最近、「なかしょく（中食）」という言葉をよく見聞きするようになった。中食というのは、レストランなどで食べる外食と、家で作って食べる食事の中間（注1）のもので、できあがった料理を買ってきて、家で食べることをいう。
この中食を扱う店も増えてきた。私もときどき利用することがあるが、一人で食べる時などは、とても便利だ。多くの種類を少しずつ買えるからだ。これを家で作るとなると、大変だ。種類の違う料理を少しずつ作るため、いろいろな材料をそろえなければならない。しかし、中食を利用するといろいろ節約ができる。料理をする時間や手間は必要なく、いろいろな料理を作るためにたくさんの材料を用意しなくてもいいのだ。
これまでは一人暮らしの男性や仕事をする女性が主な対象だったが、最沂では、主婦やお年寄りの間にも利用が広がってきているという。小さい子供がいて外食が難しいので、家に友だちを集めて利用したいという主婦たちや、台所仕事も外出も大変なお年寄りに、料理を届けてくれる店などもあり、人気だという。
私も、仕事で帰りが遅くなる時に中食の店に行くのだが、これからもいろいろな機会に利用することになりそうだ。
（注1）中間：二つの場所や物事の間
AI translation, cross-checked between two models.
Recently, I have often seen and heard the term “nakashoku (中食).” Nakashoku refers to something between eating out at a restaurant and cooking at home: buying prepared food and eating it at home.（注1）
The number of shops offering this kind of nakashoku has also been increasing. I use it from time to time myself, and it is very convenient, especially when eating alone. This is because you can buy small portions of many different dishes. Making all of these dishes at home would be a lot of work. To make small amounts of many different dishes, you would have to prepare a wide variety of ingredients. However, using nakashoku can save you various kinds of effort and expense. There is no need to spend time or effort cooking, nor to prepare many ingredients in order to make a variety of dishes.
Until now, the main customers were men living alone and working women, but recently its use is said to be spreading among homemakers and elderly people as well. Shops that deliver meals are also said to be popular with homemakers who have small children and find it difficult to eat out but want to invite friends over, as well as with elderly people for whom both kitchen work and going out are difficult.
I also go to nakashoku shops when I get home late because of work, and I will probably continue using them on various occasions in the future.
(Note 1) Middle: the point or space between two places or things
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