Why You Should Make Your Own Vegetable Stock

Who would bother making vegetable stock? To be honest - not me! When my consultant told me that we were making stock when she delivered my Thermomix I was hardly ecstatic, it wasn’t something I had really thought about making before. But now I am converted and I love adding my homemade stock to my recipes – it just feels so wholesome – with the added benefit of ludicrous cost savings you’d be mad not to!

How much does it cost to make your own vegetable stock? I have worked out the price based on the actual cost for all perishable items. For example you cannot buy two sprigs of basil, therefore the cost of a sleeve of basil has been used. So remember my numbers are the maximum cost, imagine the savings if you grew your own herbs and vegetables…

Ingredients required to make vegetable stock in the Thermomix (prices from Coles at the regular price):

200g celery stalks              $ 0.44 ($2.20kg)

2 carrots                           $ 0.68 ($0.34 each)          

1 brown onion                   $ 0.54 ($2.98kg)

1 tomato                           $ 1.40 ($9.98kg)

1 zucchini                         $ 1.68 ($7.98kg)

2 garlic gloves                   $ 0.75 ($0.75 per bulb)

1 dried bay leaf                 $ 0.01 (15g packet)

1-2 sprigs fresh basil          $ 2.98 (sleeved bunch)

1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary   $ 2.98 (20g punnet)

8 sprigs parsley                  $ 2.98 (sleeved bunch)                  

150g rock salt                    $ 0.60 ($0.04 per 10g)

1tbsp olive oil                    $ 0.12 ($0.60 per 100ml)

Total Cost                          $15.16 (680g prepared stock)

My stock fitted perfectly in a jar that previously held 680g so I am using that amount to work out my figures. A lot of Thermomix recipes require 1Tbsp (20g) of vegetable stock, this equates to 34 servings from one batch and the cost of $0.45 a serve.

The cost of branded vegetable liquid stock is $4.29 for 1L at Coles supermarket.

If you were to make risotto you would need four cups (1L) of store bought vegetable stock or one tablespoon of Thermomix stock. If we look at the sodium in these two options the Thermomix stock has 75% less sodium* in it than the store bought. Also worth noting is that the sugar levels are well within the healthy range for both. 

What’s in store bought vegetable liquid stock:

Water, Carrot, Garlic, Celery, Cabbage, Onion, Parsley, Beetroot, Bay Leaves, Lettuce, Thyme, Watercress, Baby Spinach, Sugar, Sea Salt. I find that impressive - no numbers or foreign items!

So what makes sense to you? Homemade vegetable stock that you know exactly what the ingredients are at $0.45 a serve and 90% cheaper than store bought. Or paying $4.29 for store bought stock that has been sitting on a supermarket shelf? If you're a greenie think of the packaging savings here too. It’s a no brainer isn’t it?

* This figure was calculated by my genius mathematician friend - thanks Ryan!

Please let me know if you believe anything to be incorrect so I can change it – thank you!