Each month, MoneyWorks invites you to a 30-day challenge, a fun way to shake off old habits and get a fresh perspective on your money.

Go it alone or see if your friends and family can keep up with you!

This month's challenge

Cooking habits change over time. Young adults opt for dinner at a local hot spot over eating at home, while empty nesters rethink their grocery lists after the last hungry teen leaves home. For some people, cooking saves time and money. Others end up with a fridge full of wilted produce and inedible leftovers. What works best for your household? Let’s find out with a real-life experiment.

This month, your challenge is to cook every meal at home then answer these questions:

• How did cooking at home affect your budget?
• When you factor in every step, did cooking save time or take longer than getting takeout or dining at a restaurant?
• Did any food spoil before you used it?
• Was it worth it to cook every meal?