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?
