ARTICLE
The supermarket basics you can make yourself
January 22, 2026-4 min read
Making supermarket staples at home can cut costs, boost freshness and reduce added sugar and salt, and you only need a few handy appliances to do it. This article shows how to whip up everyday basics like peanut butter, hummus, butter, ice cream, tomato sauce and chicken stock.
Key Takeaways From This Article
Food processors make peanut butter and hummus quick, smooth and easy.
Stand mixers help churn fresh butter from cream with minimal effort.
Blenders or ice cream makers can handle ice cream, sorbet and nice cream.
Stick mixers are ideal for silky homemade tomato sauce and ketchup.
Slow cookers make low-salt chicken stock simple and hands-off.
Making your own supermarket staples is a hot trend for everything from peanut butter to tomato sauce and chicken stock. And it makes sense when you can save on your grocery order and capture fresh flavours – without the added sugar and salt. You don’t need to be a superchef either, as much of what we buy pre-packaged can easily be made from scratch with a little know-how and some great small kitchen appliances. Cue the best blenders, food processors and kitchen mixers!
Boost your family’s health and save at the checkout by recreating these pantry basics at home.
#1 How to make Homemade Peanut Butter
Essential kit: a Food Processor
Store-bought peanut butter contains more salt and sugar than you’d probably ever imagine. With a stack of protein and magnesium in every golden spoonful, it’s a great snack for kids and adults alike, so going homemade is a healthy compromise.
In a food processor, chop dry roasted peanuts, then mix in a teaspoon of honey and a sprinkle of salt. Keep mixing as the nuts will go through a few stages, from crumbly to sticky to spreadable goodness. With no preservatives, your homemade peanut butter won’t last as long as the supermarket variety, but you’ll probably have eaten it all by expiry anyway!
Shop Food Processors
Breville The Kinetix Twist Blender
Kenwood Multipro Go - Storm Blue
KitchenAid 9 Cup Food Processor Contour Silver
#2 How to make Homemade Hummus
Essential kit: a Food Processor
The most basic of recipes, hummus requires just four ingredients – tinned chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini and Moroccan spice! The master-chef suggestion is to add the lemon juice and tahini to your food processor first for an extra fluffy base. A quick whizz and you have a delicious DIY hummus dip for biscuits, bread and carrot sticks.
“Food processors and blenders with powerful motors are key to making the basics. Also look for useful accessories like dough hooks or whisking attachments to help make ‘homemade’ quick and easy,” says Tracey Ellis, The Good Guys Buyer – Portable Appliances.
“Food processors and blenders with powerful motors are key to making the basics. Also look for useful accessories like dough hooks or whisking attachments to help make ‘homemade’ quick and easy.
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#3 How to make Homemade Butter
Essential kit: a Stand Mixer
With #butterboards taking off on TikTok and all sorts of people making their own on #buttertok, it’s high time to try your hand at creating this supermarket item at home. All it takes to churn an Insta-worthy butter pat is a little cream and a stand mixer!
Bake a bread maker loaf and spread it with fresh homemade butter, chopped garlic and parsley for melt-in-the mouth DIY garlic bread.
Shop Stand Mixers
Breville The Bakery Chef Hub Stand Mixer
Kenwood Go Stand Mixer Eucalyptus Green
KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Porcelain
#4 How to make Homemade Ice Cream and Healthy Nice Cream
Essential kit: an Ice Cream Maker or a Blender
Whip up icy treats at home for a summer of scrumptious sundaes. Speciality ice cream machines make life extra easy, churning out all the family favourites at the flick of a switch. A quality blender can also double up to create healthy nice cream and sorbets using frozen fruits. In homemade ice cream, you control the ingredients – so you can choose to go organic, dairy free or fair trade, and swap sugar for sweet alternatives. Just be sure to make extra space in the freezer.
Shop Ice Cream and Sorbet Machines
VITAMIX Ascent Series A2500i High-Performance Blender
#5 How to make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Essential kit: a Stick Mixer
Lightweight and versatile, a stick mixer delivers puree perfection for smooth homemade tomato sauce. Simmer tinned tomatoes with browned onion, vinegar and a little sugar, then stick mix to tomato sauce or ketchup consistency. Not too salty, not too sweet!
Shop Stick Mixers
Sunbeam StickmasterBraun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender
#6 How to make Homemade Chicken Stock
Essential Kit: a Slow Cooker
Chicken stock was grandma’s go-to, now it’s a TikTok trend – 27 million views and counting! Commercial stock varieties contain a lot of salt as a preservative, so pull out your slow cooker, add carrot, celery, onion and chicken bones, and cover with water to cook up a low-sodium homemade alternative.
Shop Slow Cookers
Russell Hobbs 3.5L Slow Cooker
Want to make the leap to homemade pantry basics? Get the kitchen mixers and food processors, slow cookers and specialty appliances to go homestyle on your family favourites, save your hip pocket and boost your health. Visit us in-store or online for all the best deals on all the best brands.
