JuicyTalk
Here’s how to stock your fridge and pantry with homemade basics that are both healthier and cheaper to make at home.
Ready for some affordable, from-scratch kitchen magic?!
Whether you’re trying to stretch your grocery budget, eat cleaner, or just love the satisfaction of making things from scratch, this list will completely change how you shop. This year lets make more of these easy recipes and spend less.
Plus, I feel like making things yourself tastes so much better. You can taste as you go and customize the ingredients however you like. Start with one recipe this week. Just one. Then watch how quickly your pantry (and your confidence) grows.
Today I’m sharing 12 simple food staples to make at home!
This will help you stop overpaying at the store and start stocking your kitchen the smarter way. From creamy homemade butter to fluffy pancakes, tangy pickles, fresh salsa, rich coffee creamer, soft tortillas, perfectly seasoned beans, and more.
These ideas prove you don’t need complicated ingredients or fancy equipment.
Do you enjoy sweetened flavored coffee creamer in your hot or iced coffee?! Here’s a great way to make it yourself without artificial additives and preservatives. I am sharing a vanilla bean flavor, sugar cookie, and spiced chai coffee creamer recipe. They all have the same base of half and half plus maple syrup and then various extracts and spices to flavor.
Ingredients for Vanilla Bean Coffee Creamer:
Ingredients for Sugar Cookie Coffee Creamer:
- 2 cups half and half
- 4 tablespoons real maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Ingredients for Chai Coffee Creamer:
Use our guide on how to make a beautiful, chewy, crusty sourdough loaf your family will love! With these simple tips, you’ll see how easy (and addicting!) it can be.
All you need is water, flour, and salt. Just 3 ingredients from starter to finished a loaf! Once you get the timing and method down, you’ll feel like a sourdough pro!
Ingredients for Sourdough Bread:
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) active sourdough starter
- 350 grams (1 1/3 cups + 2 tbsp) room temperature water
- 500g (4 cups + 2 tbsp) bread flour
- 10 grams (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
Learn to make homemade butter using heavy whipping cream. It’s easier than you think and tastes incredible. It’s rich, creamy, and oh-so-delicious.
Hazelnuts are roasted in the oven and then placed in a food processor with chocolate and coconut oil to make a delicious homemade version of Nutella!
The result is a creamy, dreamy spread that’s perfect on a crepe for breakfast, as a dip for strawberries, or to make a loaf of homemade Nutella swirl banana bread! YUM.
It’s super easy and inexpensive to make smooth and tasty restaurant-style refried beans to enjoy at home as a delicious snack, side dish, or to incorporate into meal ideas. This vegetarian recipe uses easy-to-find healthy ingredients and produces fantastic-tasting beans!
Ingredients for refried beans:
- 1 pound dry pinto beans (about 2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large jalapeño, diced and seeds removed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 cups water or vegetable broth
Take taco night dinners to the next level by making some yummy homemade flour tortillas at home! They’re actually surprisingly easy to make, and require simple and inexpensive ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Plus, the soft homemade version is a million times better than what you’ll find at the store!
If you’re looking for an excellent snack or appetizer, whip up this great-tasting homemade restaurant-style salsa that takes just minutes when using your blender or food processor. It’s so easy and delicious – you’ll never want store-bought again!
Ingredients for Homemade Salsa:
- 2 – 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (try the fire-roasted variety)
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro
- 1/2 white onion
- 3 green onions
- 2 jalapeños, seeded (more or less depending on the heat you prefer)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
These quick garlic and dill refrigerator pickles are so crisp and full of flavor- I promise if you make them, you’ll never want to buy a jar at the store again!
Did you know creamy Mayo is mostly just eggs and oil? Making it yourself is quick, affordable, and involves simple, real ingredients you can customize to your taste. It whips up in just 5 minutes using an immersion blender!
Sometimes I reach for a convenient pancake mix, but then there are times when I’m really in the mood for some GOOD old-fashioned fluffy pancakes from scratch that are truly special.
Calling all Ranch dressing lovers! It’s time to ditch the packets at the store and opt to make your own version instead in just a few minutes! This recipe is quick, easy, and tastes so delicious.
Use store-bought pie crusts as a quick kitchen hack to bake delicious homemade Pop-Tarts in any flavor you’d like for breakfast! While this is not a complete-from-scratch idea, it tastes so much better than the box version.
