Cook Smart: When to Buy, When to Make Foods!
- Curry Forest
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
When It’s Worth Buying Fancy Food (Even If You Could Make It Yourself), and when it's worth making it yourself.
For passionate home cooks, crafting flavor from scratch is second nature. We know the satisfaction of building depth through long-simmered stocks, the balance of a well-emulsified sauce, the art of making a perfectly proofed dough, and the value of mise en place (everything in its place). For the longest time, I was committed to doing everything from scratch, guided by grandma’s time-tested methods. I’d coax sweetness from onions, fold airy eggs with precision, and build flavor in careful layers of subtle spice. It wasn’t unusual for a simple omelet to require a rather generous portion of the morning. But even the most passionate cooks recognize that not every gourmet item belongs on the prep list, especially when the ingredients are expensive or have limited use or your hours are limited. There's the prep time, sourcing effort, or equipment investment. In fact, strategic splurging can enhance your efficiency and expand your culinary toolkit. Here’s a look at specialty foods where purchasing premium, ready-to-eat versions often delivers greater value than starting from scratch. Some foods are simply more efficient, consistent, or cost-effective to buy, freeing you to focus on the elements where your craft truly shines. These options prioritize health, flavor, and practicality, perfect for the busy cook.
Strategic Considerations
Before going all-in on a scratch project, ask:
Ingredient Complexity: Does it require obscure aromatics, hard-to-source chilis, or multiple infusions? Traditional mole requires rare ingredients like pasilla or ancho chilis, and a complex process of roasting, grinding, and infusing flavors. It's often more practical to buy a high-quality, ready-made version from a specialty store.
Time and Labor: Would the process displace higher-value prep tasks? Eg: Making puff pastry is time-intensive: rolling, folding, and chilling for perfect layers. While rewarding, it's often more efficient to buy high-quality pre-made versions, saving time for more complex kitchen tasks.
Yield and Shelf Life: Will you use the entire batch before it loses its freshness or flavor? For example, the array of ingredients that go into making marzipan or pastry cream. Once made, these can have a limited shelf life and might not be used quickly enough, making store-bought options a more sensible choice for infrequent use.
Equipment Demand: Does it monopolize fermentation space, a dehydrator, or niche tools? Making your own jerky requires a dehydrator, which takes up valuable space, as well as a significant amount of time to monitor the drying process. For most cooks, buying a high-quality, artisan jerky is more efficient than making it from scratch.
Textural Precision: Can you reliably replicate the desired viscosity, aeration, or ferment character? Achieving the perfect texture in macarons, with their precise balance of crispy exterior and chewy interior, requires skill, technique, and a stable oven environment. Even for chefs, buying macarons from a top-tier patisserie ensures consistent results without the trial and error.
When Buying Wins:
Fermented Staples (e.g., Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Indian pickles and chutneys, Tempeh): Making ferments at home can be deeply satisfying, but it requires space, time, and ongoing attention to the microbial balance. For the occasional batch, it’s easier to buy from local artisans or trusted brands that specialize in these products.
Artisan Cheeses: Cultured cheeses require days of aging, careful care, and specific cultures. Unless you’re a cheese enthusiast with the proper equipment, buying from a specialty store or local producer ensures the right texture and flavor, saving you from the time-consuming aging process.
Legacy Condiments (eg: Gochujang, Harissa, Preserved Lemons): Many of these condiments involve unique regional ingredients and intricate processes, such as fermentation or sun-curing. Sourcing them from trusted local stores or small-batch producers ensures you get the authentic flavor without the challenge of tracking down hard-to-find ingredients. (Unless you're deeply connected to that culture and want to preserve and honor your family's "secret sauce").
Plant-Based Meats: Seitan and tempeh are both rewarding to make, but can be time-consuming. For regular meals, purchasing high-quality plant-based alternatives can save you time while still delivering great texture and flavor, giving you more time to focus on sides and sauces.
Labor-Intensive Parcels (e.g., Tamales, Dolmas, Samosas): These dishes require significant precision and patience. If they’re not the star of your meal, buying pre-made versions (or from frozen options) from a local expert lets you focus on other elements of the meal. I recommend supporting your favorite local restaurant rather than a store for the most authentic and flavorful results.
