Top 5 foods to make yourself

We are so used to buy our food at the store that we don’t even think about making it ourselves. Which is a shame, cause there are many perks to eating homemade food: You save money, obviously, but you also eat tastier and healthier. Here are some ideas:

Peanut, almond and other nut butters Commercial, processed peanut and almond butters are not only expensive: Often, they are also unhealthy. For cheap, healthy and delicious breakfasts and snacks, never buy them again at the store and, instead, make them yourself! Want recipes ideas? That maple, cinnamon and almond butter is so yummy. And check out this super easy to make raw almond butter, too. Those are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more you can do! Browse the internet for inspiration, and experiment.

Granola By buying oats and various nuts in bulk size at the market and making your own granola, you’ll save tons of money. Plus, you’ll always have healthy snacks handy! Start by following Buzzfeed’s tutorial, then customize the recipe at will.

Spaghetti sauce Meat sauce, rosé sauce, simple tomato sauce... you can make them all yourself! And guess what? It is really easy. Here’s a tomato sauce recipe so easy, even a child could do it. Care to get a little fancier? Try Chef Ricardo’s spaghetti sauce.

Jam Whenever your favorite fruit is in season, buy it in large quantities and turn it into delicious jam. Got a slow cooker? Try this strawberry apple jam recipe. Or you can go for the classics and try Martha Stewart’s raspberry jam recipe.

Veggie chips A mandolin slicer (or a knife and some patience!), canola oil and salt is all you need to make your own potato chips. You can slice up regular potatoes, or you can be adventurous and slice turnips, sweet potatoes or beets. Simply fry them in canola oil or, for a healthier snack, slightly coat them with oil and bake them in your oven on parchment.

Caroline Simpson is a writer, a translator and a travel addict who’s always looking for ways to make life easier. She works as a freelance blogger for Le Yeti, a Montreal-based bike dealer that sells a great variety of brands, such as Pearl Izumi clothing.