In my opinion, prepackaged foods are probably one of the most pointless things that you can possibly buy at the grocery store because most of it you can make on your own at home for half the price, with healthier ingredients and far less waste!
I recently read a blog post on Attainable-Sustainable that listed out 10 foods that you shouldn’t ever buy from the supermarket, and I wanted to share some of her list of ridiculous supermarket products with you and add a few of my own.
Here are some of the most common foods that you should stop buying and start making at home!
Pancakes
I will never understand why people buy pancake mixes–pancakes only take a few ingredients! Instead of buying a prepackaged pancake mix, you can make your own homemade pancakes that will lack that chemical taste and are almost as quick. Don’t have time? Mix the dry ingredients ahead of time to make your own pancake mix and save a ton of money!! Pancakes also heat up really well, so you could make them ahead of time and then toast or microwave them in the morning (although they won’t taste quite as fresh).
Pizza
I love eating out as much as anyone else, but instead of wasting money buying pre-made pizzas or prepackaged pizza crust, make your own at home for a lot less! Bonus: you can put whatever toppings you want on the pizza!
I make my pizza crusts in the bread maker when I’m in a hurry, but tortillas, bagels or homemade bread make a yummy substitute for crust if you don’t have the time to make a traditional crust!!
Mac n Cheese
While everyone loves some macaroni and cheese, instead of feeding your family the boxed kind which has all the nutrition of a box of cheez-its, make your own healthy, yummy and easy mac n cheese with just some cheese, milk, butter and pasta!
Hash browns
It can be tempting to buy frozen hash browns for an easy morning fix, but really, hash browns are incredibly easy to make. Instead of buying precooked, packaged and frozen potatoes, buy (or grow) your own potatoes and fry them yourself. Believe me, you’ll be thrilled with the taste!!
Frosting
I refuse to buy pre-made frosting, because I grew up with homemade frosting and desserts, and to me it tastes like nothing but chemicals. Instead, make your own frosting with an electric mixer and a handful of ingredients. This way you’ll have leftover frosting for graham crackers, and you can flavor it however you like.
Pie Crust
Pie crusts are probably one of the easiest desserts and really only require about four ingredients and some patience. Then, add your filling and pop it in the oven for an instant homemade pie!
- Basic Pie Crust Recipe
- Sweet Pie Crust Recipe
- Pat in the Pan Crust Recipe (no rolling)
- Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is about as simple as it comes–it’s pretty much just oats and water with some fruit and flavor added! Instead of buying the prepackaged kind, buy some oats and make your own at home. As a bonus, you can use fresh fruits and moderate how much sugar you add for a healthier breakfast!
Those are just my thoughts. Check out Attainable-Sustainable’s full post for even more things that you shouldn’t ever buy.
What things do you opt to make at home instead of buying premade? Let me know in the comments, or join us in the forums!
All that you listed I make myself. I haven’t gone to the blog yet to read rest of the list.
Great list! I always dread making pie crust, but the rest of these are on my list of always make. Thanks for the recipe links. I’m going to switch things up a bit. 🙂