What's cheaper to cook from scratch and what's cheaper to buy ready made?

[coodawoodashooda]

I guess i mean more economival overall in terms of the time needed as well? Im batch cooking for next term and really questioning the value of baking all of these goodies. Im sure i could fill the cupboards cheaper on a trip around a supermarket.

Lasange is cheaper to buy premade

Even if cooking from scratch worked out more expensive (which I doubt) I'd be more concerned about the added salt, sugar, colours, additives etc in processed foods like that. Buy in season, getting stuff free from olio or buying in bulk from markets and sharing with friends/family/neighbours would surely be cheaper.

Not sure about cheaper with olio. We live outside a city so there would bound to be driving involved.

Pizza from scratch

Bake 2 at the same time. I think food in general is good value for time and taste homemade. But not all baking. No way would I be faffing about making puff pastry.

Oh and dried pulses etc rather than tins

Probably bread, but I much prefer home made bread to a supermarket loaf.

@ForCluckSake - yes, but with what in the mince? We only buy organic and that's more expensive than a regular bought lasagne - even with the other ingredients. Mince doesn't need to be 100% beef either.

I think everything seems to be more expensive home made. I’ll still do it though.

I make quite a bit from scratch it tastes better and not much time difference as well as saving money.

Personally id never buy the precooked chickens from asda or tesco.
I always make lasagne quite easy now ive worked out the best way with the pasta it took me ages to get it how I liked.

One thing i always buy is pasta sauce not worth making it and it never tastes as nice and egg mayo sandwich fillers not worth the hasslefor me.

I love my tomato sauce. I make 16 porions in one go. 6 hours in a slowcooker makes a delicious one with VERY little hassle

What I call 'saucy condiments' are cheaper to buy in a decent quantity - pesto, sun dried tomato paste, (good quality) curry pastes from the Asian supermarket. What is probably cheaper but not worth my time is things like pasta and bread. Though I do make my own flatbreads (flour, salt, yogurt), I just cba with kneading and proving and all that jazz.

Things I always buy ready made are pizzas and Chinese dumplings. If I want pizza it's because I want an easy tea, and I don't have the dexterity for things like dumplings.

@ForCluckSake

Lasange is cheaper to buy premade

Just about to say this I cook loads from scratch but this is the one dish thats cheaper store bought - I found it was all the cheese that makes it really dear from scratch

@MrsTerryPratchett

Pizza from scratch

I always find home made pizza costs a fortune as the children want to put on toppings ( it started as a good way to get them to try new things but hot oak smoked salmon, the really big prawns, nice olives (not soaked in vinegar) and half a deli counter of meat are the requested ingredients not forgetting the expensive grated mozzarella rather than a torn up ball) they are happy with any 99p frozen mozzarella/ pepperoni though.

Do you mean jars of pasta sauce? They have so much sugar in them. A decent tomato sauce is so easy to make in bulk & freeze.
Generally I don't buy ready meals/jars etc but I don't make pastry. I also buy quiche as it is a faff to make (although homemade is delicious). Most other things I make (bread I make & buy). Tinned soups for easy lunches. I can't bear shop bought cakes. Too sweet & claggy although cheap!

I can make ten “recommended” portions of cheesy pasta for about £1.50. Problem is those ten portions last my family of 3 one main meal, and lunch for two 😳

@ForCluckSake

Lasange is cheaper to buy premade

But it's also horrible premade unless you buy the really expensive ones which are about £15 to feed 4

Quiche is best half and half - buy a pastry case and fill with eggs, cheese and whatever else you like.

@ForCluckSake the Lidl and Aldi ones are lovely and cheap too

Sorry meant for @mafted

Lidl big lasagne tastes better than mine 😂

For optimal cooking to feed and for a little enjoyment - you need to use stove top pots and pan and grill cooking for maximum efficiency and not so much slow oven baking. Therefore any high heat rapid pan fried is easy, fresh and nutritious. Much of the work is preparing all the ingredients and chopping. Pasta (shop brought) is naturally super easy to cook too. Alternatively slow one pot cooking and sous verde is fine if multitasking other household “chores.” Sauce preparation especially adventurous favours is the next level and worth the finishing touch.

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

For optimal cooking to feed and for a little enjoyment - you need to use stove top pots and pan and grill cooking for maximum efficiency and not so much slow oven baking. Therefore any high heat rapid pan fried is easy, fresh and nutritious. Much of the work is preparing all the ingredients and chopping. Pasta (shop brought) is naturally super easy to cook too. Alternatively slow one pot cooking and sous verde is fine if multitasking other household “chores.” Sauce preparation especially adventurous favours is the next level and worth the finishing touch.

I feel like I just read an American shopping ad here

I’ve never heard anybody in the UK say stove top pots

Reminds me of watching the shopping ads on sky tv in the 90’s

I think a lot of “home-made” things need a decent store cupboard, and if you don’t have that, it is cheaper to buy a pre-made version. I made a vat of chilli the other day (some for dinner, some for the freezer) and all it cost in terms of immediate spend was fresh vegetables. The mince was in the freezer, chilli flakes, paprika, cumin, tomato purée, tinned tomatoes and kidney beans are always in the cupboard, we always have garlic and onions, and there was an open bottle of red wine. We had it with rice - another cupboard staple.

If I had had to buy every one of those things, it would have been far cheaper to go to M&S. It makes me laugh sometimes where the OP on a thread is desperate to save money and people suggest batch cooking - in theory a great idea, but not if someone has properly empty cupboards/fridge.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I love my tomato sauce. I make 16 porions in one go. 6 hours in a slowcooker makes a delicious one with VERY little hassle

I’d love to know how you make your tomato 🍅 sauce 🥫