10 Foods You Should Always Make at Home

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In a world that moves too quickly for our liking today, eating pre-packaged or take-out food is so easy. But the very idea of being able to cook at home gives you joy and peace. Homemade food is often more delicious and gives you control over what goes into it, making it a healthier and less calorific meal.

Preparing meals at home is also a great way to save money. Most store-bought foods come with a high markup, which you can easily avoid by buying bulk raw ingredients and making your own. Cooking at home opens up a whole new world of creativity and self-satisfaction through recipe perfecting, and it may help you find some ideas for breakfast.

Bread

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You can rub your face into a loaf of freshly baked bread, which you won’t find in supermarkets… supple and soft with an indescribable aroma. By baking your bread, you can use favorable grains and avoid preserving agents that now make it somewhat of a healthy loaf. It also allows you to incorporate hearty flavors from herbs, seeds, and the like according to your taste.

Pizza

It has endless potential, turning each homemade pizza into a blank canvas for whatever you want to throw on top. On the other hand, making your own pizza dough allows you to have a little more fun and hands-on experience with your food and lets you control everything from ingredient type to portion size.

Myriad benefits await the custom crust. Your delicious mix of fresh vegetables, quality cheeses, and lean proteins converts pizza into a balanced meal with no grease, dairy, or calorie count.

Tomato Sauce

Preparing your tomato sauce gives it a better taste than several store-bought types of tomatoes, which often contain added sugar and preservatives. You can make your sauce to suit, using ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, and the world’s spices. It’s a perfect sauce to build upon for pasta, pizza, and beyond.

Soup

Making soup at home allows you to pack it full of nourishing ingredients, making a basic dish incredibly healthy. Fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and spices can achieve more flavor than canned soups. Soup can be made in large quantities and frozen; homemade soup is also a great meal option.

Salad Dressing

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Making salad dressings at home is a great way to step up your salad game without the added sugars and preservatives found in many store-bought versions. Mix some good oils, vinegar, and spices to make a dressing that complements the taste of your salads. Try adding some garlic, lemon, or mustard to create a dressing with a flavor you love.

Granola

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Making granola at home means sweetening it with healthy alternatives and using your favorite nuts and dried fruits. Make your homemade granola ahead of time to have a cheap and healthy breakfast or an awesome snack. This way, you can indulge in a delicious, crunchy snack without all the added sugars normally present in most store-bought granola.

Nut Butter

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There are no added sugars or fillers when you make your nut butter at home (be it almond, peanut, or one of those hip exotic blends). After roasting your nuts and processing them to the consistency of your preference, you could have a rich spread in 20 minutes right from your kitchen. This homemade nut butter is more customizable and contains more natural flavors and nutrients.

Pasta

Fresh pasta is one of those enjoyable cooking projects that can give you a far greater appreciation for anybody else who is willing to take the time to make fresh pasta (and it comes with flavor and texture benefits.) Pasta made with basic ingredients — flour and eggs — yields a fresh, flavorful noodle. We can grasp things and play around with adding spinach or herbs.

Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt is richer, and the base to do it yourself can be enhanced without rumors or mindless sugars. If you want it to be more tart, control your fermentation process. Flavor homemade yogurt with fruit, nuts, and honey and use it as an ingredient for many recipes.

Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream can be tailored to your taste and made with quality ingredients. Avoiding artificial stabilizers and emulsifiers allows you to stick with only the true flavors created from real fruits, chocolate, nuts, or whatever concoction you desire. It also lets you play with textures from creamy to chunky so that you have your personal touch in the dessert.