Looks yummy doesn’t it? This is a plate of my son’s awesome chocolate chip cookies. Baked from scratch they are full of chewy, gooey, chocolate goodness. They got me thinking about the price differences between homemade and commercially made products. The break down of basic ingredients for chocolate chip cookies goes something like this (your costs maybe more or less depending on where you live):
- Sugar – $2.29
- Flour – $2.50
- Brown Sugar – $2.29
- Baking soda – $0.80
- Salt – $0.60
- Margarine (2 pkgs.)- $2.00
- Vanilla (Imitation) – $1.50
- Eggs – $1.30
- Chocolate Chips – $2.29
- Total = $15.57
So for around $16.00 initial investment you get one batch of cookies. Once you have the basic ingredients though you can get another batch for only $2.29 for the chips. You get a third for $3.29 for margarine and chips and the fourth for only $2.29 for the chips. If you get 48 cookies in a batch then each cookie comes to $0.12 a cookie. If a store bought package costs $3.29 for 32 cookies they cost $.10 a cookie. The store bought are a little cheaper especially if purchased on sale. But what you don’t get from the store bought is the flavor and the enjoyment of having made something yourself. If you have children or grandchildren making cookies is wonderful way of teaching math while spending time together. What is also not taken into account is many of the recipe ingredients make way more than 4 batches. The baking soda, salt, and vanilla last a long time and are common ingredients in other products.
And then there is the smell of cookies baking. Who needs fancy scented candles when you can get the real thing?
If you aren’t quite ready for baking from scratch, try mixes. They are a simple way to start learning to bake and when on sale are comparable to store bought in cost. Other items to consider are cakes, frosting and brownies. If you aren’t into baked products consider homemade items such as salad dressings, barbecue sauces, even stir fry sauces. Recipes are easy to come by on-line. I find many through Pinterest. Some other links include:
What are some of your favorite homemade foods?
Live Cheaper 