Are homemade pudding pops cheaper?
I'm going all Amy-Dacyzyn-y again! (in case you weren't aware of it, she's the Tightwad Gazette mastermind and she possesses the patience to do very detailed price comparisons down to the penny. That doesn't come naturally to me, unfortunately!)
For my super-scientific (!) comparison, I bought a package of Jello Pudding Pops at Aldi, where a 12-pack box sells for $2.50. Aldi's ice cream novelty prices usually look pretty good to me, so I'm guessing that this is probably on the low end of the price spectrum. If you happen to remember how much pudding pops go for at a regular store, do leave a comment and share that info!
I'm going to compare the cost of the real pudding pops to homemade pops made with my recipe for homemade chocolate pudding. I could swear that I've posted it (the pudding recipe) on my blog before, but I couldn't find it! I'll try to rectify that soon.
Anyways, here's the ingredient list:
2.5 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup sugar
pinch salt
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon vanilla
Generic cocoa powder (8 oz.) is $2.99 at Weis, so each tablespoon costs 6.8¢.
Generic sugar is $⅗ pound package (less at Aldi, usually), so each cup costs 26¢.
A gallon of milk at Aldi costs $2.69, but we'll bump it up to $3. Each cup costs 18.7¢.
Generic cornstarch (16 oz) is $1.29 at Weis, which means that each tablespoon costs 2.4¢.
I don't have my vanilla price handy, but the Tone's variety on Amazon costs about 9¢/teaspoon.
2.5 tablespoons cocoa powder-17¢
½ cup sugar-13¢
pinch salt-negligible
2 cups milk-38¢
3 tablespoons cornstarch-7¢
¾ teaspoon vanilla -7¢
So, the total for the homemade pudding is $0.82.
What about pudding pops made with packaged pudding mix?
A package of instant pudding mix is $.50 at Aldi and probably $.75-$1.00 elsewhere. So, the pops made with packaged pudding would cost anywhere between $.88 and $1.38.
A homemade pudding pop weighs almost exactly the same as a packaged pudding pop, but the homemade version makes only 8-9 pops and there are 12 in the Pudding Pops package. A theoretical 8-count package of pudding pops would then cost $1.66.
So, here's how things stack up.
8 pudding pops made with from-scratch pudding-$0.82
8 pudding pops made with boxed pudding mix-$0.88-$1.38
8 packaged Jello pudding pops from Aldi-$1.66
The homemade versions are definitely cheaper, but not by an amazing amount (though percentage-wise, it's a big savings...50%). If the pudding pops were purchased at a regular grocery stores, I think the homemade ones would be more of a win.
Is it....food?
Price is really not the only consideration here, though. Take a peek at the ingredient list for the commercial pudding pops.
There's high fructose corn syrup, two kinds of hydrogenation oils, and several non-food-ish items at the end of the list. Dear me.
Trash Output
Then too, there is the fact that eating a box of commercial pudding pops leaves you with this, a pile of nonrecyclable trash.
And eating a batch of homemade pudding pops leaves you with this, a pile of washable, reusable containers.
Of course, the ingredients for homemade pudding come in containers too, but every single one of my ingredients comes in a recyclable or compostable containers.
What about taste/texture?
I think the commercial pudding pops have an advantage texture-wise, as they're fairly soft straight from the freezer. Homemade pops need to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before they're soft enough to bite. This doesn't bother me at all, but it might concern someone who's used to the commercial pops.
Taste-wise, I think the chocolate commercial pops were similar to the homemade ones, but the vanilla ones tasted awful to me. They had a very processed, fake-vanilla taste to them. I imagine a homemade vanilla version would have a superior taste (I'll let you know!).
So, the homemade pops are a win over the commercial variety in every area except texture, and that is mostly solved simply by letting the pops hang out at room temperature for a few minutes. Honestly, I wasn't even aware that the texture was an issue until I tried the commercial ones (this was my first box ever!), and I still feel like it's not a big enough deal to warrant spending more, eating weird ingredients, and producing more trash (especially if you're like us and aren't used to the commercial pops in the first place!).
Today's 365 post: Pre-Vacation Fridge Cleaning
Also, I want to know what you eat for breakfast on the weekends!
I don't buy them so I don't know for sure, but don't the commercial kind usually come in just chocolate or vanilla? Using homemade pudding or a boxed mix of pudding, you could come up with a lot more flavors. 🙂
Those look so yummy!
By the way, here's where you posted the recipe:
https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2010/09/how-to-make-pudding-pops/
Oooops, sorry, I just realized you meant the recipe for chocolate pudding, not for pudding pops. 😀 Well, it's still nice to see the pudding pops in process.
I did word that confusingly! I fixed it now. lol
Thank you for the break down.
I have ice pop containers like you do. Ya know what is good in them? (I see you wondering. lol) I take left over yogurt smoothie and make a few pops. Just like the pudding you need to let it sit for a few minutes before the texture is enjoyable but they are really good.
I like that making my own so I can leave out the modified food starch, 14-million colors by various numbers, and the packaging.
Are those the Tupperware popcicle molds? I remember my grandmother having ones that look similar if not the same to those.
Thanks, now I want to go home and make pudding pops. If only I had freezer space. 🙁
Yup, they're Tupperware! And they still sell 'em at Amazon. 🙂
I just wanted to pop in and tell you how much I appreciate your site. I've started reading a few other blogs lately and sometimes it drives me crazy how snippy they can be to their commenters. I'm sure you get some less than friendly comments, but I think you always handle things gracefully and I've never seen you snap back and then use the "well if you had a blog, you'd understand" argument to defend yourself! I think it speaks volumes about your faith.
