At Serious Eats, I plan and run several taste tests each month—which means I spend a lot of time in grocery store aisles and subsequently tasting and tasting and tasting to help determine which store-bought foods are actually worth buying. During our taste tests, I do come upon products, such as peanut butter and tortilla chips, that taste better than what I can make at home. But most of the time, nothing beats homemade: Not only can you control for flavor—including sweetness, saltiness, and tartness—and texture, but making food at home can be educational and cost-effective, too.
Below, I’ve compiled 16 recipes for common store-bought foods worth making at home. Whether it’s crispy, aromatic granola, freshly salted french fries, or jugs of tart lemonade, these are the kinds of foods and drinks that prove why DIY almost always wins. So skip the aisle and head to the kitchen.
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