10 Homemade Mixes That Need to Be in Your Pantry

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

10 Mixes That Should Be in Your Pantry

I love making mixes to keep on my pantry shelves! Perhaps I just love looking in the pantry to see the shelves lined with Mason Jars that are telling me I have plenty of food to feed my family.

Here are some of the reasons why dry mixes in my pantry are here to stay.

I love the convenience.

Nothing is better than being able to save time when I need to get a meal on the table. Having mixes on hand allows me to have the convenience of a store-bought mix using my own recipes. When my little ones are looking for something to eat I prefer to be able to make it in the shortest amount of time possible. Mixes can help with that.

I love the ingredients.

Being an allergy family is hard. I no longer shop the middle aisles of the grocery store anymore which means that we basically only stick with produce and meats. When I make my own mixes I get to choose the ingredients so I know they will be a a “safe” food for us. I also know that I can skip the preservatives, dyes, and any of the other additives that I’d rather not have from the store-boxed mixes.

Now on to some of my favorite mixes!

riceroni

Rice Roni Mix

Rice Roni Mix is one of my favorite mixes to keep on hand. It’s SO easy to put together and it can be used for several different things. I use it as a side dish once in a while but I also love to add it into soups. Here on the website I have a recipe for a plain/chicken version but I also have the variations for Spanish Rice and more in my book.

breadmaker

Breadmaker Mix

Breadmaker Mix is one of the easiest ways to make bread. If you use a bread machine you need to have this mix on hand! Once you have it you will only need to take about 5 minutes (or less) to create a fresh loaf of bread.

Need more bread recipes? Here is a huge list of 50 Bread Recipes From Scratch!

oatmealpacket

Instant Oatmeal Packets

Breakfast is a meal that we always seem to struggle with. Even if I have a plan laid out, it seems that something always goes awry in the mornings. I like to keep Instant Oatmeal Packets on hand just in case we need a quick, filling breakfast that doesn’t require much thought. You can make them in individual packets or in a bulk mix.

Speaking of oatmeal…have you made this From-Scratch Oatmeal Cream Pie Reicpe yet?

Scone Mix Recipe

Scone Mix

Scones are another good breakfast treat that can also be an easy snack. Scone Mix is fun to customize with your favorite flavors or try new combos for something different.

brownies1

Brownie Mix

Let’s talk about dessert. Our family isn’t really dessert people. It’s more of a special treat than it is something that follows a meal. But once in a while when we are looking fr a good dessert I don’t feel like taking much time to prep it. Brownie Mix can be made up ahead of time and stored for when you get that chocolaty craving!

Homemade Oatmeal Cookie Mix in a Jar

Oatmeal Cookie Mix

Another great dessert that you can have on hand as a mix is Oatmeal Cookie Mix. This is also one of my favorite mixes to give as a gift because it layers nicely in a jar.

Want another cookie mix in a jar? Check out this recipe for Soft Sugar Cookie Mix!

HamburgerHelp2

Hamburger Helper Mix

Regular “hamburger helper” mixes from the store are convenient to use but contain way, way too many unnecessary ingredients for me to buy them. Luckily it’s super easy (and cheap!) to make your own Hamburger Helper Mix at home! This recipe is for a plain version but I have several variations in my book if you are interested.

muffins

Sugar Doughnut Muffins

This is a fun little mix to have on hand because it’s something that’s a treat but also a little bit out of the ordinary for a mix. Sugar Dough Muffins are easy to make and the mix takes only a few minutes to put together. I’m not sure I would eat these for breakfast since they are pretty sweet but they make a good little dessert or snack.

My favorite doughnut recipe is this one for Yellow Squash Doughnuts. If you haven’t already you need to try them asap!

ranchdip

Ranch Dressing Mix

This is another one of my favorite mix recipes. While it doesn’t make a baked good like most of those above, it’s great for seasoning certain dishes and making a tasty dip for chips or veggies. Either way, Ranch Dressing Mix is something you should have in your pantry!

lemonbread

Lemon Poppyseed Bread Mix

This Lemon Poppyseed Bread Mix is another one of my favorites to give as a gift. It’s a quick bread mix so it sits nicely in a jar but it has teh unexpected twist of being lemon poppyseed. It’s fun and tasty!

