Homemade Bread vs. Rising Flour Prices

A Tale of Baking and Budgeting

Why does store-bought bread last longer?

I started making bread at home after a friend gave me a freshly baked, delicious loaf using a bread machine. Homemade bread typically lasts only about three days. After three days, it becomes stale and less tasty. On the other hand, store-bought bread remains soft and delicious even after a week. This is because it contains preservatives that help prevent mold growth. Preservatives are used to enhance the shelf life of food, although some people have health concerns about them. Generally, preservatives are used within safe limits and contribute to maintaining the quality of food. However, some individuals may experience allergic reactions to specific preservatives. Consuming large amounts of preservatives over an extended period may pose potential risks to some individuals, including allergic reactions, allergy-like symptoms, food intolerances, or other health issues.

King Arthur, 100% Organic All-Purpose Flour 5 Pounds (Pack of 6)

To extend the shelf life of homemade bread, you can freeze it immediately after baking and thaw it when you’re ready to eat. This preserves both the freshness and taste. Therefore, I make various types of bread such as sandwich bread, cream bread, bagels, and chocolate bread, and store them in the freezer. Since I used a significant amount of bread flour, I used to buy King Arthur’s 100% Organic All-Purpose Flour Unbleached, 5 pounds of 6, from Amazon every 3-4 months. Initially priced at $59.94 with a unit price of $9.99, it has slightly increased to $65.94 and currently stands at $84.30, with a unit price of $14.05. It has indeed experienced a significant price hike. Eventually, I switched to Trader Joe’s All-Purpose Flour priced at $2.99, as it was much more affordable.

I believe that a healthy body is built on what we consume, and food plays a vital role. Therefore, it’s important to use ingredients that are closer to nature and minimize the intake of unnecessary substances.

In Japan, there are many delicious and affordable bread options. I used to consume a lot of Japanese bread before I started eating homemade bread. However, after experiencing the taste of homemade bread, I couldn’t enjoy the cheap bread available in Japan anymore. Homemade bread remains soft and fluffy even after two weeks. My taste buds had changed enough for me to notice the difference in flavor.

This bread recipe requires only salt, water, flour, and yeast. No bread machine is needed. Simply knead for 1 minute, let it rest overnight, and then bake it. It’s an incredibly easy recipe

Homemade bakery typically requires only 4 or 5 ingredients, depending on the type of bread. Sometimes you may need an egg, but most of the time, the basic ingredients include butter/oil, salt, sugar, flour, milk/water, and yeast. It’s a very simple process.

If you or your kids love bread, I would be delighted to share easy bread recipes. Please take a look at the video, and stay tuned for more videos in the future.

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Rice Pot

Of course, busy moms don’t want to waste time kneading bread. I usually use a bread machine for kneading and then shape the dough by hand before baking. While you can make the entire bread-making process using a bread machine, personally, I find that molding the dough by hand gives it a better taste. I highly recommend using a bread machine.

There are many bread machines available. If you prefer a bread maker that can handle the entire bread-making process, I highly recommend the KBS Large 17-in-1 Bread Machine, currently priced at $127.46 with a discount of -33%. This bread machine is known for making superior bread. If you only need a bread maker for kneading, I suggest the Elite Gourmet bread maker, currently priced at $67.49 with a discount of -10%.

KBS Large 17-in-1 Bread Machine

Elite Gourmet bread maker

I have used several different kinds of bread machines and discovered that when making the entire bread-making process, a sturdy and reliable machine is necessary. However, if you plan to use the machine solely for kneading, the brand or price doesn’t matter much, and you can opt for cheaper options. If you’re unsure about your interest in homemade bread, starting with an affordable machine is perfectly fine!

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