From the article: Budget Desserts
Even though every penny counts these days, we still need to fit homemade desserts into the budget. You've read my ways for making budget desserts. What do you do? Please feel free to share the saving secrets that help fit desserts in your budget. Share Your Saving Secrets
Use What's at Hand
- Over-ripe bananas? Roast them and serve with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. I make chocolate pudding from scratch with milk, sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Again, adding ripe bananas makes for a great dessert, or stirring in some chocolate chips.Homemade anything is always nicer, and ultimately cheaper.
- —Guest FionaH
saving money on desserts
- i do two thing. I shop at my local food co-op and have also developed an arsenal of really excellent vegan desserts that cost a lot less than the ones made with butter and eggs (-:
- —macrojen
I buy fewer fancy ingredients
- and I cut a sheet cake into pieces and freeze it. I reheat in 30 seconds in the microwave and have just one piece with a cup of tea in the afternoon. Companies try to get you to buy their frosting and toppings, but with a little practice, homemade is much better. Everything is better homemade, really.
- —Guest Jen
Bake from scratch
- I agree with you that baking from scratch is the way to go. It's not only cheaper, it's always better, too.
- —KidsCookingAdmin
Make it from scratch and use generics
- I love to make desserts from scratch. And I use generic items, like chocolate chips, extracts, peanut butter, and store brand flour and sugar. I think the results are just the same, and the money savings is really significant!
- —ABBUSYCOOKS
Choice of two things
- For day to day meals, family and such I simply serve fresh fruit. Whatever's in season (apples, oranges, pears, kiwi now, cherries, strawberries, peaches, plums in summer), and a bowl of water on the side for rinsing the fruit. Healthy, and inexpensive. When we have to make a quick dessert we often make things that include fresh fruit - pies, cobblers and such, or jams, which we (again) make ourselves. Picking blackberries is a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours in the summer.
- —nacheroo
I Don't Scrimp
- If I can't afford butter or real vanilla, I'd rather go without. Pastries made with margarine and imitation vanilla just don't measure up. I'd rather splurge once in a while for a really good-tasting dessert.
- —Barb.Rolek
Buy Ingredients in Bulk
- I bake gluten-free, so even the flours are expensive! I buy flour in bulk and then freeze portions in zip-lock bags to use as I need them. This really saves me a lot of money. For example, one brand that I like is $4.00 for 1.5 lb but $35 for 25 lb! Also, I try to get my mail-order purchases from places that offer free shipping.
- —Guest Nancy
Buy in Bulk or Use Special Offers
- Some ingredients I use over, like flour and sugar. As these keep really well I always try to buy them when there's a special offer on, or if I have access to buying them in bulk. Always works out a lot cheaper.
- —ElaineLemm
