10 Convenience Foods to make Yourself

One of the most effective ways to cut back on your grocery bill is to buy less convenience foods.   Not only are many convenience foods expensive, they are often unhealthy for you, full of preservatives and ingredients that we cannot even pronounce.  I mean, sure, they taste good, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best for us to consume.  If we can’t figure out how to say the name of the ingredient, chances are we’re better off not eating it.

I’ve got excellent news for you though.  Just because they are expensive (and unhealthy), it doesn’t mean you have to go without the convenience foods you enjoy, It just means you need to figure out how to make it at home.  This will save you money, and will be a healthier option for you. It’s a win-win situation all around!

Don’t Forget to Keep the Recipe

When you make a dry mix to store in your pantry, be sure to put the recipe on the jar.  This way you won’t forget what ingredients you need to add into the mix to turn it into something yummy!  I can tell you from experience that even though you think you’ll remember how to make it by heart, you probably won’t.

Below are a list of convenience foods to make at home to save you your hard earned cash.  This list, of course, isn’t exhaustive, as there are so many other convenience foods you can make at home, but it’ll give you a good start.

10 CONVENIENCE FOODS TO MAKE YOURSELF

Granola bars

I never understood why a granola bar contained about 6 bars, 8 if we’re really lucky.  I have three kids.  That means after two snacks of granola bars we’ve emptied the box.  And if you have teenagers like I do, those store-bought granola bars aren’t even filling anyways.  They need two, maybe three to feel satisfied. Click HERE to find my favorite recipe over at Living on a Dime.  Also, I should mention it makes 24 bars.  24 compared to 6?  yes, please.

Chicken stock

Soup stock is SO easy to make.  Especially if you have a crock-pot.  All you need to do is take the carcass of a whole chicken, throw it in your crock-pot with some veggies and spices and water, and cook it on low for 10-12 hours.  You will be left with beautiful, homemade healthy chicken stock.  

Pancake mix

When you buy a box of pancake mix, you still have to add a couple ingredients usually, like eggs and water or milk.  Making your own mix is really just a couple more ingredients to add yourself.  Try THIS recipe over at Recipe Tin Eats.  Don’t forget to make a BIG batch of the mix to store in your pantry.

Homemade lunchables 

Those prepackaged lunchables are so expensive, and yet, every kid from the dawn of time has desperately wanted their moms to buy some.  A simpler, cheaper option is to wash out the containers that came with the last one you bought (or maybe, the only one you EVER bought), and fill it with crackers, cheese, and meat that you cut yourself at home. Or put the meat, cheese, and crackers in a cute reusable lunch container. Your kids will still feel like they are getting a treat, and you can pocket the money you saved.

Broccoli soup

I was already making most of my soups from scratch, but I was still hanging on to the canned broccoli soup.  For some reason the thought of making my own seemed complicated.  That was until I came across a youtube video by an off-grid homesteader, Starry Hilder, who took her viewers through the VERY EASY steps on how to make it yourself.  

I added cheese, Vidalia onions, and cream to her recipe and let me tell you, it was delicious comfort in a bowl.  Watch that video HERE.  As a side note, try to not love Starry’s bubbly personality in her video.

Granola

If you can make granola bars, you can make granola.  We love granola, but again, very costly to by at the grocery store, which to me is crazy as it is a very frugal item to make at home.  Cereal is so expensive as well and doesn’t fill teenagers.  Making granola really helps my kids feel satisfied all morning!  You can use my recipe for a big batch of granola you can make today. 

Taco seasoning

Who doesn’t like tacos? (2 out of 3 of my kids, when they were younger, I’ll never understand why – but good news, they grew out of it) The Humbled Homemaker shares here recipe HERE.

Hummus

So, so easy to make and so cheap.  Skip the store-bought and make your own from just a few simple ingredients.

Instant oatmeal packets

My kids LOVE oatmeal.  They also love those sugary, expensive store-bought kinds.  If you want to still have the convenience of those instant oatmeal packets but you don’t love the price, why not make your own? You can make up a whole bunch in advance and then store them in your pantry for when you need a quick breakfast .  Try THIS recipe over at Little House Living.

Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is very easy to make it at home once you get the hang of it.  I share a step-by-step tutorial on how to make it at home in THIS post. You can add fruit and honey or maple syrup for a healthy, delicious treat.  If you happen to have your own milking animal like a cow or a goat, you’ll save even more money by making yogurt at home.

DIY Convenience Foods are Easy to Make

The more items you make from scratch at home, the more money you will save on your grocery bill.  Some bills you have absolutely no control over, but groceries is one area you can often find ways to cut back. These days prices at the grocery store are high enough to make you cry. 

And they keep getting worse. Any way that I can cut back on my food bill I am going to do because feeding a family, especially with teenagers, isn’t easy right now.   

These 10 convenience food ideas that you can make at home is just another small way you can do your part to put more money in your pocket so you can afford your living expenses.  And the bonus is, it’s healthier too! Do you have any kind of convenience foods that aren’t listed here that you make at home?