Ooh, I know what you mean. Sometimes bloggers are just awfully short and curt with their readers during everyday, normal comment conversations, and it kind of makes me not want to come back. =P
And if I'm gracious under fire, then yeah, the credit is all God's. 🙂
Pudding pops at our closest version of Aldi's (Save-a-Lot) are only $1 for 12; a package of pudding mix costs 50 cents, but they only sell chocolate and vanilla. If you want Jello brand (and other flavors), you either have to wait for it on sale at Safeway or other stores for $1/box, or pay the regular price of $1.05 at WinCo. Making it from scratch would definitely be cheaper, but there' might be a time factor involved for some parents.
So cost-wise, it's different in different parts of the country, and time could be a factor for some parents, but for me the ingredients used in homemade would trump the commercial varieties.
Nice graphic at the top, I am uber impressed!
-Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without"
Shanks! I made it in Picasa...it was actually really easy. You could totally do it. 🙂
I feel a tutorial coming on....
Something that isn't usually calculated in the cost of the homemade things is time and energy used. This usually increases the price a little. We did a price comparison several years back when Braums had their "bag-o-burgers" (5 burgers) for $5.00. We could get 2 bags feed everyone and have a couple left over cheaper than we could buy the ingredients and "pay" for the labor and energy used to make them. It's strange, I know. 🙂
On the flip side we DO like homemade Popsicle and fudgesicles, but rarely eat them anymore. When the boys were younger I used to make them all the time.
I forgot to include that! Making these consumes very little energy, and I'd say the time investment is very modest. I usually make the pudding while I'm in the kitchen doing other things, since it doesn't need constant supervision.
For me, at this point in life, the environmental and health benefits definitely make the time worth it to me.
I don't think you included the milk price with the boxed mix either.
I like comparing prices like this. This is a cute post. Makes me crave fudge pops...
I'm always price comparing things. It drives my hubby crazy sometimes! I make most things from scratch because they are usually cheaper and I know what ingredients are going into them! Great idea for making vanilla pudding pops, I bet they are delish! My kids have lost some of the parts from my set of Tupperware popsicle molds, so thank you for letting us know we can get them at Amazon. I'll be adding those to my Christmas list!!
Wow those commercial ones are pretty toxic! Corn syrup and palm oil, thats death on a stick! Good on you for making your own!
Darn, I saw those tupperware things at a good will yesterday and didn't think to buy them. Now that this recipe is calling my name they will be gone if I go back to GW.
Ohh, I hope they're still there for you!
$.84 saved on eight puding pops doesn't sound like much, but if you served your four kids 2 each per week for a year, not unrealistic for many families, you would have saved nearly $44 over the commercial version. On pudding pops. Considering what you get in the commercial ones, wouldn't you rather spend that $44 on something better - even if it is just twice as many, healthier, homemade pudding pops?
Like Amy D says, you can only save big on big ticket items once in a long while, but you can save a little bit several times a day, every day of the year. I just calculated that I saved $54 over the past year by not using my clothes dryer. Only just over a dollar a week, but it is $54 in my pocket, not the utility company's, and like homemade pudding pops, better for the planet. Hmm, that reminds me of Amy's " 10 Painless Ways to Save $100 This Year"
Thanks for this post, Kristen, I'm off to make pudding pops.
I'm so excited you had a picture with the popsicle molds! I had those same ones as a kid and couldn't remember what kind they were. I just added them on my Amazon wish list.
Have you ever made you own vanilla? It has no additives (Tone's has corn syrup) and has amazing taste. It's unbelievably simple to make - bottle of vodka, 10 vanilla beans slightly spliced open, 3 months on the shelf with you shaking it up every so often.
http://www.feedingourlives.com/2010/06/thoughtful-spending-homemade-vanilla.html
Thanks for doing the cost break-down....I love stuff like that but never take the time to do it myself.
I didn't read thought all the other comments so some one may have already made these comments.
#1 I think if texture were an issue you could beat air into your home made pudding before pouring it into the Tupperware mold and that would make them softer. also make more pops per recipe.
#2 you didn't show the ingredients of the Jell-O Pudding box. I expect it also had unrecognizable ingredients.
Ooh, the air idea is brilliant. I will give that a try and report back.
The instant Jello does indeed have weird stuff in it. I think the cook and serve stuff is better, but still not as good as homemade pudding, ingredient-wise.
I love the font you have used on your "Pudding Pops" graphic at the top of the post. I've noticed you've used it in some of your other scrapbooking posts......what's the name of the font? I'd love to use it too!
I usually use Acoustic Bass or Acoustic Light. I love typewriter fonts so much!
Hi, I have been following your blog for a few months now and I am addicted. I look forward to reading your post everyday. I just made the pudding pops and they are now in the freezer. Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to try them!
Thanks for a great "recipe"! I just made popsicles and thought... oh pudding pops would be good too... and so did a google search and found your site. I am totally gonna check out the rest of your site. I love this idea because I have some boxed pudding mixes that I don't get around to making because I don't like the "film" that gets on the leftover pudding... but making pops out of it would be awesome, and then when they're gone I can use your awesome looking pudding recipe! Thanks a bunch!
Ok, I'm sold. Because of you, I'm not paying closer attention to the things I can easily make at home that don't have all of those difficult to pronounce ingredients and chemicals. And they are cheaper. I now make a lot of homemade bread, and when I am not so busy I will be trying homemade yogurt. I appreciate it. I absolutely LOVE your blog and look forward to every post. In fact, I copied your idea and made my son his own blog. (His isn't photos only) I just haven't figured out how to link it to mine like you did. Check them out!
www dot homemadebest dot wordpress dot com
www dot searchingforclues dot wordpress dot com
Now, I need to check garage sales and Goodwill for these molds because I don't want to waste paper products to make them that way. Thank you SOOO much!