Whether it’s a slice of sourdough with butter or a toast with marmalade, bread is a fundamental part of our diets.
These days bread is not what it used to be. The quality of bread in supermarkets has been decreasing, and by the way, the shop-bought bread has almost no substance. It has no weight and virtually no flavour other than sweet, thanks to added sugar. Made with cheap bleached wheat flour and packed in plastic bags, the supermarket bread has no appealing smell and a terrible texture. In the regular shops, it's almost never made fresh but rather baked from pre-made frozen dough.
If you crave crunchiness, you can get crunchy bread in a bakery, but then it will surely cost a lot more, so you will always find yourself compromising flavour or price.
What are the benefits of baking bread at home?
It would be best if you considered starting to bake your own bread. You will discover that it can be a source of pleasure, a therapeutic and a rewarding experience. Plus, homemade bread is cheaper than the one bought in the grocery shop and you don't really need any bread making machine. If you're not convinced yet, below you will find some of the fantastic benefits of baking your own bread at home.
Homemade bread tastes better
When you make your own bread at home, you choose your ingredients, you decide on the quality of wheat flour you use and you decide when you eat your loaf - warm or cold! Imagine, you can enjoy it fresh and warm straight from the oven.
If you use organic wheat flour, your homemade bread will have a lot more substance and flavour. It will be crunchy and delicious just like artisan bread, offering you an unforgettable experience.
Homemade bread is healthier
You don't have to decide between nutrition and price if you bake your own bread at home. Supermarket shelves are full of cheap bread made with lousy quality bleached flour, additives and preservatives and containing lots of sugar and very little fibre. This kind of bread is not nutritious and is a source of bad calories that will only make you gain weight. One slice of toast white bread typically has 60-80 calories and 1-1.5 grams of sugar.
You can also buy a loaf of bread made with whole grains and no artificial ingredients, but this kind of bread will be a lot more expensive. The cheaper option is to buy ingredients at a whole food shop and bake your own bread at home. Buy the best quality organic flour for making bread, and you will always ensure your loaf is both nutritious and delicious.
Homemade bread is cheaper
For those who look to save money and reduce food waste, making bread at home is a win-win. Bread recipes require very few simple ingredients, such as flour, salt, yeast, water, grains and seeds. These are products that most of us always have at home. Just look in your kitchen - you probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry.
Homemade bread is convenient for those on special diets
Looking for bread for your special dietary needs? Thanks to their simplicity, bread recipes can be easily customised. If you have special diet requirements, making bread from scratch allows you to customise your recipes at a much more reasonable cost. You can switch ingredients and experiment with a different kind of flour each time you make bread. You can make your bread look the way you want to! Use your imagination and try adding other extra ingredients and toppings to fit all types of diets. When you bake at home, you can enjoy artisan bread customised to your needs that grocery stores can't sell because of its short shelf life and bakeries charge a lot of money for. You will easily find all the ingredients you need in an online whole food store.
Baking your own bread is rewarding
There is something special in creating and producing your own food and things you can enjoy later.
In the case of making bread, you use your own hands, which many people find therapeutic. It's a unique sensory experience of mixing ingredients and smelling the bread when it is in the oven. Working on this process may help you forget about everyday stress and allows you to relax, and gives you a sense of taking control of what you eat. Home bakers say making your own bread is very satisfying.
Where can I buy ingredients for bread baking at home?
In our health food online store Wholefood Earth, you will find all kinds of best quality organic flours you'll need to start baking your own bread at home. You will be able to make simple white bread, sourdough, whole wheat and rye bread and whatever bread you crave. Only your imagination is the limit!
Click here to learn how to make bread at home.
With this simple bread recipe, you can learn how to make bread easily in your oven without using a bread machine.
