Make or buy ready made?

Franalamadingdong

Tomato based sauces, and curries. I didn't realise they did jar sauces until I went to uni and my housemate showed me. Passata or tinned tomatoes, garlic, onion, dried herbs, spices and ginger for curries. I've got a good store cupboard of spices etc built up over time. Bechamel sauce is another that is just pennies to make, but pricey in a jar. If you add in all the salt and sugar in these it's win win to make your own.
I agree that quality comes into it. Ok I could buy a cheap Victoria sponge with a month long shelf life, it would be cheaper than making from scratch (although I generally have the ingredients in anyway), but it would be no where near as good. Mum asks for my "prize winning Victoria sponge" now when she's buttering me up to make one after I placed at the horticultural show this summer. Yes, mine costs more, yes they're the same product, but it's not really like for like.
I do find it hard going to restaurants though, I often find I can make better at home.

I sound so conceited! Sorry! I'm really not, but i was taught to cook from a young age and I live in the sticks!

Mr_Singleton

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Bread is supposed to be, but tbh I don't think I could make it cheaper than I find it YS.

Is that the 'bread' with 15 ingredients as opposed to 4 in the home-made version?

[Deleted User]

Franalamadingdong wrote: »

Tomato based sauces, and curries. I didn't realise they did jar sauces until I went to uni and my housemate showed me. Passata or tinned tomatoes, garlic, onion, dried herbs, spices and ginger for curries. I've got a good store cupboard of spices etc built up over time. Bechamel sauce is another that is just pennies to make, but pricey in a jar. If you add in all the salt and sugar in these it's win win to make your own.
I agree that quality comes into it. Ok I could buy a cheap Victoria sponge with a month long shelf life, it would be cheaper than making from scratch (although I generally have the ingredients in anyway), but it would be no where near as good. Mum asks for my "prize winning Victoria sponge" now when she's buttering me up to make one after I placed at the horticultural show this summer. Yes, mine costs more, yes they're the same product, but it's not really like for like.
I do find it hard going to restaurants though, I often find I can make better at home.

I sound so conceited! Sorry! I'm really not, but i was taught to cook from a young age and I live in the sticks!

A person after my own heart at last I too find that the cost of shop bought ready made food really silly as I
A like to know what I am eating
B don't fancy stuff with all sorts of preservative in it
C who want to eat a cake thats been sitting around for several weeks ???
Sauces are so cheap and easy to do, and as for soups well they help to use up veg etc which is past its glorious best. I suppose you have to weigh up the time and effort involved My youngest DD has three boys still at home and along with her OH works very long hours at times so her time is precious whereasalthough I lead a pretty busy life I enjoy and have the time to cook cakes and biscuits for my DGS and family. A good stock of herbs and spices can liven up even the most basic things like for example omelettes, a bit of grated cheese and few diced mushrooms and a few twists of black pepper and even a couple of eggs take delicious.

The only thing I struggle to make properly is plain boiled rice ,but luckily I don't eat a great deal of it , although my grandsons swear my rice pudding in the bees knees:rotfl:

kboss2010

I once tried to beat Dominos pizza on price to make a large BBQ stuffed crust Texas bbq pizza - it cost me the same to make as to buy with all of the toppings lol!

I never buy shortcrust pastry when it costs pennies and takes minutes to make my own, never buy sauces in jars (especially tomato-based ones which are just variations on passata, mixed herbs, garlic, salt & sugar!), ready meals or spice mixes.

t14cy_t

i buy puff pastry when its YS of course, its too much faff to make!! xx

jackyann

JackieO - boiled rice, like boiled eggs, is one of those things that you struggle with until you find your own 'foolproof' method that no-one else finds helpful.
But anyway, for what it's worth, here's mine!

Usual amount of rice, then add water to the saucepan until it is above the rice to the depth of one knuckle. For one or two people, I use a small saucepan, and measure rice by volume, then add one-and-a-half times the amount of water.
Bring to boil. Turn down as low as possible and put a folded tea towel on top. If your 'low' is a bit fierce, just turn off after about 5 mins. You can also try putting in a warm place.
Leave for about 20-30 mins, the rice slowly absorbs the water (which is the secret). Do not 'fork' until the water has disappeared.
If unsuccessful, experiment with volume of water and types of saucepan, but follow the same method - think slow absorption, not 'boil'

tori.k

My cheaper homemade list
Greek-style yogurt, cost of milk and every now and again a small pot of live natural yogurt as a starter.

nan bread/wraps & pizza bases, the price of wraps is almost criminal, flour oil a touch of salt and water job done. my homemade bread comes out about the same as a bakery cost, you can't really compare homemade to sliced packaged bread that would be like apple and bananas being the same.

Granola is dirt cheap to make as is pastry and fresh pasta the latter being a faff for me

soup's and stocks. most sandwich fillings ( the small pots you can buy) rice if you use the micro packets some condiments like red onion chutney is far cheaper to make then buy.

I think a good place to start is just making a list of the things you use and work out what cheaper to make over buying

Hobsons_Choice

Another vote for puff pastry and (especially) filo pastry.
I always buy them ready made, maybe I'm just a lazy s*d

MallyGirl

maman wrote: »

I do that with a 1kg+ piece of gammon from Aldi. I always cook mine on the hob and use the stock for delicious lentil and veg soup.

I know OP asked just about cost but I think quality comes into it. While it might cost less to buy cheap ready made, you need to make the comparison between home cooking and with high end ready made.

I do the gammon in the SC and then we get one main meal that night followed by lots of lunches

lucyhope

Hobsons_Choice wrote: »

Another vote for puff pastry and (especially) filo pastry.
I always buy them ready made, maybe I'm just a lazy s*d

We were taught how to make both puff and filo pastry at college but were told by the lecturer that just about no restaurant expects their chefs to make either and buys them in.
Mary Berry says she always buys frozen.
So if it's good enough for Mary .........