To think cooking from scratch is not always cheaper?

[RainbowSlidders]

I would like to start by saying due to allergies I do cook and bake from scratch. I see people on here saying it’s so much cheaper cooking everything from scratch but honestly I think a lot of time it isn’t although it is definitely nicer.

Last night I made spaghetti bolognaise the ingredients cost me over £18 for 6 portions (family of 5 plus 1 portion for dc to take back to uni). How is that cheaper? A jar of sauce is about 75p in Aldi so I can see why people use it and not to mention the extra cost of fuel and the time it takes, 30 minutes on the hob followed by 3.5 hours in the oven.

It's Bigham's not Bingham's, but you are by no means alone.

All we've learned from this thread is that it's expensive to make a tasty, high quality bolognese to serve 6 adults.

Does that surprise anyone?

If I want a cheap meal I'll make something else.

None of you put enough wine in your spag Bol. I do half a bottle perfect 500g of meat.

Well I’ve never heard of Oxo in Bolognese and I’m certain the Bolognese haven’t either.

Yep.

Oxo is belting in spag bol.

Oxo is minging in anything.

Lots of people put a little chilli in their bolognaise. And the lamb is different but sometimes I prefer it - it is a richer, softer flavour than the beef. It’s nice to mix it up sometimes. It’s really not a big deal but it most definitely is recognisable as a spag bol.

That's fine, I just won't cook for you... :)

I can (and regularly do) make bolognese for about half what you are spending op, come on 🙄 you know it can be done much cheaper than that, surely

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE lamb - it's my favourite meat.

Tbh I'm a purist, so as soon as certain key ingredients are changed a dish stops being something. I'd call your dish spicy lamb spaghetti instead of Bolognese. But yes, it's not a big deal.

What is a big deal is that my cousin shortens spaghetti Bolognese to "spag bog" instead of spag bol.

@RainbowSlidders I also reduce mine down in the oven. It's the caramelisation that makes it worth it. I do an adapted version of this- without the chicken livers and without adding gelatine as I use homemade stock and it's fine.

www.seriouseats.com/the-best-slow-cooked-bolognese-sauce-recipe

I'm intrigued by your sundried tomato trick and might give that a go. Assuming it tastes less tinny!

As others have already pointed out, it depends what you’re making. A jar of pesto for example is way cheaper than the ingredients to make your own, so I usually buy it ready made (even though it’s not as nice)! On the other hand, last week I made carrot and coriander soup, it cost me about £1.50 to make a huge batch, at least 8 portions so much, much cheaper than buying it ready made.

But if the jar of pesto was made with 100% olive oil, real cheese and pine nuts like your homemade pesto, it would be expensive too.

You don't need half of that fancy shite. No need for the posh tomatoes or pancetta. And you have added some sides on there too putting the cost up

So in the interests of mumsnet scientific research, I've just done an Asda online order for the same weekly grocery shop that my scottish grandparents would have done in the 1980's - 7 days of bfast/lunch/dinner/snacks for two adults - cooking from scratch and feeding a couple of extra family members dinner a couple of times a week and it has come out at £40.....

🙄

Would love to know, I cook for one and it's around that... although I do cook from scratch..

I am now shocked people don't use soffrito when making ragu.

For a start, 3% fat mince is horrible! The flavour of beef is in the fat and you can get 500g of 20% fat minced beef for £2.50.
Then you don’t even need expensive olive oil - just brown the mince, then fry your onion, celery and tomatoes in the fat until onions are transparent, add garlic and stir for a further minute, then chuck in a tin of tomatoes, an oxo cube or a splash of Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon of tomato purée, 250ml of boiling water, 2 tbsp cornflour and whatever herbs you like. Simmer until reduced and serve with spaghetti. Probably costs less than a fiver!

I don’t know how on earth 6 portions of bolognese are costing so much. I’d certainly use a couple of tins of tomatoes with 500 g mince, but I bulk it out with red lentils as well as finely chopped veg, and add some tomato purée from a tube in the fridge. I use use stock cubes, not stock pots - much cheaper - I use one beef and one chicken. And usually dried Italian herbs, which I always have anyway. I’d never add pancetta - to me it’s not necessary.

I make my own garlic bread and usually have some in the freezer.

Sounds delicious but more upmarket than the average spag bol tbh.

Not again. I like lentils but not in this.

That's like saying why is it more than a packet one when you've chosen to add expensive ingredients.

Apples and oranges innit?

Can you show us?