-Cheese 20 years ago…

Search "copycat" in the app and prepare to never order out again.

7 Restaurant Favorites You Can Master

1. Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Restaurant cost: $16-20 per person | Homemade cost: $3.50 per person

What You Need:

• Rice (cook with lime juice and cilantro)

• Black beans (canned, drained, heated with cumin)

• Protein (chicken, steak, or carnitas)

• Salsa (any kind)

• Corn (frozen is fine)

• Shredded cheese

• Sour cream

• Lettuce

The Secret: The cilantro-lime rice is what makes it taste like Chipotle. Cook white rice normally, then stir in lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a tiny bit of salt while it's still hot.

Time: 30 minutes

Find the viral recipe for Chipotle Copycat Chicken on Pepper here!

2. Olive Garden Breadsticks

Restaurant cost: You have to buy a $16 entree to get them, so I guess that much | Homemade cost: you don’t have to do that, so $0.40 per breadstick

What You Need:

• Pizza dough (store-bought from the refrigerated section)

• Butter

• Garlic powder

• Salt

The Secret: Olive Garden breadsticks are just pizza dough stretched into stick shapes, brushed with garlic butter, and baked until golden. Carbs + Butter = Always Good

Time: 20 minutes

Find the full recipe on Pepper here!

3. Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Restaurant cost: $9 for a bowl | Homemade cost: $2.80 per serving

What You Need:

• Butter

• Onion

• Garlic

• Flour

• Chicken broth

• Milk

• Broccoli (fresh or frozen)

• Shredded cheddar cheese

• Salt, pepper, nutmeg

The Secret: This is a classic cheese sauce (butter + flour + milk + cheese) with broccoli added. The nutmeg is the secret ingredient that makes it taste exactly like Panera's version.

Time: 35 minutes

Pepper has a ton of versions of this recipe. Check them out here!

4. McDonalds Nuggets

Restaurant cost: $5.50 for 8 nuggets | Homemade cost: $4.50 for 20 nuggets

What You Need:

• Chicken breasts

• Pickle juice (this is my personal addition to the Pepper recipe)

• Flour

• Paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper

• Egg

• Oil for frying (or air fry them)

The Secret: I think marinating the chicken pieces in pickle juice for 30 minutes (or overnight) makes a world of difference because it adds flavor and makes them so much more tender when you bite into them.

Time: 45 minutes (30 minutes is just marinating time)

Check out the recipe here!

5. Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl

Restaurant cost: $16-$24 | Homemade cost: $4 per serving

What You Need:

• Mixed greens or kale

• Roasted sweet potato (cubed)

• Roasted chicken (or rotisserie)

• Wild rice

• Apples (sliced thin)

• Goat cheese (crumbled)

• Almonds (toasted)

• Balsamic vinaigrette

The Secret: The sweetness comes from roasting the sweet potatoes until they're caramelized and using crisp, tart apples. The goat cheese adds tang that balances everything. The almonds give you crunch. It's all about layering textures and temperatures.

Pro Tip: Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the start of the week and use it for half of these recipes to cut the time in half!

Time: 35 minutes

Check out a whole bunch of copycat Sweetgreen bowls here!

6. Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Supreme

Restaurant cost: $5.50 | Homemade cost: $2 per crunchwrap

What You Need:

• Large flour tortillas

• Small tostada shells (or crumbled tortilla chips)

• Ground beef (seasoned with taco seasoning)

• Nacho cheese sauce (store-bought or make your own)

• Sour cream

• Lettuce (shredded)

• Tomatoes (diced)

• Shredded cheese

The Secret: The fold. You need to fold the large tortilla around the tostada shell in a hexagon shape, then grill it seam-side down so it stays closed and gets crispy. Sounds complicated, looks impressive, is actually easy once you do it once.

Time: 25 minutes

Search "crunchwrap" on Pepper for breakfast versions and pizza versions AND check out this video from the co-founder himself, Jake, for his go-to formula!

7. P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps

Restaurant cost: $12 | Homemade cost: $6.50 (makes dinner for 4)

What You Need:

• Ground chicken (or ground turkey)

• Onion (diced small)

• Garlic (minced)

• Water chestnuts (canned, chopped)

• Mushrooms (diced small)

• Soy sauce

• Hoisin sauce

• Rice vinegar

• Sesame oil

• Ginger (fresh or ground)

• Butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce leaves

• Green onions (for garnish)

The Secret: The water chestnuts are non-negotiable. They give you the signature crunch. The combination of soy sauce and hoisin sauce creates that sweet-savory flavor P.F. Chang's is known for. The sesame oil at the end adds a nutty depth that makes it taste restaurant-quality.

Time: 20 minutes

Find this on Pepper with dozens of variations. Some people add sriracha. Some use ground pork. Some make it spicier with red pepper flakes. All of them are good!

💰 The Grand Total 💰

If you made all of these once: You'd save $176

If you made these monthly: You'd save $705

That’s…

So. Much. Money. Saved?!

The point of all this isn't to never enjoy restaurants again. It's always fun to go out! These recipes are more of a way to to stop overpaying for things you can easily make at home that taste just as good (or better!) when you weren’t planning on splurging. This way you can enjoy your dinners at home and nights out in equal measure!