As a stay-at-home mom, one of the tasks I’ve taken on is planning our grocery list. I am always on the lookout for ways to save us money on groceries. Right now, time is what I have more of, so it often makes sense to make something myself rather than buying it. An added bonus of this is that I can control the ingredients I use. There are certain groceries that I don’t buy anymore because I prefer to make them at home!
Here are some simple swaps you can make to benefit your bank account (and often, your health!).
Something that I no longer buy is bread, whether it’s sandwich bread or artisan bread from the bakery. Making bread at home saves money and gives you full control over the ingredients.
Baking bread need not be a tedious chore. Here’s an easy bread recipe that has become a favorite of mine.
By the same token, I no longer purchase hamburger buns from the grocery store. Instead, I use this easy recipe for hamburger rolls. Again, it saves money and helps avoid bad ingredients and preservatives.
Instead of spending a few dollars on a muffin or cookie at Wegmans, I’ll just whip up a special treat using one of my favorite recipes. Baking from home gives me a calming and productive activity to occupy my time. For the cost of one or two bakery treats, I have a whole batch of goodies that I can share with family and friends that live nearby.
I started making my own granola bars after my mom gifted me a granola bar mold. Let me tell you a little secret: they are better than store bought granola bars. Technically the recipe I follow is oatmeal bars, not granola. They are delicious! I add two tablespoons of ground flax and two tablespoons of chia seeds to this granola bar recipe, and I store them in the freezer to preserve them. They taste good thawed or straight out of the freezer!
Homemade whipped cream comes together in only a few minutes, and mine holds up about three or four days in my fridge. I store it toward the back of the fridge where it gets the coldest. It’s so delicious and tastes much better than the canned version!
Save money and tons of plastic bottles by ditching bottled water in favor of a water filter! We did this when we first got married, and I’ve never looked back. It’s so much more convenient and cost effective than buying water from the store.
What foods or drinks do you enjoy making at home? Share them in the comments!
Design, thrifting, and entertaining are my passion, and I share that passion with you through this blog. I also love being in the kitchen and crafting cocktails. I love Jesus and occasionally, I talk about him too. He has been so powerful in my life, and I love to bring him glory with my hobbies.
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