is home baking cheaper?

Penelope_Penguin

vickyb242 wrote: »

Anyone else bake to save money?

Thsi being Old Style, lots of us bake Some do it to save; others (like me) do it because we enjoy it and like to know what's in our food

Take a look at this thread on Baking Day. I'll merge this to that one later.

Penny. x

serena

I do a tray bake every week for my teenager - I haven't actually costed it out, because the ingredients are things I have in the house all the time anyway, but it's got to be cheaper - and more importantly, much tastier than bought.

I make chocolate fudge fingers, lemon drizzle, flapjacks, light fruit, white iced with cherries etc. I keep them in the tray covered with foil, and take out a slice at the time. They keep well like that - if you take out all the slices and put in a tin, they dry up quickly. I know some people freeze individual cakes, but I've never tried it.

I would also try adding more long-lasting carbohydrates to the lunch box, to try and wean your OH off the sweeties - nice they may be, but not very healthy!

Penelope_Penguin

serena wrote: »

I make chocolate fudge fingers

Do you have a recipe please, they sound delicious

TIA, Penny. x

seraphina

Yes, lots of bakers here but please don't maintain the illusion that they are necessarily healthier than their store bought equivalents - sugar and fat are sugar and fat no matter whether they were lovingly hand baked or lumped together by an industrial mixer.

Obviously as part of a balanced diet it's fine, and I'd rather know what goes into my food by making it myself. And it's definitely cheaper!

SallyForth_2

serena wrote: »

I do a tray bake every week for my teenager - I haven't actually costed it out, because the ingredients are things I have in the house all the time anyway, but it's got to be cheaper - and more importantly, much tastier than bought.

I make chocolate fudge fingers, lemon drizzle, flapjacks, light fruit, white iced with cherries etc. I keep them in the tray covered with foil, and take out a slice at the time. They keep well like that - if you take out all the slices and put in a tin, they dry up quickly. I know some people freeze individual cakes, but I've never tried it.

I would also try adding more long-lasting carbohydrates to the lunch box, to try and wean your OH off the sweeties - nice they may be, but not very healthy!

I have started doing the same, partly because I have decided I don't want to buy bought ones anymore, and partly, I am finding it's a good way to use up stuff - especially cereal which isn't proving too popular and seems to sit in the cupboard forever.

I slice them up and wrap them individually in foil then box them up, which stops them drying out and oddly encourages my "grab and go" children to take them in their school bags.

wogglemaker

How about those famous hobnobs of Twinks

[Deleted User]

yes its definitely cheaper and nicer, as well as a lot of fun.But the only thing is because they are tastier you tend to eat more of them so beware.twinks Hob Nobs are the buisness and so easy to make .I am going to have a go at Moneysaving Diva's apricot scones on Sunday.I always bake on a Sunday morning whilst listening to the Archers.Have done so for more years than I can remember, Cake boxes get filled for the week,usually fairy cakes ,butterfly cakes a lemon drizzle cake or a victoria sponge cake.I have several large clip lock cake boxes that I have bought from Wilkinsons and they keep stuff brilliantly soft and they don't dry out.I sometimes put a small apple in with the bigger cakes to keep them soft ,don't know why it works but it does.if you have any cakes left by Friday and they might be getting a bit stale then a trifle is a good way of using up the drier bits.

nuttybabe

I do alot of baking now, I never used to but I enjoy it and the kids (and dh) seem to enjoy my cakes more than shop bought ones. This was proved when I bought ds a Ben 10 cake for his birthday that he really really wanted. He had one slice and after that ate the yoghurt cake I made!!

Ds1 always has a homemade cake/biscuit in his packed lunch and his teacher was very happy that I was putting in the homemade treat! Also ds1 does not get hyper on homemade stuff like he does on shop bought so I know its better for him. Dh takes cakes/biscuits to work and shares them around (infact if he goes a week with no twinks he starts getting moaned at by his colleagues!!!).

Not sure if if cheaper as I seem to be feeding most of dh's work mates plus the kids!! :P

funkymonkey849

Most of the time home baking is cheaper, but if you use expensive ingredients then the price can soon go up.

However home baked beats shop bought on taste every time, and there is nothing like a home baked cake still warm from the oven

Fairy cakes are so easy, 5 mins to mix, 15 mins in the oven. You can add bits in for a change, lemon zest and juice, mashed banana, chocolate chips, cocoa powder...the list is endless! Today I substituted half the flour for ground almonds and added some icing and a cherry on top. Yummmy

skintbint_2

i have just starrted baking especially for lunch boxes and puddings- pancakes, scones,lemon drizzle, easy quick stuff and it saves a fortune,(both oh and ds love cold apple crumble make little ones for their lunches) dont know if its just me but i dont like the value flour and think stork is probably the best "fat" for using, if i dont have caster sugar i just use the hand blender on granulated to refine it a bit. i am sure you'll get lots of other good little tips from more experienced bakers, i also really like the wiltons cake release and find it worth the money as i've had to bin so many sponges