Feb. 5: Cooking From Scratch

February 5, 2026

Is cooking from scratch – a way to save on food costs – making a comeback?

Long ago when we were youngsters in school, mom made us breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In those days – long before the arrival of frozen dinners and the microwave – this mostly involved cooking things from scratch.

In an era where you can have meals delivered to your door, where there are restaurants and fast-food outlets around every corner, and where there are frozen meals you can just nuke, you would think that cooking from scratch is a long-forgotten art.

But for an unusual reason – the high cost of groceries and dining out – it appears cooking from scratch is making a comeback. Save with SPP examined this trend by doing a little reading.

A Globe and Mail article from last year tells the story of Cyndy Nelly-Spence, who cuts costs in retirement by making her own yogurt from scratch, saves all her bones to make soup stock, and more.

She and her husband “also batch-cook four to six weeks’ worth of homemade cereal with oatmeal and quinoa, and cook 12 servings worth of stew or chili at a time, all of which they store in glass containers in their pantry or one of two large freezers they keep in their basement,” the Globe reports.

Making things from scratch, the article continues, ensures the couple is avoiding “ultra processed foods, which have been linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases including obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and colon cancer,” the article notes.

The Kuzina Messer Culinaire blog looks at the benefits of cooking at home versus eating out, ordering in, or buying “ready-made or boxed meals.”

“There’s something deeply rewarding about cooking from scratch. Not only does it offer countless health benefits, but it can also save money, improve your cooking skills, and bring people together in ways that pre-packaged food simply can’t,” the blog suggests.

In addition to providing you control over things you may want to avoid in your food – sugar, salt and fat – home cooking can save you money, the blog continues.

“While cooking from scratch may seem like it takes more time, it can actually save you money in the long run. Pre-packaged meals, takeout, and even some convenience foods can add up quickly, whereas buying raw ingredients in bulk and cooking at home is often much more economical,” the blog reports.

Advantages of preparing food from home include saving on food by buying in bulk, reduced food waste, and improved cooking skills, the blog notes.

The Art of Growing blog also talks of the benefits of cooking at home, from scratch.

“My biggest reasons for making homemade meals over convenience foods? Health, taste, cost, and enjoyment,” the blog begins.

“Using whole ingredients supports a healthy diet, reduces the risk of food allergies, and makes it easier to maintain nourishing, homemade meals. Even a slow cooker/instant pot recipe can be loaded with fresh ingredients and pantry staples, making a simple meal both convenient and wholesome,” the blog continues.

“Cooking from scratch gives me control. I know exactly what’s going into my meals — no hidden sugars, additives, or unpronounceable `flavour enhancers.’ I can choose organic produce, swap sugar for honey, or use the veggies growing just outside my kitchen door. It’s empowering to know I’m feeding my family food that’s both nutrient-dense and honest,” the blog’s author adds.

“Homemaking is an ongoing education — and I love that. Scratch meals are like little lessons in patience and creativity that pay off in so many ways. Over time, you develop basic cooking skills that make everything else easier — from simple meals to more complex homemade recipes like yogurt or ferments,” the blog concludes.

Many of us – lacking, perhaps, any type of retirement savings program to sign up for at work – are left figuring out how to save for retirement from “scratch.”

It can be daunting if you aren’t familiar with investing, the various types of savings vehicles, risk, volatility, and more. But don’t worry – there’s help for do-it-yourself savers.

The Saskatchewan Pension Plan is a retirement savings partner available to any Canadian with registered retirement savings plan room. Once you’ve opened your SPP account, you decide how much you want to contribute annually – any amount up to your RRSP limit. As well, you can transfer in any amount from other RRSPs you may have to consolidate your savings nest egg.

SPP does the heavy lifting – we invest your hard-saved dollars in a low-cost, professionally managed pooled fund. When it’s time to leave work behind, SPP income options include the security of a lifetime monthly annuity payment, or the more flexible Variable Benefit.

Check out SPP today!

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Globe and Mail, Kuzina Messer Culinaire, The Art of Growing

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