You can find even more Mix Recipes here.

bookcoversmallerLooking for more mixes that you can make quickly and easily? My book,Little House Living: The Make Your Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, and Self Sufficient Life has over 130 recipes just like these!

What are some of your favorite mixes to make?

merissabio

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Support Little House Living by Sharing This

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

30 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing all these great mix recipes. I pinned a few of them to my recipes I want to try board.

  2. I love your book! It is a “go to” all the time for me! The baking mix is my favorite!! Along with the chai tea mix!! Yum!!! Would highly recommend the book to everyone!!!

  3. These are wonderful!!! I love having my own mixes in the house.You are a gem and Im so glad I checked this out! I would love for you to share your thoughts and posts at my Monday of Many Blessings Link Up!! Im gonna have to check out your book also!

  4. Love this post. One thing I would add is your gluten free flour mix (for families who need it). I like to have it premixed in its own container. It works well for me and I like it so much better than some of the premixed out there.

  5. These are some wonderful ideas. some I hadn’t thought of. I will be adding some of these to my list 🙂
    I keep homemade brownie, chocolate chip muffin, chocolate cake, butter cake, and white cake mixes in my pantry. Our 12 yr old has been learning to cook for a while and it makes it easy for her to just grab a bag and add the wet stuff to it.

    1. I have been trying to figure out how to make a butter cake and white cake mix! My mom makes this amazing dump cake where she spreads the peaches in the pan, dumps a box of cake mix on top and slices up a cube of butter over it. I cant stand all the extra ingredients from the box stuff! If you would share your recipe with me for the cake mix I would be grateful! Thank you!

  6. I love this list of mixes!! I never thought to make some of these as homemade before, love that you control what ingredients are in them.

  7. This is a super helpful roundup of baking mixes! I think it’s such a good idea to at least have a few on hand when you need a “go-to” at a moment’s notice. Thanks for sharing your favourites!

  8. I agree! You never know when you will need the mix. I have everything you list but I have a Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix instead of the Oatmeal. I think just to say cookies will do it, don’t you?

  9. Omg what a great list!!! We always have oat meal and hamburger helper mix in our kitchen!!! Two must haves!

  10. I love the idea of a rice roni mix. It was one of my favorite side dishes when I first started college.

  11. Hi Merissa, I am a senior citizen who has been following you for a while now. I want to thank you for all the recipes and the hints, you are the only one I have found to be my one stop shop. I was raised a country girl and I miss it so much. I do, however, bake from scratch and I never turn down fresh fruits and veggies from my daughters co-workers. I can and I pickle and I enjoy it still!!!! I feel like I have a kindred soul in you, though we are many years apart in age. Keep up the good work and may God bless you and your family in every way.

    1. I also am senior like Shirley York. I also feel the kindred spirit. I remember things from my past country childhood. Some of the old ways are still good. But you offer more up date ideas that I can identify with. I Enjoy your page.

  12. This a great collection of mixes. I am always looking for new ones. My son has food allergies so the processed premade mixes found in grocery stores are typically not great for him. I think I am pinning almost all recipes to my pinterest page. FYI found you on the Totally Terrific Tuesday Link up Party

  13. Great ideas on the mixes. Had not really thought about it that way. I have the bread mix. Will look more closely. Thank you for sharing.

  14. What a great collection of mixes! Right now I only have a few I keep around, but I’m looking to increase that number so I can decrease my food prep time. 🙂

  15. I do something similar in our home, but not to this extent. You just gave me some great recipes and inspiration! Sharing and pinning!

  16. Hi Merissa! Great list. I also love having a basic pancake bulk mix on hand. I use it for both savoury and sweet pancakes and can also be used for things like fritters as well. Thanks for sharing yours. I’m going to be adding some of those to my pantry. I’m featuring your post at tomorrow’s linky party. Thanks for always linking up each week. I love seeing your posts.

