EasiYo - From scratch or not from scratch that is the question?

The other day I dropped by my Mum's house (as I often do) and she started to give me a few taste tests of the things she had recently cooked most of which from scratch. My mum is a fabulous and talented lady and has a knack for cooking things from scratch. What I like most about this is that most times she can provide a cheaper alternative foods with no yucky preservatives, additives and colourings found in store bought foods.

I am not a Master Chef in fact I am a Minor Cook. So I am kinda a in the middle of the road food preparer. One thing I am loving right now is making Easi Yo Yoghurt its from a packet but i believe it works out cheaper and healthier than store bought yoghurts. It's also a very good food storage item to have because it doesn't require a culture starter to make. Here's the low down:

• You buy the yoghurt maker kit from a supermarket in the dessert section.
  
• You also buy your yoghurt packs in the same section.
  
• Price comparisons - DONT BUY FROM IGA they are the most expensive.
• Coles and Woolies are comparative so I usually stock up on a couple when they are on special.
• Woolies has Greek Easi Yo on special for $2.99 this week and it is beautiful.
  
• Big W sell the packets too, I think at the cheapest price, especially if you like to use Natural yoghurt. I think you get a pack of three for about $7 dollars something (will check out).
• Each pack makes a litre container the same as your standard Yoplait size yoghurt.
• There are great HEALTH benefits because they are post set etc. Google for more info.
• Standard everyday woolies prices are about $2.90 for Natural; $3.60-$3.90 for flavoured yoghurts.
  
• They do taste a little tarter then the Yoplait etc. But our children still eat it like mad.
• Of course there's no fruit in the packets so we add our own when we want.
  
• It takes about 8 hours to make one packet but you can safely leave it for 24 hours I believe to cook. Then allow for chill time.
  
• You only add water to the sachet and sugar if you want to sweeten the plain flavours.
• You only need boiling water to pour into the cooking thermos.
• It is not an electric based yoghurt maker.

Hopefully I've answered all possible questions. If not ask away.

Incidentally Mum made home-made soft cheese from sour milk. The result was about 250 grams of cheese from 2 litres of milk. She promptly said that she can now understand why cheese is so expensive when you look at the costs and efforts involved. We shared a laugh as she agreed to continue to buy cheese rather than make cheese from scratch.