The best and healthiest bread that you’ve long been looking might just be right in your own kitchen!
Many, if not all, of us buy our daily supply of bread in the local grocery or bread shop. Why not? Commercial, mass-produced breads are convenient, cheap and come in a variety of flavors that suites our palates.
It should even make one wonder why someone would opt for home-baked breads. Considering the amount of effort and time needed to prepare your own loaf of bread, is it all worth it?
To answer this question, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of baking your own bread at home.
Homemade bread is superior
Let’s start with this one truth: Homemade bread is superior to store-brought breads in more ways than one.
First of all, you are assured that your home-baked bread is fresh! Have you ever believed that those breads displayed at grocery stalls are freshly baked? I’m pretty sure you’ve come across some bread near their expiration date.
Secondly, homemade bread tastes better. That’s supposing you didn’t mess up on the recipe and the setting of your oven. Well, to help you with the whole bread-making process and to avoid spoiling the experience, the Welbilt bread machine should come in handy. This user-friendly bread machine simplifies the whole baking process. You can prepare healthy bread recipes with the exact ingredients that you want, whether you want fresh whole wheat or rye instead of white flour.
You can pack your bread with the highest quality flours, organic eggs and dairy; and even leavening agents. Fill your home-baked bread with heart-healthy unsaturated fats available in safflower or olive oil. These are great alternatives to vegetable shortening or margarine. Unless you add it yourself with artificial ingredients and flavorings, homemade bread should be free from this unnecessary stuff.
You can use healthier substitute for sugar as well as for table salt – honey and sea salt are better alternatives. You can also control the amount of sugar and salt that gets in your loaf. Commercially prepared loaf usually contains over 130 mg of sodium per serving. That’s too much salt especially if bread is a staple in your menu. With homemade bread, you can limit the amount of salt you add in the loaf. The same is true with sugar.
For those who have food allergies, homemade bread offers a solution. You can tailor your breads so that it doesn’t contain any offending ingredient. Take note that even if commercially prepared breads don’t contain the allergen, the equipment where they have been prepared could have been contaminated with it. And that’s not just paranoid thinking. It has happened in the past. When you make your own bread, you are assured that there are no chances for cross-contamination.
If you think baking is difficult, don’t be intimidated as there are several helpful Welbilt bread machine recipes and instructions that you can find online.
What store brought bread is really made of?
Perhaps, the most important benefit of homemade bread is that you can get rid of all the unhealthy ingredients that store-brought loaf is full of. Just some of the unlikely ingredients you’ll see in bread labels:
- Fructose corn syrup
- Vegetable oil
- L-ascorbic acid
- Chlorine dioxide
- Monocalcium phosphate
- Ammonium sulfate
- Emulsifiers
- L-cysteine hydrochloride
So, which of these do you think is good for your health? None. And the fact is that you don’t even need them make your own home-baked loaf.
But why are store-brought breads laden with this garbage? Obvious answer – profit. The food industry would understandably go for the cheapest ingredients to rake in the biggest profit. Preservatives and additives give the bread a longer shelf life. Unfortunately, these compounds are often unhealthy for humans.
If you are still unconvinced with your own baking skills, you can simply watch videos that show how to make bread in welbilt bread machine for a step-by-step guide. You can also find a variety of different bread recipes. Pinterest has some great DIY bread recipes that you can also do. With so much option, you might find a hard time choosing which one to do first!
And still some other benefits of homemade bread…
Once you’ve learned this skill, baking should be a breeze. Plus, you can soon make your own recipes for healthy pizza or cinnamon rolls.
One of the misconceptions about homemade bread is its cost. But basically, if you already have necessary equipment like oven and bread machine, the ingredients should be very affordable. In fact, it could be cheaper.
Baking is also good for relaxation, as well as a family activity. You can spend your idle time in your kitchen to prepare your homemade bread. That should not take too long, especially if you have the Welbilt bread machine abm6000. Usually, preparing the dough takes up the most time. With a bread machine, this should be completed in just minutes. You simply add the ingredients into the machine and let it knead the dough to just the right consistency.
If you have kids, you can turn baking into a perfect family time. They can help you prepare, measure and add ingredients into the dough. Or you can let them choose which toppings or flavors to add into your bread. They can also decorate the bread after. If you get your kids involved, chances are they will enjoy eating it more. But the best benefit of engaging your kids in homemade bread-making is that you introduce them early to healthy eating. That’s a lifetime lesson you can give to your kids!
Sure, you need to devote some time to make your own bread, but considering its many benefits, the time you’ll spend should be all worth it. Here’s a friendly warning: once you’ve started making your own homemade loaf – you’ll never be satisfied with commercial bread ever!
The flavor, freshness and taste are just irresistible! Plus it’s loaded with everything healthy!
