Lisa O
There’s no denying that homemade meals bring a special kind of joy. With all those convenience foods available, we often forget how satisfying it can be to whip up our favorites from scratch. While takeout is quick and easy, cooking at home can enhance flavors and freshness in such a way that store-bought simply can’t match. Here are 15 foods that taste better when made at home.
Pizza
The quality and freshness of ingredients in homemade pizza usually beat out store-bought options. Sure, store-bought pizzas come in all sorts of styles and flavors, and it can be tricky to recreate those at home without fancy equipment. But if you stick to organic and fresh ingredients, you can whip up a pizza that’s way better than anything from the store.
Bread
Homemade bread is fresher and way tastier than store-bought stuff, which usually sits on shelves for days or even weeks before someone snags it. Homemade bread not only tastes amazing, but it also packs in more of its nutritional value. Kneading the dough can be super therapeutic, and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of pulling a golden loaf out of the oven!
Pasta
When you make pasta from scratch, you use fresh, healthier ingredients, which is way better for your body. You only need a few basic ingredients: flour, water, and eggs. If you want to keep it vegan, you can skip the eggs, but if you’re looking to boost up your protein, throwing in some eggs is beneficial—they’ve got a ton of other health perks, too.
Taco
Most people have started making their own taco seasoning to avoid the MSG found in most store-bought packets. It only takes a minute or two to make and ends up being less expensive than the store-bought taco seasoning, too. And when you are on it, why not make the entire taco at home? It’s much tastier, very easy to make, and obviously, it’s on the healthy side.
Burger
Fast food burgers are usually worse for you than homemade ones because they tend to pack in more calories, unhealthy fats, sodium, and added sugars. These burgers are cooked in oil and may have nasty additives and preservatives to amp up the flavor and shelf life. But since your homemade burger will be filled with fresh veggies and lean meat, there’s no doubt it’ll be a healthier option.
Ice Cream
When you make ice cream at home, you have way more control over how much sugar you add. It’ll also be free from any allergens you need to avoid, along with any gums or stabilizers. Most people who’ve made ice cream at home say it turns out softer and fluffier and melts a bit faster than the store-bought stuff. And plenty of the store-bought ice creams are not the real deal (they’re actually frozen desserts).
Salad Dressing
When you make salad dressing at home, you know it’s fresh. The ones you find in the supermarket have been sitting in their bottles for months. Plus, store-bought dressings are packed with preservatives just to keep them on the shelves for so long. Homemade salad dressings use real ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, and lemon juice—none of those weird numbers like 330, 407, 410, and 440!
Chili
Homemade chili is a comforting dish that you can totally customize with your choice of beans, meats, and spices. The depth of flavor you get from slow cooking is unbeatable—the longer it simmers, the more the ingredients mix together to make a rich dish. Store-bought chili is unhealthy because of the absurd amount of salt they add and that fatty ground meat.
Granola
Why make granola from scratch when you can just grab a box from the store? Well, here’s why: both granolas have whole oats as their main ingredient, but the store-bought one is very high in refined sugar and palm oil. On the flip side, if you make it at home, you’ll get protein-rich pecans and only use a little bit of honey, brown sugar, and vegetable oil.
Pancake
Many people think pancake mixes are meant to be quicker and easier than whipping up a batch of homemade pancakes, but honestly, pancakes made from scratch taste way better than anything you can make from a box. When you make them at home, you can use ‘real’ ingredients like flour, sugar, milk, butter, and eggs.
Salsa
With so many health benefits, there’s no denying that salsa is very good for your health. And when you make it at home with fresh ingredients from your garden like ripe tomatoes, cilantro, onions, and a bit of lime—you’re in full control of what goes in. This homemade version is much healthier than most store-bought options that are loaded with nasty preservatives.
Casseroles
Why drop so much money on restaurant food when you can make a full meal straight from the oven in one dish? Homemade casseroles are super easy to make and great for bringing to potlucks, picnics, or any kind of get-together. And if you know someone who could use a little homemade comfort, casseroles are an awesome gift.
Vegetable Stir-Fry
A stir-fry is a great way to get a healthy dose of veggies. Just add some lean protein and a tasty sauce, and serve it over steamed brown rice, and your well-balanced meal is ready. It’s also super quick to make if you use precooked brown rice. There’s no need to buy this food restaurant unless you have plenty of extra to spare.
Chocolate chip cookies
A lot of people like to bake chocolate chip cookies at home instead of grabbing the store-bought ones. Why? Well, mostly because the store-bought cookies have all those nasty chemicals and preservatives that mess with the taste. Plus, you get to pick the ingredients just how you want. Want to toss in a ton of chocolate if you like it super chocolatey? Go for it! It’s all up to you.
Lasagna
Homemade lasagna is a dish that tastes so much better when you make it at home. You can use your favorite ingredients like meat sauce, fresh veggies, or creamy ricotta. The best part is that you get to pick the cheese blend so you can make it as cheesy and gooey as you want. If you don’t want all the fuss, just prepare the lasagna sheets beforehand.