So I'm under the impression that a jar of applesauce would be cheaper to buy than to make - I believe they use the "crummy" or un-pretty apples for apple-sauce, and save only the pretty apples for selling whole at a higher mark-up in the grocery store.  Is there some other benefit to making your own applesauce that would triumph over the cost factor?  Or is my impression in fact, wrong, and it IS more economical to make your own applesauce?

I understand that applesauce can have a lot of additives - I'm already in the habit of buying the stuff that only has apples in it, with nothing else added.  I'm talking purely cost effectiveness/other benefits here.

Unless you can get apples for free, it's a lot cheaper to buy  canned applesauce on sale at the store.  I'll make batches at home when I can get 3# bags of apples for $1.  Each bag makes about a quart of sauce, which I freeze.   It takes an hour or so to cook/mash/strain, so I try to make several quarts at a time. 

The advantage of homemade isn't so much the cost or convenience as it is the flavor.  Sauce made from gravensteins or jonathans or yellow transparents tastes so much better than most of the grocery store stuff, which I think is usually made with delicious apples.

That's what I thought :)  Thanks!

yeah the taste difference is amazing. My mom makes applesauce and then freezes it. it's very yummy. But your right buying the apples in a store wouldn't be cost effective. But if you have a friend or family member w/an apple tree they'd probably give them to you or if you live near apple orchards you can buy the seconds (the not so pretty apples) for pretty cheap.

Yeah I thought about that apple orchard thing.  I live in western PA - lots of apples around here.  But I happen to know the closest place takes their seconds and makes cider out of them (they're pretty famous for it), so I kinda gave up.

Although I did plant an apple tree in my own yard.  Guess I'll just have to wait a couple years for fruits before making my own :)

I used to get as many free apples as I wanted when I lived out west, but here in the midwest I have to buy them.  Michigan apples go on sale in the winter when they start to go soft. While this affects them for fresh eating, they still make great applesauce.

canned applesauce just isn't the same.  making your own is easy, and you can even do it in the crock pot.  keep an eye on the classified ads in the fall, someone will have apples for you.  make a ton and freeze it.  (i like to put red-hots in mine!)

I think you'd be surprised how cheaply you can get apples from an orchard in season. They do make cider out of their seconds, but if you ask if they have any good sauce apples available they'll often sell you some. Also, let friends and relatives know you're looking for apples. They'll know someone with a tree who has more apples than motivation and will come and let you pick them for free.

 

I used to have three apple trees and a bunch of people took the "nasties" for pies, jellies, and sauce. My grandmother used to make applesauce in the microwave!