24 Budget-Friendly Foods to Make at Home & Save Money

24 Foods to Make to Save Money.

I love making things myself! It doesn’t matter if it’s DIY decor, homemade beauty products, or food, I just really enjoy making things from scratch. It doesn’t hurt that taking the DIY route is also a great way to save money! And making my own food staples gives me peace of mind, knowing that at least some of the food in my fridge and pantry are safe from being part of a recall. If you’d like to start making more foods yourself, here are recipes for 24 Foods to Make and Not Buy.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and/or Etsy, which means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in this post. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.

Homemade foods taste so much better than store-bought versions! And they are often healthier (or at least missing food coloring and weird additives)! Most things you can make using the kitchen appliances you already have. But after years of making many of the things on this list of foods to make and not buy, I must say that having the right gadgets can make the experience a lot easier.

24 Foods to Make and Not Buy

The easier it is to create these food staples, the more likely you’ll keep making them over the years, rather than just giving up and going back to the grocery store. Here is a list of tools to keep on hand to save you time and energy:

• Bread maker– makes creating fresh-baked bread a breeze.
• Food processor– a must-have for any complicated chopping/mixing.
• Instant Pot– is just overall handy (you can make dinner in it, or even vanilla extract)!

1. Homemade Garlic Crutons– The Gracious Wife
2. Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix– Intoxicated on Life
3. Fresh Tomato Sauce– Wholefully
4. Easy Pesto– Please Note Paper

5. Homemade Brown Sugar– A Cultivated Nest
6. Quick and Easy Applesauce – The Farm Girl Gabs
7. Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing– Skip to My Lou
8. Homemade Peanut Butter– Brown Eyed Baker

9. Vanilla Extract– A Beautiful Mess
10. Triple Berry Jam– Turning the Clock Back
11. Cheese Crackers– Simply Being Mommy
12. Mayonnaise– Cook Eat Paleo

13. Italian Seasoning– A Cultivated Nest
14. Honey Whole Wheat Bread– Our Best Bites
15. Whipped Cream– One Little Project
16. Butter– The TipToe Fairy

17. Tartar Sauce– Life Made Full
18. Apple Cider Vinegar– Untrained Housewife
19. Homemade Dry Ranch Seasoning– A Cultivated Nest
20. Crock-Pot Homemade Yogurt– Live Simply

21. Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs– CopyKat Recipes
22. Homemade Granola Bars– Clever Pink Pirate
23. Homemade Fajita Seasoning Mix– A Cultivated Nest
24. Homemade Caramel Coffee Creamer– Frugality Gal

Have you ever made any of these foods to make and not buy?