How to Make Staples from Scratch and Save Money Too

Inside: How to get started with stocking a pantry and making staple items from scratch.

I grew up in a home much like many others of my generation eating boxed cereals, frozen waffles, and thinking brownies came from a box. In fact, I had never made muffins from scratch until I got married. These Bakery Style Blueberry muffins are my absolute favorite to make from scratch.

While I definitely understand the convenience of these foods and know that many people use them as a better option, I also think that switching out basic pantry staples for homemade ones is not only healthier but also saves money.

Many, many times buying ingredients ends up costing less than buying individual seasoning blends, prepackaged mixes and cereals, and all the other things. Not to mention that a lot of these items contain additional and unnecessary ingredients to preserve and keep them shelf stable.

Once you start making these staples from scratch, I think you will find that the flavor is superior and it’s hard to want to go back to store bought items.

Where do I start?

Practically, how do we switch over to making staples at home? This is a challenge for many, I understand, especially if you work outside the home. The easiest way to make the transition is one item at a time.

For instance, the next time you want biscuits or a pie crust, try making your own instead of buying it. Master that one thing and then move on to the next. The beauty of these staple items is that many of them can be made in bulk and stored in the pantry (taco seasoning and pancake mix) or freezer (hello, biscuits) for later.

For instance, whenever I make up taco seasoning or pumpkin spice mix, I like to double or even triple the recipe. It’s easy and takes two minutes, but then I don’t have to worry about it again for awhile.

I cannot remember the last time I purchased any bread item in the store and one of the ways I am able to swing that is by making extra and freezing it. Bread freezes so well and you literally just have to pull it out and let it thaw or throw it in the oven for a couple of minutes to heat.

Keeping a stocked pantry

One of the best things you can do to help you cook at home more is to keep your pantry stocked with staple ingredients like flour and baking powder, oil, vinegar, salt, and so forth. You can read this blog post where I share more about how to do that and share a printable pantry staple list.

By keeping pantry staple ingredients on hand, you have everything you need to make biscuits or a creamed soup in a pinch.

Why should I make more items from scratch?

We often wonder, is this really worth it? The extra time and energy of making food from scratch and sourcing ingredients can feel overwhelming, but I am here to say it IS worth it.

Not only will you be confident in knowing exactly what is in your food and that you are nourishing your family well, but in most cases you will actually end up saving money as well.

Over time I have made more and more items from scratch, gradually increasing my capacity and now it is just second nature. It does feel time consuming in the beginning, but as you practice and do it more, it comes faster, you’ll know recipes and steps by heart and it won’t take long at all.

Staples from Scratch Guide

I feel so strongly about helping others make more staples from scratch that I created a guide just for YOU! The Staples from Scratch guide has over 25 recipes for common pantry staples like pancake mix and creamed soup, taco seasoning and salad dressings.

All of these items are literally so simple to swap and begin making at home and they taste so much better. If you want a simple place to start, this is for you. Check it out here.