There are times when taking the convenient route and buying an ingredient from the store is best, but other times, a bit of effort in the kitchen can save you money and give you far better results. When you consider the quality and cost of fresh ricotta cheese versus store-bought, you'll find that you should definitely make it yourself.

Part of the ricotta-making process involves draining the curds (the yummy part that you eat) of excess water, a step that most store-bought ricotta skips. Most brands use gums and stabilizers to firm up the cheese, resulting in a soggier, more watery, much less satisfying flavor and texture that may even be grainy and gummy.

Ricotta takes only minutes to make at home and uses cheap ingredients; all you need is whole milk, kosher salt, and lemon juice to create cheese that’s lighter, creamier, and fresher than anything you can buy. Some commercially available brands don't contain gums or stabilizers, so if you do decide to go with store-bought, look for these.