Saving Money with Homemade Staples

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Homemade Staples

Over the years, I’ve learned how to make a lot of things from scratch that I used to buy at the store. I’ve saved quite a bit of money with this DIY approach. I’m sharing a sampling of the homemade staples I now often make at home along with some information about the financial savings. Money isn’t everything, though. The main reason I make many of these items from scratch is that I can control exactly what goes into our food this way.

Baking Supplies

By making these baking supplies from scratch, I can save 50 percent or more off the typical cost of similar items at the grocery store. Homemade vanilla extract costs five times less than the store-bought version, and my homemade chocolate chips don’t even have a “clean” version for comparison. You can click on each link to see the specific savings at the end of each post.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Chocolate Chips
Ghee
Gluten-Free Flour
Pizza Dough
Vanilla Extract

Toppings & Spreads

Many of these staples tend to have lots of unhealthy ingredients, so I take the time to make these from scratch. Some items take just a few minutes to stir together, and they taste much better than what you’d buy in a package. Store-bought salad dressing can cost three times as much as the homemade version, and homemade ricotta costs less than half what you’d pay at the store.

Barbecue Sauce
Corn Salsa
Hummus
Mascarpone
Peach Salsa
Pesto Cream Cheese Spread
Pickles
Pizza Sauce
Ranch Dressing with Greek Yogurt
Raspberry Jam without Pectin
Ricotta Cheese
Shallot Vinaigrette
Taco Seasoning

Snacks & Desserts

It can be hard to find the time to make snacks from scratch, but it’s a great way to save money and generate nutritious food that your family will enjoy. Homemade Larabars cost less than half what you’d pay to buy them, and homemade yogurt costs four times less than the cartons at the store.

Apple Pie Larabars
Graham Crackers
Granola Bars
Greek Yogurt
Ice Cream Sandwiches
Homemade Larabars
Maple Granola
Maple Nut Snack Mix
Peanut Butter Granola
Pop Tarts
Tortilla Chips

Please share in the comments what other homemade staples you make that you used to buy at the store.

Check out the other posts in my “Saving Money” series:
Saving Money with Homemade Snacks
Saving Money with Vegetarian Dinners
Saving Money by Joining a CSA
Saving Money with Reduced Produce