9 foods that always taste better when you make them yourself

9 foods that always taste better when you make them yourself9 foods that always taste better when you make them yourselfThere are certain times when you should treat yourself and other times when it makes sense to cook or bake things yourself. Youll enjoy what you make so much mora than what youd buy at the store. And, bonus you canavoid added sugars, chemicals and preservatives in what you eat. Moreover, if you have the right recipes, you can save money in the process. Ditch the packaged and pre-made stuff when it comes to the nine foods below.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more1. Granola BarsMaking your own granola bars is kind of a no-brainer. Theyre likely to be healthier than what youd buy at the store and if you bake in bulk, you get a lot more for your money. Thesechewy homemade granolabarsonly take 20 minutes to make and you know exactly what youre eating. Instead of all ki nds of preservatives and extra sugar, theyre made with ingredients like coconut oil, honey, mashed banana, and vanilla to get your desired sweetness.2. Kale ChipsImagine having a weeks supply of kale chips for the price of one bunch of kale. If youve ever seen kale chips at the store, you know how overpriced they can be. So theres no reason you should buy these crunchy and healthy snacks againwhen you can easily make them at home.close dialogAdvertisementclose dialog/* effects for .bx-campaign-1012257 *//* custom css .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-type-agilityzone .bx-close z-index 2-ms-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -ms-transform rotate(0deg) to -ms-transform rotate(360deg) -moz-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -moz-transform rotate(0deg) to -moz-transform rotate(360deg) -webkit-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -webkit-tran sform rotate(0deg) to -webkit-transform rotate(360deg) keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from transform rotate(0deg) to transform rotate(360deg) bx-close-inside-1012257 top 0 right 0 /* rendered styles .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative *first-child padding 0width auto.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative background-color transparent.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-close stroke whitebackground-color blackborder-style solidborder-color whiteborder-width 1pxbox-shadow 0px 0px 0px 3px black.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-3RBnJGC position absolutetop 50%left 50%transform translate(-50%, -50%)z-index -1.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-wryzWV5 width 55px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-wryzWV5 *first-child animation-name bx-anim-1012257-spinanimation-duration 800msanimation-iteration-count infiniteanima tion-timing-function linear.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-lyDBLV9 width 900pxheight 550px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-me4p1bl padding 10px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-ZdLO37u width auto.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-ZdLO37u *first-child padding 2px 4pxfont-size 10pxcolor rgb(255, 255, 255)text-transform uppercasebackground-color rgb(0, 0, 0)background-color rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.34)For your basic kale chip recipe, all youll need is an oven, a head of kale, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt and about a half hour or less of your time. Here are eightkale chip recipesto try on your own.3. SalsaIf youre a salsa addict, making your own will be a game changer. The better and healthier brands out there dont come cheap and youll end up with something oben liegend bybuying your own vegetables and making it at home.Thissalsa recipefrom Alton Brown calls for Romatomatoes, garlic, jalapeos, bell pepper, red onion, olive oil, lime juice, chili powd er and fresh scallions. Youll end up with a big batch tofeed your salsa addiction, plus youll avoid things like high-fructose corn syrup found in commercial salsa jars.4. Salad DressingIt might seem more convenient to buy salad dressing at the store, but making it at home barely requires any effort and youll end up with something lighter, healthier and less expensive. Also, FYI Store-bought salad dressings can be loaded with GMOs, toxins and hidden sugars. You can avoid all of that when youre at the helm.Heres arecipefor a simple vinaigrette that only requires ingredients. As long as you have extra virgin olive oil, some kind of vinegar - could be white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar orrice vinegar - salt and freshly ground pepper, you can easily make your own. Extras like shallots, garlic, Dijon and honey are added bonuses.5. CroutonsFor those of you who love to add a little crunch to your soup or salads, makinghomemade croutonsis a no-brainer. All you have t o do is preheat the oven to 350 degrees, remove the crust from any stale bread, brush the bread with butter, cut the bread into small cubes, sprinkle it with any seasonings you want and put the bread in the oven on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes.6. Tortilla ChipsWhenever you have guests coming over and you want to impress them with an easy homemade snack,tortilla chipsare the way to go. Youre better off making your own than buying them at the store. You only need oil with a high smoke point (canola, grapeseed or corn oil) and a pack of 12 corn tortillas. It doesnt get much easier than this. All you have to do is dry them out, cut the tortillas into triangles and fry them until they begin to brown.7. Whipped CreamMaking your own whipped cream for dessert is always a crowd pleaser. All it takes is a little elbow grease. All you need is heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and honey. Heres how tomake your own.You get to avoid all of the added sugars in store-bought whipped cream and you ll end up with something much fresher.8. HummusThe real payoff in making your own hummus comes down to taste. If you have a blender, you can makehummus from scratch. Itll take you 10 minutes and you can pat yourself on the back for creating this healthy homemade snack.9. ApplesauceTo make your own applesauce, you need apples, water, lemon, a big pot and just a little time. Homemade applesauce tastes so much better than the jarred stuff and you can avoid added sugars by making it yourself. Heres an easyrecipethatll only take you 45 minutes and youll have six cups worth of applesauce on your hands.This article first appeared on Swirled.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people