Guest post from Becky of Milo & Oats
Living with diet restrictions can be a huge budget-buster. From food allergies to celiac disease, there are a variety of health needs that might leave you searching for an economical way to bake for your loved ones.
Here are some tips that will have you baking up delicious treats without breaking the bank!
Make your own flour blend.
Do you eat gluten-free? Do you have a loved one with a wheat allergy?
If you’ve had experience baking gluten-free, you know it requires multiple flours for baking success. However, commercial pre-made blends can be expensive! It’s much more cost-effective to make your own.
There are many gluten-free flour blend recipes out there. A quick Google or Pinterest search should get you started in finding recipes with which to experiment. Once you have a recipe in hand, you’ll need to actually purchase the appropriate flours!
The natural foods section of your local grocery store will likely carry a variety of gluten-free flours. However, this is usually not the most cost-effective. My favorite to place to purchase gluten-free flours at a great price is Azure Standard. I buy rice, milo (sorghum) and teff flour, as well as potato and tapioca starch. If you don’t have a local Azure drop, Vitacost may be a good option.
Use everyday ingredients.
Ingredient substitutes can be shockingly expensive. We have an egg allergy in our family, so previously I have used egg replacer powder. Then, I realized there are many other ways to replace eggs. Flaxseed, banana, or applesauce work well as an egg replacement.
These are all ingredients I tend to have on hand, anyway. Not to mention, they are healthier than using a synthetic replacement!
Buy in bulk.
We love our Costco. I have found savings on ingredients that would otherwise be considerably more expensive — coconut oil and flax seed make the list.
We also buy the Kirkland brand chocolate chips. Did you know that they don’t contain dairy?? They have been one of my greatest Costco discoveries. Way less expensive than buying those little bags of specialty chocolate chips!
We are not Sam’s Club members but I’m sure they have some allergy-friendly deals worth discovering, too.
Focus on foods you can eat.
This one is so important, but probably took the longest for me to discover. Focus on all of the delicious, safe foods that you can eat!
Baking with allergies can be discouraging because there are so many ingredients to alter, or replace entirely! By concentrating on recipes that require less replacement, your baking success will be greatly increased. Your results will actually get eaten, not thrown out…again.
Apple crisp naturally requires no eggs and a smaller amount of flour. A big bowl of berries with some lightly sweetened coconut whipped cream is a treat! Cut yourself some slack and relish eating those wallet-friendly, in-season foods.
These are just a few tips we use — I’d love to know what you would add to my list!
Becky is a wife and homeschool mom to five incredible kids. She loves chocolate, books, and baking allergy-friendly treats for her family. Becky is the blogger behind Milo & Oats and loves chatting about everything from parenting to curriculum hoarding to what’s for dinner.
Sheri says
I was happy to see a good attitude of, look what we can eat, instead of look at what I can’t eat! Sometimes we focus so much on the negative, we don’t see the possibilities! Normal everyday possibilities! A lot of times, trying to find substitutes will fail. Cheese is cheese. I have not found a good substitute. Sheep feta for cow dairy allergies work. Soy cheese or almond cheese is not going to be the same. Sometimes it’s easier to try a different direction.
I was very glad when my son outgrew his milk allergy! I missed it a lot!
If you have a WinCo close by, check out their bulk bins! They have many kinds of flours. And a lot if other fun stuff!
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Dairy has always been the hardest one for me to give up, but after nursing 3 babies with dairy allergies, I’ve gotten pretty used to it:-) It was discouraging at first but you really do adapt! I’ve always found it best to focus on the positive…and that extends way beyond just a diet, right;-)
Susan says
Another great substitute for eggs is 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tbsp white vinegar and 1 tbsp water or other liquid. Replacing eggs successfully has more to do with what purpose they serve and this is great in things where the eggs are making things light and fluffy (i.e. pancakes). Often I would use this in addition to something like applesauce (which keeps it moist and holds it together a little) when I was baking for my son who was allergic to eggs when he was younger.
Andrea says
Also, at many ethnic markets you can get gf flour that are very inexpensive (for example at an asian market-jawar is sorgham). Also, I bought a grinder to attach to my mixer so I usually grind some of my own flours like rice, oat, different nut flours.
