Homemade v shop bought – can you make your own?

Cooking a meal for friends and family can seem daunting and many people just buy ready cooked meals from a shop instead – but once you know the basics of cooking you’ll soon discover that making your own food can be easy. The same rule applies for a huge variety of other tasks, from decorating your home to making your own cleaning products.

 

Cleaning your home

Most people cringe at the thought of cleaning their car or home because the products needed to carry out these tasks can work out very expensive. But you’ll be surprised how effectively you can clean grubby surfaces or remove stubborn stains using just simple household vinegar, bicarbonate of soda or lemon juice.

 

When using any type of cleaning product it is always a good idea to wear disposable gloves, such as these sold by Brosch Direct. These will protect your hands and prevent dry skin, irritation or just getting messy. An article in the Telegraph explains how you can make your own sprays and cleaning fluids for next to nothing.

 

Home cooking

Many people visit the supermarket and take the easy option when it comes to pasta sauces or stocks. All of these are simple to make yourself and you’ll also know exactly what ingredients are in the final meal. Preparing a meal from scratch often depends on the ingredients available in your cupboards; pasta sauces are very easy to prepare and you may surprise yourself with your culinary flair. Home cooked food is often cheaper than shop bought ready meals too.

 

Cooking your own food can be straightforward and you only need to make enough for the meal you are producing, unless you want to freeze some for later. Though some items that you buy in the shops are impossible to produce yourself. It’s not very often you’ll find a joint of beef in your garden or a nice tasty lobster, so you will have to visit the butchers or fishmongers if you desire one of these ingredients.

 

Making your own clothes or revamping your old ones

During these years of austerity people have been finding it harder to go out and buy the most up to date fashions, but an article in the Guardian by Elena Cresci shows how you can recycle, reuse and make your own clothes. Elena explains that she could previously barely sew on a button, but after a little practice she now upgrades her old and out of date clothing so that she can save money and expand her wardrobe. You can buy second-hand items from charity shops and make them your own.

 

Buying new is sometimes the best

There are some items that you just can’t make yourself. If you need something like a computer or other electronic goods then you’ll obviously need a specialist shop to advise you about the best type to purchase. But with the advent of a whole host of TV shows and magazine articles that encourage us to bake, sew or carry out DIY for ourselves then homemade is always worth trying. You will also have a great sense of achievement once you have produced something for yourself.

Disclosure – this is a collaborative post