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Homemade vs. Store Bought Dressings and Pantry Ingredients

Ten reasons to make pantry items at home instead of purchase at the store and why homemade is the healthier choice over store bought.

  1. Healthier Ingredients: When you make pantry items at home, you have control over the quality and type of ingredients you use. You can choose to use fresh, organic, and locally-sourced ingredients, and avoid additives, preservatives, and other potentially harmful ingredients that are often found in store-bought items.
  2. Customizable Flavors: Homemade pantry items allow you to customize the flavors to suit your preferences. You can adjust the sweetness, saltiness, spiciness, and other flavors to your liking, and experiment with different herbs, spices, and seasonings to create unique and delicious flavors that suit your taste buds.
  3. Cost-effective: Making pantry items at home can often be more cost-effective than buying them from the store. You can buy ingredients in bulk and make large batches, which can save you money in the long run compared to buying small portions of pre-packaged items. Additionally, you can avoid paying for branding, packaging, and marketing costs that are often included in the price of store-bought items.
  4. Sustainability: Homemade pantry items can help reduce your environmental impact. By making your own items, you can avoid single-use plastic packaging, excess waste, and reduce your carbon footprint associated with transportation and production. You can also choose to use reusable containers for storage, further reducing your environmental impact.
  5. Freshness: Homemade pantry items are typically fresher compared to store-bought items that may have been sitting on store shelves for extended periods of time. Freshly-made pantry items can have better flavor, aroma, and nutritional value, as the ingredients are not processed or preserved for long periods of time.
  6. Allergen Control: If you or someone in your household has allergies or dietary restrictions, making pantry items at home allows you to have better control over the ingredients and avoid potential allergens or irritants that may be present in store-bought items. You can also ensure that your homemade items are prepared in a clean and safe environment, reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
  7. Cooking Skills and Creativity: Making pantry items at home can be a fun and creative process that allows you to hone your cooking skills and experiment with new recipes. You can learn new techniques, try different combinations of ingredients, and develop your culinary creativity, leading to a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when you see the final product that you made from scratch.
  8. Freshness: Homemade pantry items are usually made with fresh ingredients and do not contain preservatives or additives, resulting in a fresher and more flavorful end product.
  9. Customization: When you make pantry items at home, you have complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to customize them to suit your preferences, dietary restrictions, and allergies. You can adjust the sweetness, saltiness, spiciness, or any other flavor element to your liking.
  10. Quality of Ingredients: With homemade pantry items, you can choose high-quality, organic, or locally sourced ingredients, which can result in a higher nutritional value and better taste compared to store-bought options.
  11. No Hidden Ingredients: Many store-bought pantry items contain hidden ingredients such as added sugars, unhealthy fats, or artificial flavors, which may not be ideal for a healthy diet. When you make pantry items at home, you have complete transparency and can avoid these hidden ingredients.
  12. Cost-effective: Homemade pantry items can be more cost-effective in the long run as you can buy ingredients in bulk and make larger quantities at a lower cost compared to buying packaged store-bought items.
  13. Environmentally Friendly: Making pantry items at home can reduce packaging waste, as you can use reusable containers and buy ingredients in bulk. It also allows you to have control over the sustainability and environmental impact of the ingredients you use.
  14. Healthier: Homemade pantry items give you the flexibility to choose healthier ingredients, such as whole grains, natural sweeteners, and organic produce, resulting in a healthier end product that promotes a balanced diet.
  15. Hygiene and Food Safety: When you make pantry items at home, you have control over the cleanliness of your kitchen and the freshness of the ingredients, ensuring that you are using safe and hygienic practices in food preparation.
  16. Creativity and Variety: Homemade pantry items allow you to experiment with different flavors, textures, and combinations, giving you the freedom to be creative and try out unique recipes. You can also make small batches of different pantry items to create a variety in your meals.
  17. Emotional Connection: Homemade pantry items can have sentimental value as they are made with love and care in your own kitchen. They can create a sense of connection and nostalgia, especially when shared with loved ones, enhancing the emotional aspect of food and mealtime.

Overall, homemade pantry items offer numerous benefits, including better control over ingredients, flavors, cost, sustainability, freshness, allergen control, and the opportunity to develop cooking skills and creativity. By making your own pantry items at home, you can enjoy healthier, tastier, and more personalized items that suit your preferences and lifestyle.

Replace store bought dressing with homemade

 

Dressing and sauces can be a scary ordeal for a picky eater.
Questions that may be swirling around in a picky eater’s head when dinner time arrives:

  • What’s IN this dressing?
  • Why is it white (or orange)?
  • What are those specks?

Making a dressing from scratch can often take the angst out of the mystery for a picky eater.  They can see all the ingredients being added and the unknown element of the dressing fades away.

Is Homemade Ranch Dressing Better Than Store-Bought? – Bon Appétit
“Ranch dressing is a mixture of mayonnaise, buttermilk, garlic, herbs, and spices invented in 1954 by Steve and Gayle Henson at their Hidden Valley Ranch in California. Originally sold as flavoring packets to be added to mayonnaise and buttermilk.”

You can get a similar flavor to store bought dressing without the heavy mayo and thick buttermilk of traditional ranch. We like homemade dressings because they are far healthier, contain no preservatives and can be modified to suit a picky eater’s needs.

Here’s some of our most popular DIY recipes.

DIY Garlic Powder

DIY Almond Milk

DIY Ketchup

Homemade Chicken Broth

Homemade Apple Sauce

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