While it's true that homemade food is generally cheaper, usually healthier, and almost always tastes better, there are a number of things that I don't make myself. Here are a few.
1. Spaghetti sauce: If I had buckets of tomatoes that grew in my yard or were given to me, I might consider making my own spaghetti sauce. I say consider, because the thought of peeling and processing all those tomatoes in my non-air conditioned kitchen isn't that appealing. But I don't have load of tomatoes anyway, so it's not really a problem. I have seen recipes for spaghetti sauce using canned tomatoes, but then it ends up costing more than premade spaghetti sauce, plus you have to do all the work. We don't eat spaghetti that often, so when we do, I buy spaghetti sauce. I have been happy with the spaghetti sauce from Aldi. It comes in glass jar instead of cans (in case you're worried about BPA) and it has sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. We like the taste fine too. If I can't get to Aldi, we prefer Hunts, for both the taste and the price.
2. Lasagna: When you add up the cost of lasagna noodles, meat, ricotta, cottage cheese, tomatoes, whatever else you need, lasagna is not really a cheap dish. Plus, it takes a while to make and the end result is just not worth it in my opinion. Preston occasionally asks for lasagna, though, so when he does, I look for a good deal on a frozen one.
3. Cinnamon rolls: The time they require, the number of surfaces they dirty, and the amount of white flour and sugar put cinnamon rolls on the "not worth it "list for me. That's not to say I wouldn't eat one or three if someone else made them; I'm just not likely to do it myself. If I really, really need a cinnamon roll, I'll just go to Ikea. (I don't think that's ever happened).
4. Homemade macaroni and cheese: I made this once and actually liked it, but Lauren wouldn't touch it. It wasn't orange enough. Plus, why would I use that much cheese when I can buy a box of mac and cheese at Aldi for 35 cents and have it ready in ten minutes? I'm on the lookout for a mac and cheese that is both whole grain and does not have artificial color (yellow #5). I can find one or the other, but so far, not both.
5. Chicken Nuggets: I have made them a couple times, but isn't the whole point of chicken nuggets convenience? And in my experience, homemade chicken nuggets are good when they are dipped in butter and then breading and if I'm already being unhealthy, why not go all out?
What things do you not make yourself?
I've never ever made pasta. Homemade pasta i've tasted never seemed any better and it seems like such a pain. I love to make and eat my own cinnamon rolls, though, even if Janet prefers the kind that come in a tube. I don't make my own hamburger/hot dog buns because mine are heavy and nasty, but Sarah makes great ones.
ReplyDeleteI don't (or no longer) make spaghetti sauce, alfredo sauce, salad dressing, tortillas, chicken nuggets, anything deep fried (french fries, sweet potato fries, donuts), granola bars, or ice cream. I also almost always use mixes to make cakes. We rarely eat some of those things anyway. I make a lot of things from scratch, so I don't feel bad purchasing pre-made things occasionally,
ReplyDeleteI always buy the cheap tube cinnamon rolls, because they are awesome. Actually, I just ate a whole tube of them the other day.
ReplyDeleteWe make our own lasagna, because it lasts us four meals and buying the ingredients makes two pans, so eight meals is well worth it. And it's Jacob's favorite meal.
I never make those other things, though. And I never make Jacob's snacks, like wheat thins or cheez-its. Usually those are the most processed thing in the house, so I'm okay with that.
I made whole wheat pitas for the first time yesterday. They were super easy, super cheap, and super tasty, so I will probably never buy pitas again. Not that I do often anyway.
I never even thought about making homemade pasta. I definitely don't like pasta enough to try that. I don't make ice cream either (don't tell, but we sold both the ice cream makers we got for our wedding). I have made granola bars a couple times, but I didn't like them enough to keep making them. I don't buy them either. I have made tortillas a couple of times, but my lack of rolling pin makes it difficult to get them thin enough. I do make cakes from scratch. When I make cakes, which is not nearly as often as I desire to eat cake.
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