Is it cheaper to bake your own?

[BoredBetsy]

I'm trying to save money, as most people are. I think it's cheaper to bake stuff at home now as prices have gone up?

I followed a recipe for muffins which is

	2 cups self raising flour 
	¾ cup white sugar
	1 egg
	1 cup milk
	¼ cup vegetable oil

And added chocolate chips.

A pack of 4 choc muffins costs £1.80 in Tesco. This recipe made 12. Maybe not as big as the supermarket ones but big enough to be satisfying.

I find baking generally more expensive, but prefer to have less processed food.

Chocolate chips are costly though! I buy cheap budget brand chocolate - about 60p for a big bar - freeze it, then smash it up with a rolling pin to make chips when I need them!

Don't know about cost comparison but any recipe that has butter in is probably going to be more expensive than supermarket versions. I always bake my own cakes as I know what goes into them and they taste better.

Time? Energy used for the oven? For you to go out and buy the ingredients?

I'm not sure that it's cheaper to bake but homebaked stuff is nicer and I really enjoy baking so it feels like a pleasure rather than a chore. I've recently got in to a reciprocal arrangement with somebody with chickens and an allotment and so she supplies me with eggs fruit and veg and I bake for her in return. Seems a win win situation for us both.

If you compare to good quality stuff from a Baker then homemade is always cheaper.

I bake an afternoon tea which I leave for people who rent my holiday cottage.

From the baker a scone is £1, £3 for 12 to make.

Chocolate cupcakes are £2.50 each in the baker, I make 18 for around £9.50. I could do them cheaper if I didn't do Swiss Meringue Buttercream.or if I used margarine rather than butter.

A loaf of decent bread is ,£2.50 in the bakers, its 50pish to make at home.

If you bake regularly it's definitely cheaper, but if you buy a bag of flour or something and just make the one cake, it's probably not cheaper.
I wouldn't factor in the cost of your own time or electricity as a PP suggested if you'd only be playing on MN instead of baking, or cooking something else (I often take advantage of having the oven on anyway to stick a cake in).
If you're cooking at home when you could be doing paid work instead, then I would cost in your own time.

@Ripleysgameface @Hoolahoophop Would you be able to share any of your recipes? I'd love to be this organised and have home baked goodies ready to go in the freezer. Thanks!

For me it's a no-brainer : I buy my ingredients like flour and sugar in larg(ish) quantities at a very good price, ánd I never count the hours I spend baking/cooking/cleaning etc. So yes, for me homemade is the better choice but also I know what goes in it and it's so much healthier!

I don't see why not? I would just make sure they're in a well sealed bag or pot while they defrost. I'm generally not good at knowing when I'll want a snack so microwaving avoids having to put any forethought into it!