Everyday Value Experiment - Make your own granola

I have to confess, I have never made my own granola before. I don't eat cereal as much as I did as a child. But it's actually a lot more versatile than that. Let's start with the granola recipe, which I have adapted from this recipe.

Equipment:

A large mixing bowl
Spoon for stirring
Baking tray
Parchment paper (technically optional, but have fun cleaning the tray!)


Ingredients:

2 cups (180g) of Tesco Everyday Value Oats
2 cups (50g) of Tesco Everyday Value Cornflakes
1 cup (125g) of Tesco Everyday Value Roasted Salted Peanuts
1/3 cup (78ml) of Tesco Pure Sunflower/Vegetable Oil
2/3 cup (225g) of Tesco Everyday Value Clear Honey

We don't need any salt as there's plenty on the nuts. Measure the dry and wet ingredients into separate bowls. Give the cornflakes a little bash into smaller chunks. I've microwaved the honey for about 10 seconds to make it a little easier to mix.


Make sure that the dry ingredients are completely coated. You should feel that the mixture resists the spoon when it's coated. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C (300F). Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, this will help keep the granola from sticking. Spread the granola out on a single layer - use a couple of baking trays, or do it in two batches.

After about 10-15 minutes (keep an eye on it!), carefully mix the granola and spread it back out in a single layer. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, then leave it to cool (still on the tray) on a cooling rack.

I was a little bit worried about how salty the peanuts were, but I seem to have unwittingly gotten a good balance. I can taste the salt, but the sweetness of the honey complements it nicely. I've been nibbling away at it while it cools down.

The cost

180g oats @ 75p per kilo = 13.5p
50g cornflakes @ 78p a kilo = 3.9p
125g peanuts @ £2.40 a kilo = 30p
78ml oil @ £1 a litre = 7.8p
225g honey @ £2.90 a kilo = 65.25p

Total = £1.2045 for approximately 600g of granola (£2 a kilo)


The Verdict

It's kind of tricky to judge this one. Tesco has a number of toasted oat cereals at £1.99 a kilo, with similar ingredients, but more varied nuts and fruit than what we have here. We do have a bit more control of what goes into the granola by making it ourselves, but we'd probably be better saving our time for recipes that will save us money.

While it may not be a value range item, I decided to buy one of these cereals for a taste test. I chose the fruit and nut option as it was the closest I could get to my homemade version. The hint of coconut is quite pleasant, but I find the oat clusters very dense, and much prefer the mix of oats and cornflakes in my own version. This bag certainly won't go to waste though! Both varieties were quite pleasant as a snack dry, or mixed with yoghurt for something a little more filling.

Everyday Value Experiment - Oatie bars

Recipe: Breakfast bars

I hope you bought the big bag of oats, as I have another recipe for you. These can serve as a quick and easy breakfast, or a between meal snack.

I tried to find the simplest version of a granola bars recipe - in this experiment, we can't really afford loads of brown sugar, butter,  or expensive dried fruit and nuts.

So after a lot of hunting, I found this simple recipe on Detoxinista. I've adapted it slightly, since we can't really be too choosy on the ingredients.

Equipment:


Saucepan (preferably non-stick)
Wooden spoon
Mixing bowl
Measuring cup or scales
Baking tray (optional)
Parchment (baking) paper (optional)

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats (180g)
1/2 cup  peanut butter (175g)
1/2 cup honey (125g)
1/2 cup (75g) or your preference of sultanas

Instructions:

Bring the honey to a rolling boil (bubbles forming rapidly), and boil for one minute. Take off the heat, mix in the peanut butter, then pour into a bowl with the oats and sultanas. Mix until evenly coated. Yes, the colour is unpleasant!

Then either press into a loaf tin, swiss roll tray, or let cool slightly and shape into bars with your hands. I've used a loaf tin, and I've lined it with baking paper to make it easier to lift the mix out.

Chill in the fridge and then slice. This makes 6-7 bars, depending on how large you slice them. As you can see, I've been quite generous!

 I've reused the parchment paper to wrap each bar - this makes them easier to separate when frozen. These do take a couple of hours to defrost, so you may want to put one in the fridge the night before if you plan to have one for breakfast. Or throw one in your bag for an afternoon snack.


Cost:

180g Tesco Everyday Value Oats @ 75p per kilo = 13.5p
175g honey @ £2.91 per kilo = 50.96p
125g peanut butter @ £1.91 per kilo = 23.89p
75g sultanas @ £1.78 per kilo = 13.35p

Total - £1.02p for 6-7 bars

All in all, it's not actually a massive saving. You will frequently find various brands of breakfast bars on sale for around the same price, or in the various pound shops. They will usually only have 4-5 bars, and probably won't be quite as dense and filling as these ones, but we've still not made a massive saving here.


The Verdict

Unconvinced. The uncooked oats, while not unpleasant, taste odd, and the bars are so dense that they weigh quite heavily on the stomach first thing in the morning. I think these probably would have benefited from being baked, perhaps with some cornflakes or rice krispies to lighten them up a bit.

Given the time and cost to make, I don't think I'd try this specific recipe again. That said, the individual ingredients are something I would try again. Unless you're eating it by the spoonful, the honey and peanut butter don't have any noticeable difference from the more expensive brands, and sultanas are sultanas!

Everyday Value Experiment - So Simple Oats

Let's start with something simple - just a few ingredients, minimal preparation and minimal cooking time.

Recipe: Instant Oats

This is a laughably simple recipe, scaled down from A Girl Called Jack. The amounts below make 1 generous adult portion of porridge, you can scale it up for more people, or if you want to prepare a whole week's worth.

