Most economical whole wheat bread

[kedwards313]

We currently use a store-bought whole wheat double fiber bread that costs $3 a loaf. *I am looking to make my own and want to do it in the most economical way possible. *I purchased a bread machine at a local thrift for $5 and have used it a couple of times and have been pleased with the result. *I purchased some Hodgson Mills Organic Whole Wheat flour at Walmart, but it was $2.44 for a 2lb box. *They carry some Gold Medal Whole Wheat for about $2.50 for a 5lb bag, but it was out of stock. *Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the best product?

Kim

[mom]

If you don't want to grind your own wheat, maybe a Sams Club or such would have larger sizes for cheaper

[Shamrock1121]

We currently use a store-bought whole wheat double fiber bread that costs $3 a loaf. *I am looking to make my own and want to do it in the most economical way possible. *I purchased a bread machine at a local thrift for $5 and have used it a couple of times and have been pleased with the result. *I purchased some Hodgson Mills Organic Whole Wheat flour at Walmart, but it was $2.44 for a 2lb box. *They carry some Gold Medal Whole Wheat for about $2.50 for a 5lb bag, but it was out of stock. *Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the best product?

Kim


Mill your own grains if at all possible! Freshly-milled flour is the only way to get the 25 vitamins, minerals and proteins, as well as the high fiber benefit.

I consider commercial whole wheat flour an even pooer product than white flour, and would never use it if I couldn't mill my own.

Much of commercial whole wheat flour has the germ removed to improve the shelf-life - that's where the essential wheat germ oil and much of the nutrition in wheat is stored. It's often white flour with some of the bran raked back into it to make it "brown".

If the commercial whole wheat flour DOES contain the germ, then the oils have degraded to a point they are more dangerous from oxidation (free radicles) than using bleached or unbleached flour. Once milled, flour can become rancid in a relatively short amount of time and rancid oils don't have to smell rancid to BE rancid. If you can smell rancidity, it's been rancid for a long time.

I never keep freshly milled flour at room temperature, and any leftover flour is frozen to slow down the degredation of the germ oil and loss of the nutrients and use it within a week of milling. There are studies that have shown that vitamin loss begins as quickly as 3 hours after milling (when kept at room temperature or warmer). Whole wheat flours that have been left on the shelf for many months have lost large portions of their B Complex and C Vitamins.

What would I do to increase nutrition and fiber? I wouldn't use commercial whole wheat flour AT ALL. I'd add 3 T. flaxmeal to bread recipes (I add flaxmeal to all my breads and baked goods) and use UNbleached flour (unbleached bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour). Bleached flour is next to poison and unlawful in some states and many countries. I also add high-fiber and high-nutrition chia seeds in the form of chia gel (chia seeds and water).

You can make your own flaxmeal in a coffee/spice mill - once again, fresh is best. You can also add sprouted wheat, or other sprouted whole grains to increase the fiber and nutrition.

I also add coarsely-milled grain mixtures that are similar to multi-grain cereal blends that are used in cooked cereal. The problem with using commercial products is the same as using commercial whole wheat flour. Once the bran has been cracked (milling into flour or coarsely chopped) oxygen begins to degrade the germ oil and the nutrients. That's why I mill my own cereal for multi-grain cereal blends (similar to 5-grain or 7-grain cereal) and for cooked cereal (cream of wheat or cream of rice) and make my own flakes on a flaker mill.

When you purchase expensive commercial whole wheat flour, you are paying for little more than the fiber. Most of the nutrition has degraded and the germ oil is rancid.

-Karen

[kedwards313]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have no idea where to start to mill my own whole wheat flour, but would love to learn more about it. Where do I start - what mill, what grains do I get to grind and where, etc? I'm sorry for the basic questions, but greatly appreciate the help.

Kim

[Shamrock1121]

Thanks for the suggestions. *I have no idea where to start to mill my own whole wheat flour, but would love to learn more about it. *Where do I start - what mill, what grains do I get to grind and where, etc? *I'm sorry for the basic questions, but greatly appreciate the help.

Kim

Oooooooooo, I LOVE basic questions and I love to convert fine folks to the joys of milling. ;D

Commercial whole wheat flour tastes like old road dust to me, compared to freshly-milled. I have a terrible time judging foods at the fair because nearly all the wholegrain entries are made with that awful commercial flour.

If you look at the topics in the Breads and Grains section, you will find lots of information already posted. You'll find information about mills, grain types, how to make whole wheat bread that isn't a "brick", and lots of other things.

BTW - what kind of bread machine do you have? The Zojirushi is the only one I know of that will do 100% whole wheat bread. I use a Zojirushi bread machine for nearly all my bread recipes anymore. It does an excellent job. I only make dough in the machine - never bake in it.

Give the archives a read, and if you have more questions, post them or PM me.

-Karen

[kedwards313]

Thanks, Karen. I actually have 2 machines - an Oster and a West Bend. I don't think either of them have a real strong motor. I will have to keep my eye out for a Zojirushi.

I did a little searching yesterday and found a source for Red Wheat Berries about an hour from me. The charge $35 for 60 lbs. Is that a good price? Approximately how many cups of flour should I get out of a pound of berries? Now, I have to be on the look-out for a mill.

Kim

[Shamrock1121]

Thanks, Karen. *I actually have 2 machines - an Oster and a West Bend. *I don't think either of them have a real strong motor. *I will have to keep my eye out for a Zojirushi.

I did a little searching yesterday and found a source for Red Wheat Berries about an hour from me. *The charge $35 for 60 lbs. *Is that a good price? *Approximately how many cups of flour should I get out of a pound of berries? *Now, I have to be on the look-out for a mill.

Kim

I paid $43.00 for 100# in July for the last wheat I purchased (hard white winter wheat - 13.1% protein), which was the most I'd ever paid for wheat. We can only hope it goes down. I was paying $20/100# for Wheat Montana wheat a few months before that at Wal-Mart, but they haven't carried any since last April.

You'll get a little more extraction from white wheat than red.

One chart I have says:

-45# = 158 cups flour
-1# or approx. 3 c. wheat = 4 c. flour
-a scant 2/3 c. wheat = 1 c. flour
-1 c. uncooked wheat = 2 c. cooked

-Karen

[kldickinson1]

Karen: Why do you add chia seed gel? Is it just for nutrition, or does it serve another purpose?

[Shamrock1121]

Karen: Why do you add chia seed gel? Is it just for nutrition, or does it serve another purpose?

Chia seeds are packed with nutrition and fiber, but because they become a "gel" when added to water, and the seeds hold a tremendous amount of moisture, homemade breads stay moist and tender longer when chia seed gel are added to them.

The three ingredients that keep my homemade bread moist enough to use for a soft peanut butter sandwich 7 days after the bread was baked are, chia seed gel, coconut oil, and agave nectar (a natural honey-like sweetener).

-Karen