Our family went on a gf and casein free diet to help my bipolar daughter. I realized then that you definitely have to blend different flours to make good food so I always have a lot of different kinds of flour in my pantry. (Grinding them is helpful because I always have rice, oats and nuts in my pantry.)
We ended up going off gf & cf since it didn’t seem to help my daughter but we just found out my youngest is gluten intolerant and lactose intolerant so we are back on it. To me casein free is more difficult than gf. I love cheese. The good thing is that I have experimented making cheeses out of cashews. In fact right now I am making a rejuvelac so I can make different cheeses out of cashews.
I am a person who likes to cook and bake so it is fun for me to experiment.
Joanne Peterson says
My husband has to be cow casein free, (he can eat a very small amount of goat cheese once in a while) is it difficult to make cashew cheese?
Andrea says
It isn’t hard–just a process. This is an excellent book that tells you how to make lots of different cashew cheeses – Artisan Vegan Cheese. Also, you can search on pinterest to find some quick cashew cheese recipes. Good luck!
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Good tip on ethnic markets Andrea! I would love to purchase a grinder, I have looked into it but just have not been able to do it yet.
I agree, it is harder to give up dairy. I’ve seen some good substitutions with cashews, but unfortunately my boys are allergic to those as well. They have had dairy allergies for years but I am finally seeing signs of the older boys outgrowing the dairy allergy. They are able to tolerate a bit of cheese and yogurt now, which is great!
I hope your cheese is yummy!
Joanne Peterson says
Chia seeds are an egg replacer, they are so high in antioxidants that they don’t have to be refrigerated or frozen to stay fresh. The website “Whole New Mom” has a recipe for making your own egg replacer that is comparable to EnerG Egg replacer.
The Teff Company has teff flour with shipping included that is cheaper than anything I have seen, and is grown in Idaho.
Oriental stores has tapioca flour that is very good to use and is very reasonable, and also a few different rice flours that is finely ground to use as the starch portion of your mix. I have only seen white rice flours, not brown.
Our Costco also sells a double pack of bread that is very good and does not need to be frozen until the package is opened. Aldi’s also has GF bread and wraps at a very reasonable price, and it’s good.
Mission tortilla chips and Milagro tortilla chips are certified gluten free and is found in the regular grocery aisle with chips.
Natural Way Mills is a strictly organic facility, and sells beans, seeds, rice, and flours that are gluten free. They also sell gluten flours, and we have never had a problem with cross contamination. A number of us get our order together and divide the shipping. Their prices are extremely good. We have a spring order and a fall order. You have to ask for a bulk order.
Pleasant Hill Grain when Natural Way Mills is out of something sells grain by the 5 gallon bucket. At first glance the price seems high until I realized the shipping is included in the price, the grain is sealed and also oxygen absorbers are nestled in with the grain. (I have a grain mill and grind a lot of my own) They also sell quite a few of other items. The cost of the bucket of grain is determined by the zone you live in.
I do use Amazon and Vitacost, but I price compare all of the time with other companies.
Psyllium Husk is cheaper to use than xanthan gum or guar gum. I like it better than those two gums.
I’ll have to check out the book Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking. I used to love baking with gluten back in the day, and not so much now.
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
More great tips Joanne! Yes, we used to buy EnerG egg replacer but now I always either use flax seed or chia. Once in awhile I will use applesauce or a little mashed banana…it just depends on the recipe.
I buy all of my flours from Azure Standard right now: teff, sorghum (milo), potato and tapioca starch, brown rice. They also have great prices on oats…but it’s always good to check current prices on occasion!
Julia @ Swirls and Spice says
I have found that oat flour and buckwheat flour are also great for certain recipes. And they are MUCH cheaper (and lower in calories) than almond flour.
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Yes! I love using buckwheat flour. Especially in pancakes. I think I know what we’re having for breakfast tomorrow!
Pamela says
I had no idea about the Costco chocolate chips! Thanks for that tip. Any other Costco products you love?
