Since I'm going to be going to a Halloween party anyways, I'm going to make pumpkin pie bites for comparison (I can't eat 48 of those things on my own...). The question is, do I use the pumpkin puree from the can or bake my own pumpkin?
OMGoodness, I'm going to probably eat all these before the party.
The store brand: Libby's Pumpkin
My recipe (for the pumpkin puree):
- Preheat oven to 450ยบ.
- Cut pumpkin in half (harder than it sounds).
- Place cut side down in baking dish.
- Fill baking dish with ~1/2" of water.
- Bake 45 mins - 1 hr until pumpkin in soft.
- Scoop out filling and puree in food processor until smooth.
My pumpkin puree came out a little bit runny, so I drained it through a cheesecloth to thicken it to the consistency of canned puree.
So, how do they compare? Mine is a lot lighter (I think it was the variety of pumpkin I used). Even after straining the puree, it was thinner than the canned. Nutrition-wise they are exactly the same - the only ingredient in the canned pumpkin is, well, just that - pumpkin.
If you want the recipe for the pumpkin pie bites, you can get it here: http://www.bakerella.com/pumpkin-pie-bites/
And the price comparison?
| Size | Cost | Cost/oz | |
| Libby's Pumpkin | 15 oz | $ 1.95 | $ 0.13 |
| Homemade | 4 cups | $ 5.00 | $ 0.15 |
Hmm, so it actually costs more to roast your own pumpkin. The taste was a little different - the canned pumpkin was more of a typical pumpkin taste, while mine was a little more like squash. In the recipe, my roasted pumpkin tasted a little smoother, but the color of the canned was bright orange (great for my desserts!).
So in the end, we have a can of bright orange pumpkin puree from a can that is pure roasted pumpkin that costs less than my pumpkin.
Bake or Buy? BUY!
