We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly. -Anna Thomas
Going to the grocery store for an average family of 4 is time-consuming, expensive, and worst of all, you often end up at home eating subpar food. Why subpar?
- Certain foods you buy at the store are actually ‘food product’ - things that act like food but are human-made
- 'Food products' include all sorts of unhealthy chemicals
- 'Food products’ also include chemicals that trick your body into wanting more of whatever you’re eating
- Store-bought food and food products never taste quite as good as your mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup
And we know what you’re thinking: Yeah, sure, but what other choice do I have? Well don’t worry - you might not know it, but these 8 foods are super easy to make at home, and by making them at home you keep your family healthy and save money at the same time. Not to mention the fact they taste WAY better! Without further ado, browse through these 8 foods you should NEVER buy at the store (and make plans to make them yourself!).
Homemade Salsa
Homemade salsa is the perfect recipe to make at home, especially if you’ve got any late season tomato crops left. Whether you’re using fresh tomatoes or canned, salsa is a good place to start - you can adjust hundreds of ways to make sure you get the flavor, texture, and level of spice you like. Plus, you avoid all those supermarket preservatives; win-win!
Salad Vinaigrette
Making your own salad dressing is so easy. All you have to do is choose the flavors you want, make sure you have enough different types of liquids (acids, oils), and shake them all together. Voila! Homemade salad dressing, without the fat, chemicals, and preservatives of the store-bought versions.
Hummus
Now this recipe does require particular appliances - namely, either a blender or a food processor (which is much easier to use than a blender). But with only 6 ingredients (chickpeas, oil, salt, lemon, garlic, and cumin) that you blend together, why would you buy the expensive version with all sorts of ingredients you don’t recognize? Homemade is way better, and you can again add any flavors you want.
Homemade Pesto
Similar to hummus - why buy the expensive version when you can have homemade pesto (and know exactly what went into it)? Plus, pesto recipes are great for those with an herb garden in the yard or on the windowsill where they have the space to grow basil. Homegrown and homemade!
Iced Coffee
In honor of National Coffee Day, you might be reaching for those bottled, ‘coffee-shop variety’ iced coffees while waiting in line at the grocery store. But iced coffee is so easy to make at home! Not only can you enjoy simple coffee (with milk and sugar, if you’d like) without the chemicals, but you can add any flavors you want to create the perfect cup of coffee for you, not the grocery shelf.
Whipped Cream
Cans of Redi-Whip are simple but horrible for your health. Instead, using nothing but cream, sugar, a little vanilla, and your own strength, you can create simple, sweet, luxurious whipped cream, ready to be enjoyed with anything! (You can also use a hand mixer or standing mixer if you’d like to avoid having a tired arm.)
Sushi
Unless you’re going to a sushi restaurant, you should never be buying sushi that’s been made and sitting on a shelf for who-knows-how-long. Blech. Sushi making kits are easy to find and fairly cheap, or you can look into methods of rolling without needing a mat. Don’t settle for questionable sushi (it’s not worth it, trust us).
Pizza Dough
If you’re still buying frozen pizza dough from the store (or worse - pre-cooked), you’re seriously missing out. Pizza dough is super simple to make, and yeast-based versions are a great introduction into cooking with yeast as pizza dough is fairly forgiving. Once you try this homemade version (freshly risen, free of preservatives!), you’ll never go back to the store-bought kind!
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