Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Do you make your own bread?


I was interested to read this article about the environmental benefits of making your own bread, with a breadmaker. These include the use of bulk materials and less travel and packaging. Further, it is alleged that a bread machine can do doughs, artisan breads, gluten-free loafs, and even jams and chutneys.


In our house we're not big bread eaters. We struggle to finish a loaf in a week. So for us it would most likely not be cost effective. Further I'm not meant to eat wheat so we invariably buy some kind of organic, whole loaf anyway. But for a big family it may be the way to go, what do you think?


Are there other things you make from scratch rather than buy? A dear friend makes the most amazing jams and chutneys and I've featured the benefits of making your own shortbread and I also like to make scones. We'll also soon be subject to an influx of zucchinis which will nessitate some busy baking. I'd also like to try making tomato sauces for presents.

3 comments:

Cathy {tinniegirl} said...

I used to have a breadmaker but I haven't used it for many years. I was never quite happy with the results. I'd like to have a go without the machine and just make oven baked bread. I am also keen to try chutneys and pickles and preserved fruits this year.

Steph said...

we make our own fruit chips in the dehydrator (apple and peach are our favs) bennett loves them crushed up on his weetbix kids in the moring. I also make my own museli - oats/allbran/sultanas/walnuts and almonds YUM and much better kg/fat/sugar wise than store bought stuff

Anonymous said...

We have one and use it all the time. The bread seems to last a bit longer too so it's not often we throw any out and we're not big bread eaters. It's about 50 cents a loaf.

PLUS the bags we get the bread mix in are made out of fabric and I get to use it for craft projects! So far my bread bags have been used in Totem and to make a whole lot of patches and a candle holder for christmas :)

I also tried using it for jam this year. It worked pretty good although it came out a bit runny. Still tasty as!