Equipment

Tablespoon or scales
Microwave safe bowl with lid/cover
Microwave or kettle

Ingredients

5 tbsp rolled oats (approx 30g)
2 tbsp dried milk powder (approx 10g)
Sweetener to taste
Water

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients in your bowl and add at least as the same volume of water as dried ingredients, I recommend a ratio of two parts water to one part oat mix, but feel free to vary depending on how thick you like your porridge.

Make sure your bowl is at least 2-3 times bigger than the contents! It will bubble up quite furiously, and cleaning sticky oatmeal off the insides of your microwave (or worse, the work canteen's microwave...) is never fun.

Cover loosely and microwave for about 2-3 minutes on high, stir, then microwave in 30 second intervals to your preferred temperature and texture.

Alternatively if you don't have access to a microwave, fill with just boiled water and cover for about the same amount of time.

If you sweeten your porridge with sugar, you can add that to the dry mix ahead of time, otherwise just swirl in some honey/syrup/jam once it's ready.

The cost

30g Sainsbury's Scottish Porridge Oats @ £1 per kilo = 3p
10g Sainsbury's Basics Dried Skimmed Milk Powder @ £2.80 per kilo = 2.8p
Tablespoon of Sainsbury's Basics Honey (15g) @ £2.90 per kilo = 4.35p

Total = 10.15p per portion

A healthy, filling breakfast for 10p per portion (or 7p if you sweeten it with jam instead)! You should get at least 50 portions from one bag of oats (1.5kg), though if you're as generous with the honey as I am, you'll run out after about 20 or so portions.

The Verdict

This is a no brainer. A hot bowl of porridge on a cold morning is a great way to start your day, and has the added bonus of being something you can easily prepare at work.

I honestly can't taste the difference between this and the sachets, and no wonder, because it's exactly the same ingredients! The markup is an absolute disgrace. It is just as convenient as a sachet, no standing over the hob continually stirring. And for those who need to watch their sugar intake, you can control just how much sweetener goes in.

Oats keep well and have a lot of uses in the kitchen, so don't be afraid to buy the bigger bag - it costs less per kilo and we'll have no trouble using them.

Everyday Value Experiments

It's a sad fact that food bank use is on the rise in the UK, and so many families live below the poverty line. When the foodbank is collecting at my local supermarket, I'll usually donate a few bags of their value range foodstuffs. That said, I feel a bit of an ass handing over 24p tins of beans while I go home with a brand name at twice the price. And I wonder how the recipients of the food feed themselves with an eclectic mix of cheap tinned and dried foods. Is the food as bland and tasteless as the packaging, are they just glad to have food in their stomachs? And the most important question: What if that was me?

I have the luxury of being able to experiment with ingredients, recipes and time, and I realise that others aren't so lucky. I'm hoping that someone out there can learn something from these posts that helps make their life easier. And maybe if I do find myself no longer having that luxury I won't be so lost. Or on a more light-hearted note, maybe it will help you put aside a few pounds a week towards that new jacket/book/DVD/etc you wanted.

The Rules

• I will not assume any level of cooking skill. Sure, some of the early posts may come off condescending, but there's a lot of folk in my generation that have never learned to cook
• I will not assume any more than basic cooking utensils, though I may suggest some useful items.
• Recipes will not cater to dietary requirements, allergies or food preferences, though a few substitutions may make them suitable for your individual circumstances.
• Much as I prefer to buy free range eggs, and pole and line caught tuna, it's a luxury that many don't have, so the treatment of the livestock/seafood isn't going to be a consideration.
• I will include treats. You'd be surprised how cheaply you can make puddings and traybakes.
• No waste. If I try a recipe that calls for 3 egg yolks, I will find another recipe to use the whites.
• I will assume an empty larder, so each recipe will list EVERYTHING you need, including that tablespoon of oil or twist of pepper.

I'll give my opinion on each recipe or product(s) that I try, but do feel free to chip in with your own comments, or recipes you'd like me to try.

The Frugal Foodies

Who am I?

I'm nobody. You may have passed me in the street, or bumped into me in the supermarket. You may have rolled your eyes at me fumbling with my coupons, or wondered why I was taking pictures of barcodes (I'll explain later, promise). I love to cook and bake (though I'll be the first to admit I'm no Michelin-starred chef), and I love getting a bargain.

I grew up in Northern Ireland in a middle-terrace, ex-council house, in a small town that wasn't quite the middle of nowhere, but there's little difference when you can't drive. I spent several years as a poor student, several more unemployed, and a few more as a minimum wage grunt. I now live in Manchester with my long-term partner, but I can't ever leave behind my frugal roots.

My partner loves his food, and loves it even better if someone else is making it. ;) However, I've slowly managed to rekindle his passion for cooking, and he is a willing participant in this little experiment. Honest!

Why am I blogging?

I've had quite a frugal upbringing, mostly out of necessity, and old habits die hard. I get great enjoyment from getting a good bargain, and making great food on a budget. I've had some success in passing on this passion to my partner, so why not share it further? I want to save you money and time by passing on the tips and recipes I've learned over the years. There's no reason we can't have fresh, great tasting food, even on the tightest of budgets, and I want to share at least one way it can be done.

What will I be blogging about?

Primarily I'll be blogging my favourite budget conscious recipes, and trying out new ones. I'll walk you through the recipes with useful tips and pictures of the process. I'll also offer some general tips on shopping smart, and the money to be saved with increasingly popular cashback and deal websites and apps.

If there's any particular topics you'd like me to cover, or recipes you've always wanted to try, feel free to leave a comment and I'll see what I can do!