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Yes, the chocolate chips were a great discovery! Let’s see, off the top of my head….we also buy coconut oil, pure vanilla extract, honey, flax seed, quinoa, nature valley granola bars (I doubt these are certified gf , but they are wheat-free so they are fine for us), tortilla chips, and of course, some meats, fruits and veggies. Oh, and maple syrup! The best price that I’m aware of and we LOVE it! They do sell Udi’s gluten-free bread at my Costco now, but it contains egg so we can’t eat that.
I hope that helps Pamela! I’ll let you know if I think of anything else:-)
Becki @Running with Team Hogan says
If I remember right, the kirkland chocolate chips are processed in a facility that also processes wheat. For my Celiac husband, he gets sick from that little bit of possible wheat. We are able to get lots of gluten free products at Costco though.
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
You could be very right Becki! We have a lot of allergies in our family but they vary in sensitivity and traces of wheat are not a problem for us. Now traces of peanut on the other hand…..
It is good to be aware of what you’re dealing with, which sometimes involves calling companies when issues of cross-contamination are at stake!
Julie C says
Check an Amish bulk food store for “seconds” on almonds; we can get them for $1 to $1.50 a pound! Can you say almond flour and almond milk?!?
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/194569646375446362/
We bought gluten free oats for my gluten sensitive daughter; one day she accidentally got some of our oatmeal on accident. She was just fine and she have been eating our regular oats ever since; this is a big money saver.
Oat flour is so easy to make and it is a great replacement in apple crisp along with oats, sweetener and a few of those inexpensive almonds! If you can find a road side stand that sells “seconds” on apples, you can save a lot of money there, too! 🙂
Barb says
Brown rice in bulk! Our local GFS has 20lb bags for $17-ish.
Aldi’s (owned by trader joes) has the best pasta at the best price.
There seems to be so many more GF baking options this “baking season” so I have been trying to grab up as many new products as possible while the coupons and rebates are abundant.
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Alright, have I been living under a rock? I didn’t realize that Aldi’s was owned by Trader Joe’s!
Julie C says
I shop at GFS once a week and will have to check their brown rice in bulk; love their $5 off $50 coupons. We buy our cheese and frozen berries there. Did you know they mark down refrigerated items there, too? Great finds on the clearance racks.
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Wow Julie! I’ve never heard of seconds on almonds. Great tip!
We do use oat flour quite often…just throw oats in the Vitamix and your good to go:-) I like it in conjunction with my gluten-free flour blend recipe!
Julie C says
The almonds, almond meal/flour and almond milk has been especially helpful with my Trim Healthy Mama eating plan; our entire family did the plan in June and it was a fabulous experience.
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Almonds are the only nut that my boys are not allergic to and I have been very grateful for that!
Becki @Running with Team Hogan says
We’re a gluten-free home due to Celiac. I like your suggestion about making your own flour mix and actually often recommend our favorite gf cookbook (Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking) because all of it’s recipes use the same flour mix. This has simplified our flour buying and makes me more likely to bake.
One cost-effective gluten-free substitutions we like: crushed tortilla chips in place of bread crumbs in chicken and meatloaf recipes
We like to order in bulk from Vitacost or Amazon subscribe and save when we can. We actually find Trader Joe’s to be the least expensive brown rice pasta (that we like to eat anyway).
We eat lots of meat and potato or meat and rice recipes in our home to help save money as well.
Eating gluten-free in our home changed our food budget a bit, but since I can’t just order pizza or have us go out to eat easily, I think we might actually be ahead in the long run.
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
Becki, you make a good point! Not going out to eat does save money, it is a rarity for our family because there is risk of cross-contamination involved…and that is assuming we find something to eat in the first place:-)
We have used Trader Joe’s pasta as well and do like it. I will check for the cookbook you mentioned at the library, I have not seen that one and it sounds good!
Becky {Milo & Oats} says
I agree Becki, not being able to go out to eat easily is a money saver!
There are so many great tricks for substituting aren’t there. I just coated chicken in crushed potato chips, and sautéed in a little olive oil for dinner tonight. The kids loved it!
I’m going to check out Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking! Thanks!
shannon says
I have also used ground corn flakes and ground rice krispies for breading!