Is it worth the outlay cost?

Angel_Jenny

I have been tempted to try to make jam and to learn to make soft cheese.

Is it worth the outlay cost?

I know it would be fun and something interesting to learn but things like the pan and all the equipment are quite pricey.

Plus there is buying the ingredients but, for the jam, I would hope to find some reduced in price due to being close to the sell by date.

I love the idea of making jam and bread and cheese but wonder if it does actually work out to be a frugal thing to do. Making home made cordials is also on my list of things that might be useful to learn.

quintwins

It really depends it's not cheaper if your buying the value brands, however you know exactly what's in it and may get enjoyment from it.

Farway

Jam is worth it, there is no outlay for equipment, unless you do not have large saucepan & long handled wooden spoon or a ladle. Well OK maybe buy a jam funnel, but the rest you should well have already

Ingredients, just in time, the wild blackberries & plums are starting to ripen, check out your local area now for likley free ingredients

Sugar you will have to buy, but once you & family have a pot of home made jam you will never look back

Plus look into chutney, ingredients may have to be bought, but windfall apples are often free, as are tomato or or runner bean gluts from friends / neighbours

beemuzed

Never tried to make cheese - but homemade jams and chutneys are delicious - and make good presses that are generally very well received. As Farway says - you probably already have most of the equipment you need already.

GreyQueen

Hmmm, as long ago as the 1950s, the price of sugar and energy to cook the jam made jam-making uneconomical, unless the fruit was free or very nearly so, according to my late Grandma.

For me, I eat about 1 jar of jam a year, never more than 2, so tooling up for jamming isn't worth my while and I don't have sufficient space for a big pan.

Regarding cheesemaking, I can't comment as have never done it. I make bread all the time but I have baking sheets and bowls already so it doesn't require any special kit, HTH.

torbrex

As a jam maker, I can tell you that nothing competes with the taste of home made jam, you know exactly what is in it and somehow the cost melts away as soon as you taste it

I grow my own fruit (blackcurrants) and have just spent the last 2 days making this years jam and my house smells lovely for it

Angel_Jenny

The pan I have seen is a beautiful one from Lakeland - suitable for jam or cheese making!

It is £43 though.

Do you need a big pot to boil your filled jars in to seal them?

Space is another issue - too many hobbies!!

torbrex

Angel_Jenny wrote: »

The pan I have seen is a beautiful one from Lakeland - suitable for jam or cheese making!

It is £43 though.

Do you need a big pot to boil your filled jars in to seal them?

Space is another issue - too many hobbies!!

I bought a jelly pan for about £2, nothing fancy but it does the job (that was a few years ago)

I don't boil the jars, I heat them in the oven and pot the jam while it is still warm then put the lids on and they seal themselves.

Angel_Jenny

torbrex wrote: »

I bought a jelly pan for about £2, nothing fancy but it does the job (that was a few years ago)

I don't boil the jars, I heat them in the oven and pot the jam while it is still warm then put the lids on and they seal themselves.

£2 - big price difference! It was a gorgeous pan though ..... sad I know but I get excited over pans and jars!

Ah - that way sounds easier. The way I had heard of from my pen pals was water bath canning I think. Sounded dangerous!

I live in a town so will have to check around for places to get cheaper fruit and foraging for things would be fun as long as I don't poison myself!

Fruball

I adore homemade jam - definately nicer than shop bought.

I just used what I had in already - large pan, wooden spoon etc. I did buy the jars as I wanted to make small amounts and I liked the pretty matching lids

Never made cheese.... not sure I could be bothered to do it regularly but would be fun to try - def wouldn't buy stuff to do it though.

torbrex

Angel_Jenny wrote: »

I live in a town so will have to check around for places to get cheaper fruit and foraging for things would be fun as long as I don't poison myself!

Railways and coastal paths are usually good for blackberries but any waste ground will have them, roadside fruit is not as good as they soak up the fumes from the cars.
Look out for offers in Lidl & Aldi there are bargains to be had and allotment holders can be counted on for the likes of rhubarb.