Pros and Cons of Box Pancakes Vs. Pancakes Made from Scratch

Nothing beats waking up to a pancake breakfast! There are so many options to choose from chocolate chip pancakes, blueberry pancakes, whole wheat, and way more. Do you like small pancakes or one giant pancake? After so many decisions, you now have to decide if you want homemade pancakes or store-bought pancake mix. What are the pros and cons of pancakes made from scratch verse pancakes made from a box mix?

Pros of Pancakes made from Scratch

1. You can customize homemade pancakes however you want. I love adding bananas, blueberries, walnuts, or yogurt to the batter. Have you ever had pumpkin pancakes? Your options are limitless. It is harder to add extra ingredients to a box mix because you never know how it may alter the texture, especially when it comes to adding pumpkin or yogurt. 
2. You can make it with whatever flour you want to use. Are you gluten-free? Do you prefer wheat flour to white flour? It is harder to find specialized pancakes unless you pay an arm and a leg for them.
3. Fewer preservatives. By making pancakes at home, you use more natural ingredients without added preservatives.
4. Homemade pancakes are more filling than store-bought ones. I do not know about you, but if I only have one pancake from a mix I am still hungry. Seconds, thirds, fourths, anyone? Pancakes from a mix aren't as hardy. 
5. The flavor of homemade pancakes is so much better than store-bought ones. If you like lunch lady style pancakes, a box is a way to go. If you like something that tastes good homemade pancakes will satisfy your craving. My mom would often make pancakes after a slumber party and all of the children would go crazy for her pancakes.
6. Pancake are so easy to make. There isn't anything difficult about mixing sevin ingredients into a bowl. You can throw pancake batter together in no time!!

Pros of Pancakes Made from the Box

1. They are ready to be cooked in less than 30 seconds. Add in some water and bam! You are ready for breakfast! It can't get much easier then that. 
2. They tend to turn out perfectly every time. Do you like golden brown fluffy pancakes that are uniform? Then box mixes are for you! Do you hate cooking? Then box mixes are for you.
3. They are the best for camping. Pancake breakfast in the mountains is one of my favorite things about camping. It is a lot more convenient to pack a box of mix than to haul around all of the ingredients for pancakes.
4. They are a lot more realistic to make for a large group. Can you imagine making pancakes from scratch for 300 people? Yeah, that is not going to happen.
5. It is easy to know if you have run out of ingredients for pancakes. All you have to do is look to see if you have a bag of mix or not.
6. You do not need to look up a recipe for pancakes. Again all you need is the bag of mix, and the directions are provided for you. I think we can all agree it is more convenient to make pancakes from a mix.
7. Pancake mix is cheaper. I was floored with this discovery and did the calculations a second time to make sure I was right. Pancake mix is a little bit cheaper then pancakes from scratch. Down bellow are my calculations. Note: Box mix pancakes tend to be more airy, so even though it is cheaper there isn't as much substance. 

How much does it Cost to make a 4 inch Pancake from  a mix?

This completely depends on the mix you buy. From  two different pancake mixes I calculated approximately how much it costs for a 4 inch pancake. The Krusteaz Pancake Mix was 6.23¢/ pancake, and Mrs. Butterworth's Pancake Mix it cost 10.43¢/ pancake. (See charts bellow).

How much does Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix cost/ four inch pancake?

How much does Mrs. Butterworth's Buttermilk Pancake mix cost/ four inch pancake?

How much does it Cost to make a 4 inch Pancake Scratch?

^{For Full Recipe click here!}

Cons of Pancakes made from Scratch

1. They do not always turn out! Once upon a time, I threw a surprise birthday party for my sister and made pancakes. Oops, why do they only taste like Baking Soda? All of her friends were too kind to tell me that they were nasty. I found out after everyone had finished eating. Note to self: always taste what you make before serving it to someone else. 
2. They take longer to make. My two-year-old is all about breakfast. Every morning he begs for pancakes and is grumpy the whole time because they are taking too long to put together.(I have quickly learned that freezing pancakes can make breakfast time a lot easier.)
3. More dishes and mess to clean up, which equals more work on your part. More measuring cups, measuring spoons, whisks, and ten other things you would not need to wash. If only you were using a box mix...
4.  You have to store more ingredients. Do you bake a lot? If not, you may have to buy a bunch of things you might not use again.

Cons of Pancake Made from a Box

1. Unless you buy a whole wheat mix, plan on having no fiber in your pancakes. With my kids, this is dangerous because it means constipation for days. If you need more fiber in your diet, homemade is probably a better option for you.
2. Instead of eating a good filling breakfast, you end up being hungry in two hours. Flat cakes that have more air than pancake in them will not hold you over very long.
3. Fewer bragging rights. "These pancakes are delicious! "                                                  "Thanks! I made them from a box." You get the point!

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team

Written By: Sarah