15 Items You Can Make Instead of Buy

We all go to the grocery store, some of us even go multiple times a week. We run in and out of the store grabbing items we may or may not need, racking up the bill, and increasing our intake of calories. But what if there were a better way? What if we could make our own items at home, saving both our wallets and our health from the disasterly grocery store habits we’ve created?

Surprisingly enough there are a number of items we purchase all the time that could be cheaper and healthier if we took the time to make them ourselves instead.

Healthier

• Croutons - When you make your own croutons you can use less salt and oil, making your finished product far less greasy. Homemade croutons are also less likely to break your teeth.

• Peanut Butter - All you need are some peanuts, salt, and a food processor of some kind. Making your own peanut butter eliminates the excess oil and sugar that’s added to the PB you purchase at the store.

• Tortilla Chips - If you bake up some tortilla chips you save yourself from the oils and salt it takes to fry them.

• Applesauce - Forget the added sugar! Apples are sweet enough already; use a food processor to create your own delicious applesauce.

• Pop Tarts - Make your own pop tarts to ensure they are chemical free...and as a bonus you can make them any flavor you want!

• Goldfish - By making these delicious crackers at home you can control the ingredients and ensure that only natural items are used.

Cheaper

• Nutella - The ingredients in nutella are fairly inexpensive. So save some moolah by making it yourself!

• Cheese - Learn to make your own cheese at home with easy to use kits at Make Cheese!

• Granola Bars - The ingredients in a granola bar are cheap; things like oats, raisins, and sugar are also easy to find.

• Salad Dressing - Salad Dressing is expensive! Learn how to create your own flavors so you don’t have to break the bank.

• Hummus - It’s a surprisingly easy item to make, and only uses about 2 ingredients.

• Power Bars - Power bars are over-priced! Make your own instead and discover how much cheaper they can be.

• Trail Mix - Now you can choose what items go into your trail mix and how much each will cost.

• Granola - Granola uses the same inexpensive ingredients as granola bars and can be far less expensive when baked at home.

• Yogurt - With only a few tablespoons of actual yogurt you can create a large batch of your own!

So grab a few ingredients, dig out a bowl, and discover some new recipes that agree with both your heart and your wallet. Happy cooking!