Sure we have all heard about growing your own food to save money. And of course, we have heard about preparing your own meals will save money. Home cooked meals save plenty (See this earlier article that tell you how to calculate that savings). But did you know that you can actually make some of the ingredients to your meals? There are other standard staples that you probably purchase, taking it for granted that they can’t be made at home. But many of them probably can.
I have to confess that this post was inspired by the Food Blog, one of my favorite places here at Families.com. In one of her latest articles, Valorie Delp shares an easy way to make your own cheese! Can you believe it? (You can click here to read her article). I would have never normally thought of making my own cheese, but it would be a great frugal alternative to the store-bought kind.
There are plenty of other food items you can make right in your kitchen. Some of the ideas that come to mind include mayonnaise, yogurt, baby food, pet food, crackers, granola bars, biscuits and biscuit mix (in fact, there are a lot of mixes that can be easily made, such as pancake mix, cookie mix, muffin mix, hot cocoa mix, etc.), applesauce, jams and preserves, tortilla chips, potato chips, ice cream, and even butter.
The best way to approach making your own food, in my opinion, depends at least one of three things.
The first is the convenience factor. If it is going to take three months to make a cheddar cheese, and it requires 25 different steps, well, that might not work for you.
The second thing is the frugal factor. Will it actually cost a lot less to make your own. If you need exotic ingredients, then the answer might be no. Calculate it out first. Most of the time, making your own will probably be the most frugal option, but you never know.
The third thing is the fun factor. Will you enjoy yourself while making your food? Will it bring you a lot of pride and joy? Is it a way to spend some quality time with friends or family? Perhaps making your own food will become a new hobby!
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites.
Related Articles:
Frugal Food: Make Your Own Granola Bars?
Learn more about growing your own food here!
More Budget Baking (and Cooking) Substitutions