Who makes your own bread from scratch (flour) at home? (chicken breast, bake)

[RobertFisher]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

If you are looking to save money by cooking at home, bread really shouldn't be the first place you start.

Save what? $2 a loaf? By cooking at home, if you eat out all the time, you'll be saving probably over $500.

I would take baby steps.

I'm new to bread-making but not new to cooking. I can do a few decent dishes, just that cooking has been a hobby that I occasionally do; our family usually eat out or buy stuff to take home.

With the advice from here I even tried roasting prime rib and have achieved consistent results. Prime rib will be part of my home meal plan so that's major savings there. Each time we go to House of Prime Rib it's like $300 with my parents. The last time I did it at home I spent less than $100.

So, yeah, I am eager to give bread-making (and noodles, cookies, pastries, etc) a try, as well as my ambitious plan to cook most meals if not every meal at home.

Sharing some of my cooking:

[rrah]

If your family is spending money every night ordering food or eating out, just making a few meals a week will be a significant cost savings.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by pikabike

True. The difference between cooking a steak dinner at home vs a comparable one in a restaurant blows away the cost diff between loaves of bread. On the other hand, many people eat bread every day. Not so many eat steak every day.

The cost comparison must be made for the OP’s family and what they normally buy and consume. Nobody else’s cost comparison will be exactly the same.

The best reason to make your own bread is the joy of eating it warm, and choosing your preferred ingredients, and for some people, the very experience of making it. I happen to like kneading the dough. The entire process is like a magical, safe chemistry act whose results are delectable.

Yep. One of the last things I will buy in a restaurant is a steak or lobster. I can do them same or better at home for half the cost.

If I eat out, I order something complicated, with lots of ingredients/sauces. Something that would take me forever at home, dirty every dish in the house, using ingredients I never keep on hand.

I eat one slice from each loaf DH makes, the first cut, out of the oven, once it rests the required time, with Irish butter.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

Yep. One of the last things I will buy in a restaurant is a steak or lobster. I can do them same or better at home for half the cost.

If I eat out, I order something complicated, with lots of ingredients/sauces. Something that would take me forever at home, dirty every dish in the house, using ingredients I never keep on hand.

I eat one slice from each loaf DH makes, the first cut, out of the oven, once it rests the required time, with Irish butter.

Kerrygold Unsalted!

I forgot a reason to bake bread: the scent of the yeasted dough baking. Mmmmmm.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by RobertFisher

I intend to start making all my own bread and my own noodles. Based on YouTube videos it seems pretty easy; the ingredients are simple, just takes time.

Does anyone make all or most of your bread or noodles from flour? I'm curious:

1. Does it save significant amount of money? (assuming a family of 4 eat bread every morning and every other dinner)

2. Is it worthwhile to get one of those dough making machines? The video makes it look much easier; I hope to get first hand feedback.

I bake a loaf of sourdough weekly.1. Probably doesn’t save any, but I like it and enjoy making it.
2. Don’t use any machines.
I also bake focaccia now and then, its very easy and very good. Hard to mess up.
Go for it.

[5-all]

I used to bake bread and rolls every week. It helped me keep my sanity after my wife died. Now that I live alone the only bread I bake is Easter bread. I make spaetzel and the big square pot pie noodles for Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie because they're hard to find near me.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by Threestep2

I have never seen major savings when it comes to somewhat elaborate breads. But - years of requests have kept me doing it. I sometimes bake a traditional Foccaccia just for breadcrumbs. You can tell the difference! Very thin flatbreads have basically replaced chips for us. They freeze well.
KitchenAid or a set of hands - not much of a difference.
Working my way up to getting a sour dough starter on the way. Any tips? Thank you!!!!

I got my starter from this site. Send them a dollar and SSAE, they will send you a packet of starter you can revive. I have had mine for six years.
Carl Griffith 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Page

[ChessieMom]

Originally Posted by RobertFisher

Sounds like making bread from scratch has some savings, but by itself is not significant.

I ask because I aspire to start eating well and doing so at a reasonable cost -- by cooking myself. Our family primarily eat out; it's expensive to do so.

Making my own bread is just step 1. With the bread, I intend to make my own, for example, French toast brunch as well. This will save a trip to IHOP which is about $50-60 each trip for our family of 4. I suppose more savings can come from there.

Has anyone analyzed how much savings can be achieved if you prepare the same restaurant meal? 50%? More?

Really? You think folks are not aware that they can save money by cooking meals at home??


As someone else stated, bread is not really going to be much of a cost savings. Buy bread, and make the french toast at home.

[RobertFisher]

Originally Posted by ChessieMom

Really? You think folks are not aware that they can save money by cooking meals at home??


As someone else stated, bread is not really going to be much of a cost savings. Buy bread, and make the french toast at home.

I think my impression of baking can save lots of money comes from the fact that almost every morning wife buys toasted bagel with cream cheese from a bagel shop for our kids. I believe each is over $2.50. When buying bagel from the shop of course she buys personal-size milk or juice as well. Add our coffee, all that add up to be $20.

If I make my own bagels -- according to YouTubers bagels are made simply by boiling the dough first then bake which is easy enough for me to try -- and buy cream cheese and the rest of the stuff from Costco, I suspect I can bring the cost for that breakfast meal for 4 down to maybe $5...

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by Southern man

I got my starter from this site. Send them a dollar and SSAE, they will send you a packet of starter you can revive. I have had mine for six years.
Carl Griffith 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Page

Thank you so much!