Successful Copies of Commercially Bought Foods... who has done it?

[Bathsheba]

Ok just to start off HERE is an example of a successful copy! It was pretty fun. I read the ingredients on the packet and did my best to make a copy! Obviously i wasn't able to add the chemicals (I guess they were preservatives... don't need that in our house with 3 locusts... ahem... kids! ). But I did use all the obtainable ingredients like currents, flour and golden syrup etc.

Has anyone ever done this? Please share! As well as being "better" do you think it was cheaper to make yourself?

[rosehannah]

That looks really good Bath, I will be watching this thread with interest.

[Astrid]

Ooh, great job. Can the kids tell the difference?

[Bathsheba]

Ta sis Good to see you back in BB! I've got bread baking ATM in mum's old bread maker.... the machine is on it's last legs... making a real racket. I found the warrantee today... it's over 10 years old now. Oh well... it was good while it lasted. I also noticed a crack near the turning device... it really will die soon... maybe one last loaf!

Astrid: thanks yeah... they said mine was better... probably only 'cos they were bigger though LOL

[Astrid]

Trying to decide what to make, but when I think about it a lot of the commerical items are copies of homemade items originally. Have made monte carlos and honey jumbles in the past. Monte carlos are hard to make look like commercial ones, honey jumbles are a bit easier though.

[rosehannah]

I made a fantastic sweet chilli sauce buy looking at the ingredients on the back of an old jar I had. My DH says that I must keep him supplied and not to buy any from the shop. It is simple to do so no problem.
I attempted to make some tomato sauce from the ingredients off a bottle, it worked quite well, the only thing I would change would be to use red tomatoes instead of yellow as the kids didn't like the look of mustard yellow sauce.

I have been inspired to try these because of the abundance of tomatoes, chillies and onions that we have been enjoying from our garden, it is so satisfying picking veg. from the garden and turning it into products that we usually spend money on at the store.

[Bathsheba]

Hey sis didn't you used to make Monte Carlo biscuits???? Didn't you use the Woman's Weekly recipe?

oooh Honey Jumbles! they don't seem to sell them in stores anymore... that would be a great one to try! They use ginger don't they?

[rosehannah]

Gosh, talk about a blast from the past Bath lol.
yes I used to make a receipe for monte carlos out of the womans weekly cook book, heaps better then packet ones.

[Bathsheba]

Gosh, talk about a blast from the past Bath lol.
yes I used to make a receipe for monte carlos out of the womans weekly cook book, heaps better then packet ones.

..and you made them in your teens? or early 20's? so it mustn't've been rocket science. I have never made them... betcha i will be tempted in the not too distant future though!

[Cougar]

I have made those womans weekly monte carlos...very nice

[Netix]

What are honey jumbles?

I'm not sure if its what you're asking or not. I make lots of foods that you can buy ready made/cooked in the shops, and I think (and so do the family) that the homemade is much better tasting, and usually better value. And I am much happier for not giving them all of those numbers too.

The only thing that I can think of that really isn't better value would be a whole roast chook. About $10 for a whole hot roast one, or more than $10 for a whole (happy free range one) chook I guess + seasoning + energy cost. But I would guarantee the bought cooked one isn't free range. Having said that, I confess to have never bought a free range chook, but have not bought any type of chicken for quite a long time as I feel guilty for not buying freerange, iykwim. Sorry to hijack. Great thread though.