20 Supermarket Items You Should Never Buy Pre-Made

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s tempting to purchase pre-made goods at the supermarket. However, many of these lack in overall quality. There are more than a handful of foods that are tastier and healthier when homemade. From salad dressing to guacamole, this guide aims to provide items to avoid at the grocery and how you can make them at in the comfort of your kitchen.

1. Salad Dressing

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Pre-made salad dressings at your local supermarket are often loaded with preservatives and sugar, which isn’t healthy. Making your own is easy since it only needs a few ingredients. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and mustard, and that’s your homemade version of a salad dressing.

2. Guacamole

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Homemade guacamole is super easy to make. All you need are avocados, cilantro, lime juice, diced onions, and a pinch of salt. Mix those ingredients, and you’ll have a much fresher, tastier, healthier guacamole.

3. Pesto Sauce

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You can make your pesto sauce if you have a blender or food processor at home. The ingredients include fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil. Put those in a blender and start blending. The result: a fresh, rich, and fragrant sauce that’s perfect for pasta, bread, and more.

4. Hummus

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Store-bought hummus often has added oils and preservatives, which isn’t healthy. To make it in your kitchen, you must have canned chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Next, add them to a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.

5. Pancake Mix

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Why buy ready-made pancake mix when you make your batter at home with a few ingredients? To start, whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and milk. Then, pour the mixture into a pan or skillet for a fluffy, chemical-free breakfast.

6. Whipped Cream

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Pre-made whipped cream often contains a lot of added sugar. The healthier option is to make whipped cream at home—don’t worry—it’s easy. Add chilled heavy cream, a bit of sugar, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Next, mix them with a hand or stand mixer until soft peaks form.

7. Salsa

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Nothing beats a freshly made salsa. Add fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and chili peppers to a blender. After blending, you will have salsa that is fresh, delicious, and packed with flavor.

8. Bread

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Are you surprised to see bread here? Well, store-bought loaf bread often contains a lot of preservatives. So, if you want to make homemade bread, you need flour, yeast, water, and a bit of salt. Mix them to form a dough. After letting it rise, bake it in an oven, and there you have a preservative-free loaf of bread.

9. Pizza Dough

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Pre-made pizza dough can be pretty chewy or dry. Fortunately, you make a softer version right at home. First, combine yeast, water, flour, olive oil, and salt to form a dough, then let it rise and roll it out for a delicious pizza crust that you can customize.

10. Cookie Dough

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Cookie dough at the supermarket contains artificial flavors, while homemade cookie dough has better taste and texture. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips to make it. Then, chill the dough before baking to make freshly baked cookies anytime.

11. Mashed Potatoes

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Mashed potatoes can be super delicious, especially when homemade. First, peel and chop your potatoes, then boil them until tender. Remove them from the pot and mix them with butter, cream, and seasoning for creamy mashed potatoes.

12. Marinades

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Marinades can elevate your dishes instantly, and you only need a few ingredients: olive oil, vinegar, garlic, herbs, and spices. Combine them to create a fresh and healthy marinade for your next meal prep.

13. Croutons

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If you have stale bread, you’re on your way to making croutons. Cut the bread into cubes and toss them with olive oil, garlic, vinegar, herbs, and spices. Then, put them in the oven until they’re golden. Now you have croutons to put in your salad or soup.

14. Smoothie

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Bottled smoothies often contain a lot of sugar. The good news is that you can make fresh smoothies with just three ingredients. Blend your choice of fruit with milk or yogurt and ice to create a fantastic smoothie.

15. Tomato Sauce

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Simmer down fresh tomatoes with garlic, onions, olive oil, oregano, and basil. That is all it takes to make a fresh batch of tomato sauce that is fresh and delicious.

16. Iced Tea

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Bottled iced tea is known to be quite sweet, meaning it contains an unhealthy amount of sugar. To make your iced tea, start brewing it and place it in the fridge. Then add lemon juice, mint, and ice for a refreshingly clean drink.

17. Vegetable Broth

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Store-bought vegetable broth contains a large amount of sodium, not to mention artificial flavors. Luckily, making your own vegetable broth is easy. Simmer a mix of vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions with water and herbs for several hours. This creates a super-rich broth that’s packed with flavor.

18. Apple Sauce

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Making homemade apple sauce is a straightforward process. To begin, peel and slice your apples, then cook with a small amount of water. After that, blend those apples with cinnamon or vanilla, creating a tasty and naturally sweet apple sauce.

19. Spice Blends

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Pre-made spice blends pack a lot of sodium, which is quite unhealthy. Combine spices like cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and turmeric to make one of your own. 

20. Energy Bars

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While marketed as healthy, energy bars often have artificial flavors and excess sugar. You can opt to create a healthier version. To do that, blend oats, nuts, dried fruit, and honey, then press the mixture into a pan. Next, please put it in the fridge, and that’s about it.

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