I started a thread related to grocery spending here:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/how-do-you-people-spend-so-little-on-groceries/and realized from the replies that I needed to start tracking exactly where I'm spending on my groceries, and also figure out the cost per serving of the things we eat regularly. I know that we eat a lot of boxed cereal, so I decided to start with that, plus, there were quite a few suggestions that I make my own granola.
However, I'm finding that homemade granola is *much* more expensive than the boxed cereal we buy. Anybody have any recipes that are cheap?
I started with this recommended recipe:
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/04/04/recipe-granola-bars-cereal/But I took out the cashews, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds to save $$. I also lessened the amt. of almonds and shredded coconut. What I ended up with was this:
3.5 C rolled oats Cost: $.68 @ 99 cents a pound in bulk
2 oz sliced almonds Cost $1.32
3/4 C shredded coconut Cost: $.37
1/2 C Brown rice syrup (instead of honey) Cost: $1.10 (bought on sale- 21 oz for $3.79- I think this is ever cheaper than honey?)
cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, 6 tablespoons coconut oil (instead of butter) Estimated cost: $.25
So, it yielded about 4.5 cups and equated to $.83 per cup. It also needed 75 minutes in the oven.
We buy Fiber One protein cereal for $2.98/box, and that yields 5.75 cups, so only $.52 per cup.
Even if I take out the almonds and the coconut and just do straight granola the cost would still be $.58/cup, which is more than the boxed cereal.
Is there any homemade cereal that's actually cheaper than boxed? Besides going out in the field and collecting the oats myself? ;)