    Anne @ Domesblissity xx

  17. I love these mixes! I already make my own baking mix, ranch dressing seasoning, au jus mix and onion soup mix but will definitely be adding some of these mixes to the cupboards this weekend to try. I am especially excited to try the Lemon Poppyseed Bread. I love having quick breads on hand to snack on.
    Thanks so much for sharing these.
    *Hugs*

  18. In this time of trying to accumulate as little trash as possible, something I love is that homemade mixes do exactly that! Think about something as simple as the ranch dressing mix. Instead of purchasing a single packet, for the price of about 2 packets, you can fill a whole jar! And, of course, you can reuse or recycle the jar afterwards!
    One last thing. Want the perfect gift for a bride-to-be who isn’t incredibly experienced? Get a nice, small binder, put in page dividers, and add a cover page — something like “Marriage Mixes”. Put something together to make her first few months much easier than if she’s trying to figure out how to make fancy meals. Nothing is worse to a new bride than trying to prepare a great meal for it to fall flat. (PS: I recommend including the URL!
    Have a few sections, such as “Begin at Breakfast” with a saying about the importance of beginning the day eating breakfast together. Sugar Doughnuts Muffins isn’t an everyday thing, but a beginning. Another choice might be a pancake/waffle batter recipe, or
    Another could be “Ready, Set, Go!” where you list recipes for meal mixes, like the Hamburger Helper mix. In fact, write “Meal Mixes” under that.
    Another section would be things like “Dress It Up!” where you could add dressing mixes.
    This could be followed by “By My Side” which would be Sides mixes, such as Rice a Roni. (You can always include added directions that simply say something like “add cut-up strips of cooked chicken to turn this into a one-pot meal!)
    If you find enough dry-mix recipes (I would recommend having her add her own yeast on the day she makes it), you could have one labeled “Break Bread Together.” Under it, you could use the quote by Ursula LeGuin, “Love doesn’t sit there like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; re-made everyday, made new.” Here, you could choose to have various mixes such as Easy English Muffin Bread Recipe (leave out the yeast, water and milk, of course – with directions to add them!), Lemon Poppyseed Bread Mix, or Pita Pocket Mix.
    Of course, you’ll find a ridiculous amount of dessert-type mix recipes, from brownies to Homemade Oatmeal Cookie Mix Recipe.
    Keep in mind most recipes can be turned into a jar mix, as long as directions are on the label with what else to add. Just look at a recipe, determine which dry ingredients make sense to add, and what ingredients should be added.
    Personally, my husband and I are about to start a brand new chapter: our 18 year old is graduating high school and starting a new life with her bf/fiance. I have a good number of jars, and I thought since I’m wanting to reduce my waste, anyway, I could make mixes for my husband and me, and make some for them, as well. This will help get them off to a good start while organizing our new life of only two, empty-nesters, as well!

    THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR RECIPES!

  19. I am going to add a day this month, where I make several of these! Some are so basic, I can’t believe I never thought to make these and have on hand. Thanks for the inspiration!

  20. We have been running a kitchen, for twenty years, that is mostly unprocessed food. Doing this during high school, home-schooling years and running a large women’s ministry for two years was hard. So many dishes! We need to be dye free and lean towards gluten free. Lately, all students here are living at home and going to community college or trade school.

    Maybe these mixes will save me some time and dishes in the future. We also try to steer clear of dessert mixes as hubby and I are in our mid-50’s and can tend to gain weight with two many carbs.

    Thanks for all your great ideas!

  21. I just found your blog and am really enjoying it! It is a very different perspective from my own. I am retired and widowed i.e. living alone without much income. I think I have lived what you preach most of my life. Plus tiny house living, living in the Alaskan bush, working for Fortune 500 companies in a spartan apartment, and make do and mend.

    But I noticed particularly when you note mixes that you don’t list any of the favorites that I have been making for 40/50+ years like Russian tea mix, biscuit mix, single snack cake mix, cornbread mix, muffin mix or chicken coating mix for oven baking. Perhaps they have gone out of favor.

    I haven’t checked if you cover it, but one of my big energy savers is to use the microwave instead of the stove whenever possible.

    Thanks for the hard work in putting all this information out there!

    1. Hi Melanie, I’m glad you are enjoying the site! I actually have a huge number of pantry mixes in my book, Little House Living: The Make Your Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, and Self SUfficient Life, so not all of my mix recipes are here on the blog.

  22. I don’t know how I found your website, but I love it! I have made some of the food with a total success. I can’t wait to make everything else I have printed up! As well as supply myself with jarred foods and spices to make cooking easier. Merissa, you’re fabulous!