Baking/cooking from scratch far superior

I mostly make from scratch except for dumplings. Try as I might, mine always turn out solid and heavy whereas they’re light and fluffy using a ready mix. I also use frozen pastry unless I’m making a lot of apple pies at harvest time. Then it’s out with the food processor and the flour and fat, I like Trex or butter and lard half and half. Otherwise the washing up from homemade pastry is just a bit too much.
By the way I’m not at all offended by the OPs post, she was just trying to be helpful I believe,

Feels like I've just been given a lecture!

Callistemon21

Three rather sad bananas looking forlorn are now in two cakes in the oven.

I hope you have someone cooking in the bottom of the oven Calli, or the Energy Police will be after you! 😂

One of those occasions when I wish there was a way of liking comments like there is on Facebook! I didn’t take offence at the post but found it quite patronising! I rarely use packet mixes but when I was doing more baking for more people then I used Sainsbury’s ready rubbed short crust pastry mix and a packet lemon meringue pie filling. Better than anything I could produce. The meringue I made myself! Now I ‘m only cooking for myself I don’t have lemon pie as I haven’t found one to compare ready made but I do use Taste the Difference ready meals quite often.

I love baking from scratch, but my health won't let me stand for the length of time it takes to gather the ingredients. Far easier to let the factory do it, I can still bake, but my health doesn't suffer

I’ve never understood why programmes such as bake off are so popular as I don’t really like cake. I only eat it under duress if it’s someone’s birthday. I ask for a small piece but always seem to be handed a huge thick wedge of it.
I have helped my granddaughter make fairy cakes from an instant mix though. Does cooking cake from scratch involve a lot of washing up ?

Angel food cake is far better and cheaper from scratch. I learned this decades ago even though I mostly cook from scratch.

I don’t use packet mixes, but only because my pantry is stuff full of flour and stuff and I did train to be a Baker before I went a different direction.
I have noticed there is a great deal of snobbery around this topic, of late . I baked for a church fate recently and they asked us to list of ingredients (rightly so) if it was baked form scratch they placed a label saying delicious homemade. Cakes made from packet mixed were displayed as not homemade packet mixed used. There was a lot of discussion about packet mix’s being inferior, words like lazy were being banded around. Which I felt was offensive to those who had made the effort. In realty the packet mixes often rise better and are lighter, or there is no difference. No I don’t think you can taste the chemicals (that are in most things regardless of the method used.) I think that psychological and I think in a blind test most people wouldn’t know.
Packet mixes are great for kids and parents who don’t bake regularly. It’s all weighed out and ready to go, so there no food waste. I am not sure why people think that baking from scratch makes them a better cook and that’s from someone who does bake from scratch.
The one I don’t get it packet porridge.

I use frozen pastry to make low sugar pies for my Mum. I can literally cut a piece of pastry, fill it with raspberries or a banana with some low sugar chocolate spread and pop it in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes. I wrap it in foil as soon as it is cooked, jump in the car and take it to the Nursing Home. It would take me far more effort if I had to make and roll my own and I probably wouldn't bother!

icanhandthemback yes the porridge thing is a strange one, especially if you’ve got a microwave oven anyway. I did used to enjoy it more when cooked in a double pan ( ok Bain Marie) I know..
When I first saw ready made porridge in M&S though I thought it was just the limit! Now I think it’s great ( but expensive) that you can buy sandwiches, little dishes of salads etc complete with wood cutlery if you’re hungry when away from home. I imagine I’d be broke if I did this often though.

I'm lucky enough to be able to cook from scratch, over the years I've built up a very substantial pantry full of dried goods, herbs and spices.
But many young families don't have the benefit of my years or the money to buy the many ingredients needed to cook from scratch if they want to enjoy flavours.
I think that you have been very selective in respect of foods, I agree that pancakes and cakes are simple to cook from scratch, but I disagree in respect of many meals and sauces, in many cases to cook the same meals from scratch many ingredients are needed and they all add up!

Bear in mind not everyone has the ability or even the utensils needed to cook from scratch. Each to their own if people are happy with packet mixes then that's fine. Personal choice

I usually bake and cook from scratch but I am not adverse to using a tin so packet for convenience.

Have been making pancakes(drop scones really) regularly for over 40 years. I find they turn out best with soda bread flour, eggs and (always) buttermilk.

I've made them with GF flour and they were better than my last efforts with ordinary flour.

NotAGran55

Gosh what a judgmental post!

