If you've never baked before and you're trying to simplify your eating habits, then making your own treats is a great place to save money as well as the carbon emissions involved in packaging and over-processing. |
If you've been buying packaged cake$ and
cookie$, you'll pay for the equipment you need quickly. You don't need
non-stick pans. Get some SOS pads.
- Electric mixer (Just a cheap one, you need this)
- Mixing bowls, large and small (They come in a set) Heavy ones are steadier than light plastic bowls.
- Rubber spatula, for scraping the bowl (Dollar store)
- Wooden or plastic mixing spoon, not too big.
- Measuring spoons (Dollar store)
- Wooden rolling pin (for pie) A wine bottle will do.
- Metal strainer (for sifting flour, not essential, but better)
- Set of measuring cups (Dollar store – four nesting cups)
- 2 loaf pans
- Waxed paper (to line the loaf pans and for making pastry for pie)
- Cheese grater (for zucchini and carrot bread, Dollar store, with coarse and fine holes)
- Muffin pan (makes 12 medium size muffins)
- Paper muffin cups ('large' size)
- Baking sheet (large shallow pan for biscuits)
- Baking Powder (cheap at the bulk store)
- Baking Soda (cheap at the bulk store)
- Cinnamon (VERY cheap at the bulk store, very expensive in a little bottle)
- Nutmeg (see cinnamon)
- Vanilla extract (Get the fake stuff if it's too expensive for you.I can get it bulk at the health food store, cheap - in a baggie!)
- All-purpose (unbleached is healthier than white) flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Honey (much healthier than sugar, but white sugar is OK in the small quantities my recipes call for) Try to buy local.
- Skim milk powder (convenient at the bulk store, cheaper in a $20 no name bag, especially if you make yogurt with it.)
- Vegetable shortening (for pie crust) Keep it in the fridge so you don't have to make a trip to the store when you 'need' a pie.
