Make your own...?

[user1471523870]

I would like to take my efforts for a more sustainable living to the next level and MAKE things, rather than buying them.
I am not talking about anything extreme, but would like to start incorporating new little habits into my daily life.

For instance, I would like to make my own yogurt - something I used to do ages ago and then dropped. This time I will try to keep going! I have also found out I can make my own cream cheese with just milk and lemon, which is amazing.

I looked into making my own butter but can't justify buying plastic pots of cream do to so (milk for yogurt comes in glass bottles that get washed and reused by the milkman).
Fortunately, Lurpak is now selling butter in a recyclable cardboard box - one less worry.

I already make my own pizza and focaccia dough every week, and have no intention of stopping as the results are far superior to any pizza I can buy in the supermarkets. I should give a go to make my own bread, but not sure I would be able to slice it as neatly as the one I buy (and I have a fussy toddler).

I have an allotment and this year I will freeze as much of the produce as possible, including chopped onion, garlic, leeks and herbs.

What else should I look into making? We don't like or buy jam, chutney, nut spreads, pickles.

For cutting even slices of bread you have things like this
www.lakeland.co.uk/13173/Lakeland-EvenSlice-Bread-Slicer

Or

www.amazon.co.uk/KitchenCraft-Fresh-Expanding-Bread-Keeper/dp/B07MSWD9BZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=bread+slicer&sprefix=bread&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1623749316&sr=8-4

Or

www.amazon.co.uk/Cutting-Adjustable-Foldable-Suitable-Homemade/dp/B07CZ1L3RW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=bread+slicer&sprefix=bread&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1623749316&sr=8-3

I think you can make your own mozzarella, after straining your cheese, from the whey. (if you haven't made it with uht in an instant pot)

Get a breadmaker. I haven't bought a loaf for over 8 years.
Jam, chutneys and jellies are easy to make. Even better when using forage fruits or things from the allotment.
I've made soap a couple of times which I mostly enjoyed but I like a bit of variety with the fragrances and after 9 months of lavender I'm a bit bored of using it now. I need to make smaller batches.

Buy a good quality bread knife and slice the bread when cool, it will be fine.

I love my home-made yoghurt. I make it in a 1 litre jar, boil the milk for at least 10 minutes and leave it for 24 hours. It has never been so good.

How do you make the cream cheese?

You hang up your choice of plain yoghurt, sheep's is lovely, in a muslin cloth and or put it in a sieve over a bowl overnight to drain out the liquid. I've done this with tofu yoghurt, which was great with chopped chives, garlic and celery salt. No one realised it was dairy free!

Ice lollies. I was given a set of silicon cone things that you can fill with any fruit juice or smoothie to make a calippo, and they are brilliant.

You've also reminded me that I used to make a batch of oatcakes and a tray of granola bars every week. I should do that again, it was so much easier not to buy biscuits etc when I had those in.

Houmous is dead easy, and if you make your own you can make it extra garlicky. Even better when you teach your 14yr old to make it and he's now the house houmous expert!

I keep meaning to make oatcakes missey . HFW has some good recipes.

Brilliant ideas, thank you everyone. Today I am planning to bake a tray of oatbars and I suddenly remembered I DO have a silicon mold I can use for ice lollies!!!
About how to make cream cheese, it's super easy. Just add lemon juice to the milk to make it curdle.

Oo we get through so much cream cheese it would be great to make some. My only issue is an 8 year old who things that shop bought tastes better with everything. I’m not allowed to feed her homemade bread, bagels or hummous because it’s not as good

Homemade dishwasher tablets. We are very pleased with them www.rebootedmom.com/homemade-dishwasher-tablets/