Five homemade recipes that will help you save money on your grocery bill this month

As food prices continue to rise, we're all looking for ways to cut costs on our groceries. Chef Joshna Maharaj shares five takes on staple-store-bought items that you can make yourself at home. 

Homemade granola bars

These are simple to make, and you can decide what goes inside! Have fun with different kinds of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

Fresh labneh

After one day, the flavours will have melded together beautifully, and you can enjoy this cheese on crackers, stuffed into vegetables, or right out of the fridge with a spoon. 

Simple balsamic vinaigrette

This is an easy recipe that is open to lots of adaptation! You can substitute other vinegar, different sweeteners, and other neutral oils like canola or sunflower. Just remember that you need a balance of sweet, salty, sour, and rich flavours. Keep the jar tightly sealed in the fridge, and it’s ready to go whenever you need it.

Pear jam

Allowing the fruit to sit in sugar and lemon helps to pull out the juices in this jam. This is a great use for the older, blemished fruit that is often on a discount rack in the grocery store. 

Simple Irish soda bread

Get the glorious benefit of warm, fresh bread in about an hour!