How Healthy Is Homemade Bread? {Easy Recipe Included}

In recent months, baking homemade bread has become a popular hobby. It’s no surprise either – it’s easy, it’s fun, and you can experiment with recipes to find the perfect loaf for you.

Homemade bread can also be a healthy alternative to store-bought bread as you can control the ingredients that go into the recipe and even find alternatives to help reduce sugar and trans fat.

Come on, there is nothing like a slice of fresh and warm homemade bread – especially when you’re the one who made it!

This easy homemade bread recipe uses basic ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantries, and can even be made without a bread maker.

What Are The Basic Ingredients Of Bread?

To make a simple loaf of bread at home, all you are warm water, granulated sugar, instant or active dry yeast, Maldon sea salt, and vegetable oil (you can also substitute canola oil for a healthier alternative) flour.

In the recipe I’ll be sharing today, I’ve opted to keep the sugar out!

However, these are just the basics, and there are dozens of ways to experiment with a basic bread recipe.

Take focaccia bread, for example, which spices up these six ingredients by using a different type of oil and adding in herbs.

Is It Really Cheaper To Make Your Own Bread?

Telling whether or not homemade bread is cheaper than store-bought involves crunching some numbers. As of 2020, the average price for a loaf of bread was about $2.

Healthier versions or gluten-free versions can cost even more—however, some costing as much as $5.

For homemade bread, here’s an estimate for the price of each ingredient: You can buy 8 pounds of granulated sugar for about $5, 8 ounces of yeast for about $10, salt for a dollar in some places, vegetable oil for about $2, and finally 10 pounds of all-purpose flour for around $6.

While these numbers may seem steep, keep in mind that you’ll only need a mere fraction of each of these ingredients to make a loaf of bread, meaning a one-time purchase can make dozens of loaves in the long-run.

Buying the ingredients also allows you to make the bread as you need it, reducing the amount of food wasted.

How Long Will Homemade Bread Last?

Homemade bread lacks the preservatives store-bought bread has, meaning it won’t last as long. At room temperature, such as on the counter or in a bread pantry, homemade bread will last around three to four days.

You can refrigerate it to extend that lifetime by three to five days, however, for a total of up to nine days.

If you’re looking to make your bread last even longer, freezing it is your best option.

Is Homemade Bread Healthier?

There’s no easy answer to this question, as it depends on a lot of factors, such as the ingredients used in the bread recipe, how the bread is made (with a machine or by hand), and how it’s stored.

That said, most homemade breads are likely healthier than store-bought breads, which are often high in sugar and preservatives.

One benefit of making your own bread is that you can control the ingredients. For example, you can use whole wheat flour instead of white flour, or add healthy toppings like nuts and seeds.

Another benefit is that homemade bread doesn’t contain any chemicals or artificial additives. It’s also generally lower in calories than store-bought bread.

Plus, making your own bread is a great way to save money. You can buy quality ingredients for a fraction of the price of store-bought bread.

So not only is homemade bread healthier, but it’s also more affordable!

Homemade Bread Vs Store Bought

There are a few reasons why store-bought bread is often considered inferior to homemade bread. The first reason is that most store-bought breads are made with high-fructose corn syrup, food dyes, and other unhealthy ingredients.

The second reason is that most store-bought breads are loaded with preservatives, which can make you gain weight and increase your risk of cancer.

The third reason is that homemade bread tastes better than store-bought bread.

Freshly baked bread has a delicious flavor and a soft, chewy texture that you just can’t find in store-bought bread. Finally, making your own bread is much cheaper than buying store-bought bread.

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