Pick Your Battles Wisely

Making everything from scratch sounds romantic but isn't practical for most people. Smart cooks know which homemade items are worth the effort and which store-bought versions are perfectly fine.

Definitely Worth Making

Salad Dressings

Why: Takes 2 minutes, tastes significantly better, no preservatives or added sugars. Basic vinaigrette: 3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar, salt, pepper.

Marinades and Rubs

Why: Simple combinations of pantry ingredients. Customize to your taste. No weird additives.

Roasted Vegetables

Why: Fresh-roasted beats frozen or canned every time. Minimal prep, maximum flavor.

Cookies and Simple Baked Goods

Why: Homemade cookies are incomparably better. Basic recipes are easy.

Soup Stock/Broth

Why: Save scraps, simmer for hours, freeze in portions. Free and better than boxed.

Guacamole and Fresh Salsas

Why: Takes 5 minutes, dramatically better than jarred. Avocados, lime, salt—done.

Sometimes Worth It

Bread

When yes: You enjoy the process, want fresh-baked smell, have time on weekends.
When no: Weeknight dinners, when good bakery bread is available.

Pizza Dough

When yes: Pizza night is a planned event, you enjoy the process.
When no: Quick weeknight dinner—store-bought dough works fine.

Pasta

When yes: Special occasions, filled pastas, when fresh matters.
When no: Regular weeknight dinners—dried pasta is excellent.

Pie Crust

When yes: You've mastered the technique, want the best flaky crust.
When no: You're stressed, the filling is the star, good frozen crusts exist.

Rarely Worth It

Ketchup and Mustard

Why not: Time-intensive, store versions are consistent, cost savings minimal.

Puff Pastry

Why not: Extremely labor-intensive. Dufour and other quality frozen brands are excellent.

Mayonnaise

Why not: Easy to break, doesn't keep long, store-bought is good (Kewpie, Duke's).

Pasta Sauce (Basic Marinara)

Why not: Good jarred options exist (Rao's, Victoria). Save effort for sauce occasions.

Tortillas

Why not: Unless you have a tortilla press and practice, store-bought corn tortillas are fine.

Decision Framework

Ask yourself:

• Is the homemade version significantly better?
• Do I have the time and energy?
• Is a quality store option available?
• Will I actually enjoy the process?
• What's my time worth today?

The Hybrid Approach

Mix store-bought and homemade strategically:

• Store-bought pizza dough + homemade sauce and fresh toppings
• Rotisserie chicken + homemade sides and salad
• Jarred pasta sauce + fresh vegetables and herbs
• Store-bought pie crust + homemade filling

The goal is good food on the table, not a merit badge for suffering. Choose your homemade battles wisely.