8 easy ‘fakeaways’ that are better than ordering in

Look familiar? But this one's made at home. Photo / Tamara West

Takeaway night is a Kiwi ritual – pizza boxes on the bench, fish and chips on the couch, burgers in the car on the way home. But when a family meal can top $60, it’s a habit that bites. The good news? With a few shortcuts, you can fake your favourites at home for less money, often in less time than delivery. And there are side benefits too: bigger portions, leftovers for lunch, and the smug satisfaction of dodging another delivery fee that often starts around $7.

Burgers in a flash

Few cravings hit harder than a burger-and-fries combo. But those combos are now closer to $18 than $10, and they disappear in a few bites. At home, one tray of chicken thighs or a pack of beef patties stretches across several meals, making your dollars go further. Skip the deep fryer – coat chicken thighs in seasoned cornflour, then bake or airfry. While they crisp up, toast supermarket brioche buns and shred a bag of slaw. By the time the fries are golden, you’ve got “fried chicken burgers” on the table in 20 minutes.

Hack: Use an airfryer for fries – they’re ready in half the time and taste like drive-through chips.

The upgrade: Big bite burgers recipe.

Pizza night, your way

Ordering in feels easy, but waiting 40 minutes for delivery isn’t always faster than DIY. Grab supermarket pizza bases or flatbreads, spread with passata and cheese, then raid the fridge for toppings. Everyone builds their own, so there’s no arguing over pineapple or olives. (Domino’s advertises value pizzas from $5, but higher-tier pizzas quickly climb to $12–$18 each, so a family order still adds up fast.)

Hack: The tortilla pocket. Take a tortilla wrap, cut a slit from the centre to the edge, and picture it divided into four quarters. Place a different filling on each quarter – say cheese, ham, tomato, spinach. Fold one quarter over the next until you have a layered triangle, then toast in a frying pan or sandwich press. The result is a five-minute “fakeaway pocket” with gooey melted layers.

Photo / Babiche Martens

The upgrade: Meat-lovers pizza recipe

Fish and chips without the queue

Fish and chips are the ultimate Friday-night Kiwi comfort. But with families paying around $30-$35 for a parcel, it’s worth knowing the fakeaway version is not only cheaper, but lighter. Frozen fillets baked until crisp, plus oven chips tossed in oil and salt, scratch the same itch. Add a lemon wedge and tartare sauce and you’ll forget you’re not at the chippie.

Hack: Toss frozen chips in a teaspoon of oil and sprinkle with salt before baking. They crisp up like fryer chips.

The upgrade: Crumbed fish and kumara fish

Curry on demand

Curries are one of the easiest takeaways to fake. Instead of waiting 40 minutes for delivery, simmer a jar of curry sauce with chicken, vegetables or a tin of lentils. Heat frozen naan in the oven, and dinner’s done.

Hack: Double the recipe and freeze portions – next time you crave curry, it’s already waiting.

Lighter than take-out butter chicken. Photo / Eatwell

The upgrade: Light butter chicken recipe.

Sushi without the spend

A six-piece pack of sushi from a food-court stall costs about $10, and it rarely fills you up. Making sushi at home brings the per-serve price down by at least half and lets you load it with your favourite fillings. Nori sheets, sushi rice and cucumber are widely available.

Hack: No rolling mat? Press rice and fillings into a baking dish, slice into squares and call it “lazy sushi”. Or skip rolling entirely with sushi bowls: scatter rice with toppings and drizzle soy for the same flavour hit in minutes.

The upgrade: No-rice sushi roll recipe.

Wraps and bowls for less

Fresh wraps and salad bowls from fast-casual chains often cost $15-$20 each. A week’s worth of lunches at home is possible for the same outlay, using wraps, beans, roast veg and leftover chicken.

Hack: Roast a tray of vegetables on Sunday, then portion into containers. Add greens and protein during the week for five-minute lunches.

The upgrade: Honey soy chicken wrap recipe.

Fried chicken without the bucket price

Buckets of fried chicken are hard to resist – crunchy coating, juicy inside. But they’re one of the priciest takeaways, and you rarely get leftovers. At home, coat chicken drumsticks in a spice blend, bake or airfry until crisp, and serve with slaw.

Hack: For maximum crunch, dip chicken in beaten egg, dredge in cornflakes or panko crumbs, spray with oil and cook. It delivers the crunch without the vat of oil.

Beat the price of a bucket by deep frying chicken at home Photo / Babiche Martens

The upgrade: Crispy fried chicken recipe.

Noodles in no time

Stir-fried noodles are another quick win. Instant noodles can be souped up with frozen veg, scrambled egg and soy sauce in under 10 minutes. Or swap to udon noodles (sold fresh in supermarkets) for a takeaway-style base.

Hack: Mix soy, honey and a spoon of peanut butter for a fast satay-style noodle sauce that tastes like something from a food court.

The upgrade: Tofu and noodle stir-fry with peanut sauce recipe.

Why fakeaways win

Fakeaways aren’t about sacrifice – they’re about winning on flavour, portions and speed. You control the ingredients, the extras and the budget. Leftovers become tomorrow’s lunch, saving another round of spending. Kids can join in on pizza-making or folding tortilla pockets, turning dinner into entertainment. And with airfryers, jarred sauces and supermarket shortcuts, the effort is minimal.

Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years. From managing your kitchen to cutting costs, she’s shared some helpful advice recently, including how to prep your barbecue for summer grilling, gourmet hacks for elevating budget ingredients and what toppings to choose for different crackers.