We were donated a lot of pancake mixes ahead of of Shrove Tuesday at our food bank which I hope the recipients enjoyed.

Not everyone has the means to fill their larder with flour, sugar, eggs etc or the equipment or skills to bake from scratch.

Or wants to …. I also live alone and have better things to do with my time!
I cook from scratch occasionally and mostly do large batches so I can save time time by eating the same meal fora few nights. But almost always I enjoy it far more the next two nights than on the day I cooked it - I’m so knackered cooking and clearing up on the day I make it.
I’ve just bought a Ninja dual air fryer and that I am using to cook more basics from scratch but only cos it’s simple with little effort. I must add that in my 30s and 40s when married to a Lecturer husband, with children, I was a really good cook , catering dinner parties, musical evenings, etc, etc, …ad nausium - but I hated it!
Delia Smiths ‘How to Cheat at Cooking ‘ is more my Bible now as it lists all the short cut packets, Sauces and pre prepared things you can buy in the Supermarkets nowadays, and still produce a super meal.
I cooked my neighbour a lamb roast dinner 2 nights ago- frozen roasties, frozen parsnips/ carrots ( popped in one drawer of the air fryer) lamb shoulder in the other. Synced to finish together. Green Veg in the microwave, pot of lamb gravy on the hob. Mint sauce ( with lemon and vinegar) and redcurrant jelly from pots. You would have thought I’d spent hours preparing - the lot took c. 25 mins, with almost no clearing up - except to pop plates in the dishwasher. That’s my sort of special cooking!
It was lauded!

Goodness me, poor Aussiegran ! Anyone would think she had committed a crime stating her opinion but was not judgemental at all. What ever happened to freedom of speech and people having an opinion ? I thought that Gransnet folk were open minded and welcomed a variety of ides but obviously not. What a pity as we are all different and should be receptive to hear what others think without taking offence.

I do buy ready-made pastry. Puff and short-crust- and choose those made without palm oil.

Pippa22

Goodness me, poor Aussiegran ! Anyone would think she had committed a crime stating her opinion but was not judgemental at all. What ever happened to freedom of speech and people having an opinion ? I thought that Gransnet folk were open minded and welcomed a variety of ides but obviously not. What a pity as we are all different and should be receptive to hear what others think without taking offence.

Perhaps it was not meant to be judgmental, but unfortunately some of the language used (“yuk” “nasty”), seemed to cast aspersions on those who did not cook from scratch - and there was no acknowledgment of the reasons people were not able / chose not to cook from scratch.

I wanted to submit my answer before reading any commenters posts, then I’ll go back and read all of them. I think I’ll be surprised.

Personally I love scratch cooking/baking. I just didn’t have TIME - till I retired. More power to you if you were a stay-at-home mom or wife.

For the rare scratch baker it also means buying various “ingredients” that won’t be used often and then go bad. That’s a WASTE.

Working mothers are grateful for pre-packaged goods to help out in a pinch. Kids are happy, and eventually, occasionally they’ll be treated to (preferable) home made treats too.

This isn’t a contest for the best cake. Please cut them some slack if they choose to do it differently than you. There’s a reason.
Now I’ll go and read everyone’s answers.
Cheers!
USA Gundy

The GP has put me on the clean diet, everything from scratch. However I can’t stick it for long it’s basically fruit and veg but I love homemade cakes and pies too.
I’ve not got to have any additives, if I do then I’m I’ll. I just have to struggle , I agree you can taste the chemicals in some ready mixes so I have to try and balance it. I don’t intend to spend my retirement cooking.

Fleurpepper

I do buy ready-made pastry. Puff and short-crust- and choose those made without palm oil.

I used to buy Tesco own brand shortcrust (occasionally) as it was made with all Normandy butter but it has changed to palm oil now.

I don’t find the OP offensive either. She’s stating the obvious inasmuch as there are lots of added ingredients in these products. If you prefer to use them, either for convenience or time saving etc then fine.

I’m sure nearly all of us do occasionally. Just don’t use the argument that you can’t cook from scratch because basic ingredients cost too much.

I'm not offended at all, I've not bought a packet mix in Australia but as far as I remember, the ready meals over there were practically non-existent; if they were then they would have been useful for an elderly member of the family.

I’m back again after reading all posts - and reading the original post by AussieGran.

It was a little judgemental… but what bothered me more was this wasn’t some fun contest - it was aimed to put the kids in the middle. That’s bothersome to me. You don’t do that to a daughter/mother, do you?