What do you make from scratch

[oldjanie]

I’m trying to cut down on UPF. Basics ,like bread and butter have been successful ( apparently, vegan so butter taste is told to me ) I do like cooking meat ( for Mr.Man) but I can’t taste it!. Hence- what do you guys make from scratch rather then buy the ready meal order take alway? Does that make sense?

 

[Barriehie]

I make flour based foods from scratch. I can do a loaf of bread for around $0.28. For meats I usually buy bone in pieces so I get the bone for making broth. I'll buy stew cuts of beef or pork to either grind or slow cook/pressure cook for a meal. With an Instant Pot there are lots of ways to process food while you're asleep, or away, so the time impact isn't there. I've a masticating issue so I'm biased towards things that don't require a lot of chewing. I took a picture of the last steak I ate in 2018...

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I’m trying to cut down on UPF. Basics ,like bread and butter have been successful ( apparently, vegan so butter taste is told to me ) I do like cooking meat ( for Mr.Man) but I can’t taste it!. Hence- what do you guys make from scratch rather then buy the ready meal order take alway? Does that make sense?

I'm not quite understanding ... could you elaborate?

 

[TastyReuben]

I suppose it’s a mix of both for us - I used to bake all our everyday bread, but when MrsT took to her weight-loss plan, we switched mainly to a low-carb bread from the supermarket - I simply can’t make bread as good that’s as low in carbs.

It’s the same story with pizza - dough and sauce I used to make from scratch (if starting with canned tomatoes counts), but now we eat it so rarely, it’s usually takeaway pizza.

Pie dough…cakes…same thing.

Most meats are from scratch, I suppose, meaning I don't buy those pre-seasoned pork tenderloins or tubs of barbecued beef…but I don’t make my own lunchmeat or sausages.

I don’t make homemade pasta at all. I have, but I choose not to.

Definitely make my own salad dressings…the only one I don’t make is blue cheese dressing, and the last bottle of that got pitched before it was finished.

Hummus, dips, I usually make my own. Same with creme fraiche…most of the time.

Used to brew beer for several years, but stopped that 15 or so years ago

 

[karadekoolaid]

Hence- what do you guys make from scratch rather then buy the ready meal order take alway?

Everything. I make my own pastry, my own pies, my own curries, my own salads, my own dressing, my own pasta sauces, etc.. I've never had a ready meal in my life, although I heated some up for my mum 3 years ago, because she was 94 and couldn't cook any more.
Several reasons, I suppose. First of all, there's no such thing as a ready meal over here. They don't exist.Some supermarkets have semi-prepared foods, like chicken cordon bleu and pork loin roasts, but the choice is severely limited.
Take aways? Well, yes, ok, and delivery service (motorbike) has improved considerably over the past few years, but it's still too slow, and my spring rolls generally turn up cold and soggy. I'd rather make them myself.
Price? Quality? Home made is always cheaper; much, much cheaper, and generally speaking, if you cook it, then you prepare it how you like it, not how some company decides.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I make almost everything from scratch. I did at one point include bread in that, but we cut back on our bread intake for a while.

About the only things we buy ready made are peanut butter (I make our jam), bread, oat milk and soy milk (but make our own cashew cream and cashew cheese). I do buy ready made pasta but that's only because we rarely eat it. At the moment, because of time, I'm buying tofu ready made. Toothpaste is another item we buy ready made. Tinned baked beans.... vegan chocolate bar...

Pretty much everything else is made as home from scratch including my preferred blend of garam masala. Even my shampoo and conditioner is made by hand from recognisable ingredients, though I'll confess I don't make it myself, but buy it that way.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I make my own fresh pasta regularly. I make bread, rolls, muffins, etc. from scratch nearly all of the time, though I've purchased burger buns a few times in the past year. Soups, stews, casseroles, sauces, etc. also from scratch. The last time we had a frozen prepared meal was over a year ago when we had a bunch of family coming last minute and I purchased a large frozen lasagna to cook. About the only time I get takeaway meals is when I get reimbursed and paid to do so, which is several times a month. We rarely go out to eat but occasionally will splurge on takeout sushi (a few times a year).

Edited to add i buy yogurt but it's just an occasional thing as I don't eat it regularly. DH makes wine and sausage.

 

[badjak]

I do but some things (food), like peanut butter (1 jar lasts me 6 months or so), bread (sometimes), sausages, paté, yoghurt (double cream, plain)
And puff pastry as I can't be bothered plus the temperatures are an issue here.
Most else I make, incl beer (but I do buy gin, wine etc)
I make sourdough bread and pizza, make my own pasta and flatbreads, but will buy at times as well

 

[TastyReuben]

Adding that peanut butter and jams/preserves I buy (though making peanut butter is on my short list of things to do), and I also usually buy canned beans instead of dried.

This is a fun topic, because it’s making me look at all sorts of things I’d never really thought about - we know someone who roasts his own coffee beans…and I feel special because I grind mine from whole, but they’re pre-roasted.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Yes, I have made peanut butter from scratch though I prefer mixed nut butters and cashew butter for myself. It's not something I use often personally, but I buy cheap commercial peanut butter and bread to feed my groundhog and squirrels. I'm not putting time and effort making them anything from scratch!

 

[karadekoolaid]

Adding that peanut butter and jams/preserves I buy (though making peanut butter is on my short list of things to do),

I've made peanut butter at home. Not difficult, but it never seems to be quite like the bought stuff, which is actually a problem because, I suppose, I've been accustomed to the bought stuff for over 50 years!
Jams and preserves - soooo easy and just a thousand times better than store bought, as well as cheaper.
Eg: 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) strawberries, 800 gms (about 1.8 lbs), dump in a pan, mix around and stir frequently, and that'll make you at least 5 jars.
Cost (over here) about $9 - so that makes it $1.80 per jar.

 

[Barriehie]

…
and I feel special because I grind mine from whole, but they’re pre-roasted.

I used to buy my beans, tarrazu, green from Costa Rica but that ended when the roaster broke. Those machines are *expensive* now.

 

[oldjanie]

Adding that peanut butter and jams/preserves I buy (though making peanut butter is on my short list of things to do), and I also usually buy canned beans instead of dried.

This is a fun topic, because it’s making me look at all sorts of things I’d never really thought about - we know someone who roasts his own coffee beans…and I feel special because I grind mine from whole, but they’re pre-roasted.

It is fun. Really impressed with what you guys do. So many skills have been lost. I live next door to a massive supermarket. No one round here cooks anymore.
Partner got me pre roasted coffee beans. First batch, great. Second and third not so much. Don’t know what went wrong and don’t drink coffee so never tried again.
Plan on making strawberry jam from my strawberries for nibblings and himself.
Made peanut butter once as it was demanded ( sister or offspring can’t remember) and only had peanuts in. Worked okay.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Really impressed with what you guys do. So many skills have been lost.

I think it's just because we all like cooking.
and I don't believe skills are lost; just abandoned because there's an easy way out. Easier, perhaps, but more costly , short on quality and lacking that certain je ne sais quoi which whispers: "I made that!"

 

[TastyReuben]

Easier, perhaps, but more costly, short on quality and lacking that certain je ne sais quoi which whispers: "I made that!"

I’ve been known to make certain things once, just to be able to say, “I’ve done that, I understand how it’s made…but from now on, it’s off to the shops for that.”