> From: Danny Dunn <dandunn@flash.net>
> Subject: Digest Bread-Bakers.v096..n30.4
> Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 11:29:18 -0500
<deleted>
> ........ probably lower if you bought in bulk, but here is my list:
> Milk $2.17/gal (I used 2%), Bread Flour $1.64/5 lbs, Salt $0.35/26
> oz, Butter $2.33/lb, Sugar $1.86/5 lbs, Yeast $6.97/7 oz.
>
> The receipe I am using is for Basic White Bread from "Bread Machine
> Magic" (1.5 lb loaf) - 1/2 cup water, 5/8 cup milk, 3 cups bread
> flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 Tbs butter, 3 Tbs sugar, 1 1/2
> yeast.
>
> (To simplify, I have omitted all the conversion factors used.)
>
> Butter - 1 lb = 32 Tbs for $2.33, therefore 1 1/2 Tbs = $0.110/loaf.
>
> Milk - 1 gal = 18 cup for $2.17, therefore 5/8 cup = $0.076/loaf.
>
> Bread Flour - 5 lb = 10 cup for $1.64, therefore 3 cups =
> $0.492/loaf.
>
> Sugar - 5 lb = 160 Tbs for $1.86, therefore 3 Tbs = $0.0360/loaf.
>
> Salt - 26 oz = 156 tsp for $0.35, therefore 1 1/2 tsp = $0.003/loaf.
>
> Yeast - 7 oz = 42 tsp for $6.97, therefore 1 1/2 tsp = $0.249/loaf.
>
> Water - I could use the cost of bottled water from the store at
> $1.00/gal, but I think this is way too high. Looking at my last
> water bill, tap water is probably less than $0.01/gal. I am
> therefore going to consider the cost of water used in the loaf of
> bread to be negotiable (i.e., less than $0.001/loaf).
>
> The total cost of a loaf of bread (listing most to least expensive
> ingredients) -
>
> Ingredient Cost per Loaf (Cents)
>
> Bread Flour 49.2
>
> Yeast 24.9
>
> Butter 11.0
>
> Milk 7.6
>
> Sugar 3.6
>
> Salt 0.3
>
> Water 0.0
> ---------
> Total $96.6/loaf
>
> When I was at Wal-Mart I noticed that a 1 1/2 lb load of Wonder
> bread cost $0.93.
>
> Conclusions - It cost about as much to make bread in an ATM as it
> does to buy it already made at the store. The most expensive
> ingredients in a leaf of bread are flour and yeast.
I have no problem with Danny's figures as presented; however, they do
NOT represent my cost for a loaf of bread. For one thing, I
generally use a different recipe for our "everyday" bread, and as
Danny points out, there is a difference in price in buying in bulk.
It is actually a very great difference.
My cost for bulk ingredients (I realize not everyone bakes enough to
justify bulk purchase):
Flour - (Sam's Discount) $6.27/25 pounds
Yeast - (Sam's Discount on sale) $2.77/2 pounds [yes, pounds, not
ounces!)
Oil - $4.85/gallon (I use regular cooking oil so don't buy special for
baking)
Salt - $0.33/1 pound
Water - free from my well
I used Danny's conversion numbers. The recipe I use is for Italian
bread, and I have posted it on the list before, but to illustrate,
the ingredients are:
1 1/3 c water..................................free
2 t salt............................................0.003
2 T oil.............................................0.019
3 1/2 c bread flour..........................0.418
2 t yeast.........................................0.028
Cost per 1 1/2LB loaf...................$0.468
I suspect I get more than 3 loaves from 5 pounds of flour but
haven't checked. This, of course, only addresses cost and not
benefit. I would still make bread if it cost me 3 times as much
just for the flavor. :)
Regards.
Bill Hatcher
bhatcher@gc.net
Southampton County, Virginia, USA