Thursday, November 3, 2011

Frugal Challenge - Fresh Baked Bread

Comparing the cost of home made bread to store bought bread. Breaking down the ingredients I have figured it costs about half the cost of store bought bread to make bread yourself at home. That is with using standard sized ingredients from the grocery store. It would be even cheaper to make bread buying bulk sized ingredients for making bread.

The other day I was plum out of bread and had no car to get to the store. Mine was in the shop. So what's a mom to do? I thought, hey let me bake some bread. With my Kitchen Aid it is so easy because it does the kneading for you. So in just a few minutes I had bread dough rising on the stove and by lunch time I had two loaves of bread.

Now, I don't know about your family, but ours eats a lot of bread. Sometimes four loaves a week and it is getting so expensive along with everything else. I have been wanting to start baking some of our own bread to save money and because it is probably better for us without all the preservatives.

I think it is well worth it. The kids loved it and it sliced so well. This was an oat recipe as I was trying to use up oatmeal that I had stockpiled. I will definitely use this recipe again but what I am hankering to do is make my own sourdough starter. I think I will start it this week and let you know how the bread comes out. Can you smell it? Fresh homemade sourdough bread.

19 comments:

  1. I love this! I was just thinking of making bread! My husband said the other day that I haven't made homemade pizza in a while - that's on the menu for tonight!
    I bet your home smells wonderful!
    Have a great day,
    Kathy

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  2. My mouth is watering just looking at it. Nothing better than fresh baked bread. Yum!

    Carmen and the Primcats

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  3. Now you've done it!
    Your family won't want store bought bread ever again :)

    Your bread looks tasty. You'll have to let us know how the sourdough turns out.

    Have a great day!

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  4. So very true! We purchased a breadmaker recently and the savings along with the taste are phenomenal! I'm actually in the process of baking a loaf right now!!

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  5. I would not have had any fresh yeast on hand. I love home baked bread. Laura Cottage and Broome

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  6. Good morning Elaine. Your bread looks wonderful. There is no better smell! I have two bread machines, and they are buzzing all winter long! It is so much cheaper, and fun!!! We did our own sourdough starter last winter. Greg likes to make homemade bread too. We have a fantastic and easy recipe for a rustic loaf of bread that we adore! Grocery prices have gone through the roof, and I, like you, have a full house right now, and I am trying to cut corners wherever I can.
    Way to go Mama!

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  7. Your bread sure looks good. Kudos for making homemade bread.
    I make mine in a bread machine. I'd love to make it myself and let it rise on the stove and even better would be to know how to make bread from scratch, by HEART! Don't you know, the women in the generations past (not long ago) probably just grabbed ingredients right off the shelf without ever having to look at a recipe?

    I know it must be cheaper. I've never done the math either. But I love home made bread.
    Like you I want to make my own sour-dough, been wanting to do that since I read The Little House series this summer!
    Post and let us know how it turns out for you.
    Pat

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  8. Good for you!!! I know it must be waaaaayyy cheaper to make bread than to buy it. My hubby prefers store bought bread for toast and I don't ever eat bread, so I no longer make it. I loved making it when I did, though!
    Hugs, Cindy

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  9. Oh Elaine Sweetie...
    Bring out the Land of Lakes butter, and give me a slice of that fresh bread. I can smell it clear out here in the desert Valley. So yummy. Nothing tastes better than a loaf of fresh bread baking in the over. Just scents the whole house with love doesn't it?

    How lucky you are to have a Kitchen Aid. All the kneading done for you? WOW! Let me know how your sourdough bread turns out. These loaves look absolutely beautiful.

    Have a glorious day sweetie. Many hugs and much love, Sherry

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  10. And you had everything on hand to make it? I probably wouldn't have. I so admire your homemaking and cooking skills! My new fridge went out after a week. Food all spoiled. I haven't gotten to cook one thing yet!
    Brenda

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  11. hmmm..I think I can smell it! I'll take a fresh slice with butter please!! ;)

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  12. Bontà delle bontà.. Cosa c'è di più buono di fare il pane in casa..

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  13. I just love homemade bread. Nothing smells better!

    Thanks for sharing this lovely post with Potpourri Friday!

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  14. Hello,

    That is awesome bread! I used to make my own...a long time ago...But I am not a good baker. :o(


    Gabriela

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  15. Oh yum! Nothing beats homemade bread! And the smell alone is worth baking it! I have never made a homemade sourdough starter. If you do, I hope you will do a post about it and share it with us. I would love to try it. Thank you for sharing this with all of us at
    TTF and have a great weekend!

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  16. It just so happens that I have decided that making bread was going to be my next project. I bought some whole wheat flour yesterday.It has to be so much better for us than consuming all those preservatives!

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  17. HoMeMaDe bread is the BEST! Looks yummy.

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  18. I would love to try sourdough too. Let me know how it comes out. The Southern Californians San Francisco) are supposed to have the best sourdough ever. Thank you for linking it up with Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  19. Can I get your recipe?

    Thanks Elaine.

    Smiles,

    Debbie

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