Why so many families bake sourdough

• Simple ingredients. Homemade sourdough takes flour, water, salt and your starter. Nothing else.
• Slow fermentation. Studies suggest a long, slow rise may soften the blood sugar response to bread, and it helps break down phytates, which may make some minerals in the flour easier to absorb.
• Gentle on many tummies. Many people find sourdough easier to digest than quick-rise bread, likely because the long rise breaks down some of the carbohydrates that can bother sensitive stomachs.

Real savings at home

A traditional sourdough loaf at the grocery store costs around $7 to $10, and for gluten-free sourdough loaves it can cost between $10 and $15 for half a loaf. Bakery loaves often run $12 to $25 or more. Baked at home, the same loaf costs about $2 in flour, salt and oven time. If your family bakes one loaf a week, that's roughly $250 or more a year saved compared with store-bought, and $500 or more compared with the bakery.

New to sourdough? You don't have to figure it out alone. Tammy helps you every step, by phone or text, from your first feeding to your first loaf.