Technical Breads (eg: Sourdough, Injera, Pita with True Pockets): There's no denying the satisfaction of nurturing a sourdough starter or perfecting pita with a pocket. But, breadmaking, especially with techniques like these, can be time-consuming. For a simpler solution, buying from a local bakery lets you skip the hassle while still enjoying fresh, high-quality bread.
Fine Sauces and Pastes (e.g., Mole, Curry Pastes, Romesco): These sauces require hours of roasting, grinding, and blending, often over multiple days. For the best results with less effort, invest in a high-quality pre-made version and focus your energy on pairing or enhancing it in your dish.
Filled Pastas and Dumplings: Fresh pasta like tortellini or gyoza can be a delightful, hands-on experience, but they also take time and effort to create, not to mention the risk of drying out. If you're not preparing them as the highlight of a meal, buying pre-made versions can save you time without sacrificing flavor. You can always elevate them with your favorite sauces or toppings.
Cured Meats (eg: Salami, Prosciutto, Chorizo): Curing meats at home is an art and a science, requiring precision, equipment, and dedicated space. Unless you're making these meats as part of a larger project or event, it’s easier to buy from a reputable producer that specializes in cured meats.
Stuffed Meats (eg: Galantine, Ballotine, Turducken): While impressive to make, these require advanced butchery skills and multiple stages of preparation. For special occasions, purchasing pre-made versions from a high-quality butcher can save time and effort, allowing you to focus on the accompaniments and sides.
Smoked Meats (eg: Brisket, Pulled Pork, Smoked Sausages): Smoking meats at home can be rewarding, but it requires a lot of time and careful temperature management. If you want to enjoy smoky meats without the time commitment, buying from a local smokehouse or butcher can be a great option.
When Making Matters:
Some items offer enough control, cost savings, or creative flexibility that it makes sense to make them in-house:
Nut milks and oat creams: Making your own nut milk or oat cream can be 4-5 times cheaper than buying the store-bought versions, especially when purchasing nuts in bulk. Plus, you have control over the ingredients and flavor, eliminating the need for added emulsifiers or sweeteners.
Dips and spreads: Homemade hummus or white bean purées can cost around 50-60% less than store-bought varieties. When you make them from scratch, you can experiment with seasonal ingredients and custom garnishes, giving your dips a unique signature touch at a fraction of the price.
Granolas and crisp toppings: Homemade granola can be up to 3 times cheaper than store-bought, especially if you buy oats and nuts in bulk. Plus, it's easy to make in large batches, ensuring you always have a fresh supply without the premium cost of packaged options.
Infused oils and finishing salts: Infused oils and finishing salts are incredibly cheap to make in large batches, often costing a third of what you'd pay in a store for similar quality. A few sprigs of herbs or a couple of chilis in a bottle of oil can elevate a meal without breaking the bank. The exception might be something like truffle oil, which, let’s face it, rarely uses real truffles even at the high end, though it’s still probably cheaper than attempting to make your own.
Base grains, legumes, or tofu with your own marinades or spice blends: If you cook grains or legumes like rice, beans, or lentils in bulk, it can cost 3-4 times less than buying pre-seasoned or pre-marinated options. Adding your own marinades or spice blends gives you complete control over flavors and can save money, especially for meal prep.
Vegetarian sausages or veggie burgers: Homemade veggie burgers or sausages can be 2-3 times cheaper than buying them pre-made. By using bulk beans, grains, and vegetables, you can customize flavors and textures while avoiding the premium price tag of store-bought plant-based options.
Slow-braised meats or sausages: Making your own slow-cooked meats or sausages can be 2-4 times cheaper than buying pre-braised or gourmet sausages. When you buy whole cuts of meat and season them yourself, you're getting more for your money and can control the flavor profile exactly as you like.
Marinated meats: Marinating your own meats (e.g., lamb, chicken, pork) can be 30-50% cheaper than buying pre-marinated options. By purchasing larger cuts of meat and using homemade marinades, you save on both the cost of the meat and the markup on pre-marinated products.
The Pro’s Takeaway
Outsourcing a condiment or side doesn’t make you any less of a home cook or chef, it makes you a efficient and smart one. When you buy the right things, you free up your time to focus on what really counts: plating with purpose, fermenting with flair, or honing the parts of your meal that truly reflect your style. Spend your energy where it matters, and let the artisans handle the rest. It’s also a chance to enjoy the craftsmanship of others. Because sometimes, letting go means enjoying the best of what’s out there.
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