Home-Made Products

**staceyy** · 10-08-2005, 08:46 AM

What products do you make from home that most people purchase commercially? I make my own granola, chocolate syrup,jams, and spray n wash. Whenever I do make something like this from scratch it is important for me to package it nicely. For instance with the spray n wash I use the old commercial spray n wash bottle and for my jams I use a canning jar with my own personalized label. I make most of my own foods and pastries from scratch

I've recently seen ads for a new icecream maker that can make soft or hard icecream in 20 minutes. I'll probably purchase this and start making my own icecream. I think I could save a lot there. I'd like to start making a lot of my own products as the quality is almost always better.

**Kimberlina** · 10-08-2005, 09:57 AM

Staceyy- before I tell you about what I make from scratch, I just wanted to mention my experience with our ice cream maker. I bought one for DH a year or so ago, because he is such an ice cream fiend. IT is a small one, but it makes the ice cream fairly quickly- just plug it in and let it churn away. We most definitely do NOT save money using it. Even if we buy our cream in "bulk" at BJ's, it is still more expensive than buying one of the higher end ice creams when they go on sale. You might want to look into this before you buy it.

Much like you, I used to be a pastry chef, so I take joy in making things myself. The most common things I make myself are bread, pancake syrup, chocolate syrup, jelly, jam, cookies, cakes, and the like. I also use dried beans most of the time, make mixes for other convenience foods, and just generally will try anything at least once. I make laundry deterent and most of the gifts I give people.

Actually, I make more from scratch than I buy prepared- I could probably list on one hand the things we typically buy prepared. (Well, not counting condiments, which I sometimes do make from scratch, but it isn't usually cheaper or better.)

**staceyy** · 10-08-2005, 10:29 AM

Kimberly, thanks for the heads up on the icecream maker. Is the quality of the icecream much better? I think its great that you make so much from scratch. This is something I need to aspire to!

Stacey

**Kimberlina** · 10-08-2005, 10:57 AM

Stacey, I wouldn't say the quality is much better, if you are buying a higher-end ice cream anyway. The one big plus is that you completely control the content of the ice cream- you can use all organic products if you like, no fillers or thickening agents, no artificial ingredients. You can also make fruit sorbets and the like. I'm not saying don't buy one, but if the ONLY reason you are thinking about buying one is cost, you may want to do your research first. If you know anyone near you who has one, maybe you could borrow theirs and see if you like it.

I've also found that to make a REALLY successful homemade ice cream, you need to use an egg base, which many people are hesitant to do. That isn't to say the ones w/o egg are bad, but the egg helps emulsify the whole situation and produces a smoother ice cream than you would get otherwise.

**staceyy** · 10-08-2005, 11:45 AM

Great advice, thanks!

**forestdale** · 10-08-2005, 03:38 PM

I make a lot of the things we use and eat. Like Kimberly I make my own laundry detergent and use vinegar as fabric softener. I make surface cleaner, window cleaner, floor cleaner, dog food, jams, lemon butter, chutney and relish, cordial, tomato sauce, bread, pies, pizzas, cakes and biscuits. If I have too much cream here (I barter eggs for milk and cream) I make butter. Sometimes I make icecream if I have a lot of eggs and cream (and time). I have the makings for soap here now, I'll work on my first olive oil soap in the next week or so. I make 99% our food from scratch. I grow a lot of our vegetables and I make compost.