While learning a little about making bread, looking for ways to simplify and minimize costs, I've just thought, why not grind my own grains? Then I was thinking, maybe these bags of bird feed would work!!
Does anyone have any insights they would like to share about the pros and cons of such experimenting?
Well if it succeeds you could tweet about it.
Nothing sucks seeds like a budgerigar.
You wouldn't need to scope around for cheap flights any more
The link doesn't really say anything useful, but thanks.
The reasoning goes like this,
Coles sells 75c per k white flour
$2pk for 'wholemeal' but the ingredients are flour and bran, when sifted it's white flour and bran.
I'm just thinking of different ways to go about it.
"tweet" nice :)
I have just a found an organic 'human' wheat grain for 2.59p/k, so that may do the trick.
But I'm still curious if anyone cares to clarify the difference. I'm thinking it's more a case of perceived grain beauty (?) rather than any health concerns.
Food for Human consumption is supposed to be highly regulated food for animals isn't
Regulation is done by humans and I know a few so I was hoping to find some 'inside' knowledge rather than a 'just don't do it'. Any suggestions would be great, cheers
75c per k white flour
$2pk for 'wholemeal'
organic 'human' wheat grain for 2.59p/k
If I've interpreted your inconsistent unit formatting correctly, your proposed stock is 0.59 $/kg and 1.84 $/kg more expensive than wholemeal and white flour respectively. And that's before the cost of added labour!
O_O
What proposed stock price?
organic 'human' wheat grain for 2.59p/k
@Scrooge McDuck: OWLCHHH!!! A beak late? You know how time flys. Sheez, this is becoming a rather difficult feed to swallow McDuck!!
Sorry, I didn't think i'd ever swoop so low.
Anyway, in the spirit of the dove, an offering of peace, for birds of a cheap cheap down feather doona, need to (drum)stick together…buk buk
All of Me(ow),
Tom (cat) (foolery)
Yep I'm in ozbargain
Highly doubt bird seed has much wheat. Seeds are oily/wet in the middle and you'll end up with mush and hard bits.
HACCP
Not food grade could contain contaminants
*would
There's a good chance that during baking, some of the contaminants won't be killed off.
On the other hand, if you're looking to boost your immune system…..
which contaminants? more than regular food sure, but just more of the same I'm guessing. I'm also assuming all 'fit-for-human' foods have contaminants that must be under a certain regulatory threshold but none are free of contaminants?
looking for ways to simplify and minimize costs
So instead of using the ready to use, 100% safe flour that costs 0.75c per KG (meaning it would cost say $0.37 per loaf) you decided to buy bird feed and grind it yourself.
no, i decided to ask for ozbargainers opinions, thanks for yours
Ha, while your looking at completely ridiculous ideas that seem to have no basis in reality,how about milking hamsters? Or teaching chickens to swim? :)
No silly…You would pluck the feathers from the chicken,to diy your own doona and pillows :p
Had a look at the shops and saw dog food. Wondered if fit for human consumption. Reasoning goes like this:
Chicken mince $7/kg
Home brand dog roll $1.50/kg
You need to have a serious think OP
there is probably very little difference between the pink slime used for cheap sausages and house brand dog food roll.
well, ok. thanks for your imput.
Have you ever bought bird seed? It usually has mystery items in it, bits of dried grass etc. Recommendation: do not eat.
Hi, no, never bought it…
Kramer, is that you?
Isn't bird seed full of… seeds? Not just wheat?
Full moon was last week, why are the weirdos still about?
i now know ozbargain isn't the place for my (silly) questions. At least we've all had a good laugh and felt like we existed for a second or two by trying to make comedy to strangers at the expense of other strangers. Peace out
Uhh I would have to say no. Both humans and birds have different bodies and dietary requirements.
Here's something to think about, besides the serious issues of food safety, etc. Will your ground up seeds have enough gluten to form bread? You know that dough has to have gluten to trap the air bubbles that are part of bread, don't you? But then if you are just planning to make biscuits or hardtack, fly on.
Lay off baking and eating those Hash Cookies.
Clearly never bought bird seed before. If you think all you will find in it is seed, you are sorely mistaken. Every bag I have bought has contained some pieces of wood and/or stone/rocks.
Yes, birds are good at leaving those behind.
I don't think that the result would be edible. There isn't enough gluten in birdseed to hold it in a risen form and so it would be like a stodgy flatbread that probably wouldn't taste nice. And it may have harmful bits and toxins in it as it is not human grade quality. So using bird seed to make bread is totally counter productive if you are looking to save $'s and make an organic bread. To get a good end result and ensure that all the effort has been worthwhile - you really need to start with quality ingredients because no amount of milling or processing questionable ingredients is going to make them good. Source quality ingredients from baker's wholesaler or companies that specialise in selling organic flour online.
Bird seed is not just wheat. All sort of "plants" grow in your lawn when you have birds.
Did you actually realise that many plants seed, so good bird mix has the popular seeds that the birds like - a mixture.
The food standards do not apply to pet food, so as others have said, why woild you risk it?
Have you actually costed bread making? I didn't find it cheaper.
If you are concerned about knowing what goes into your bread is good quality, then buy good quality foods in bulk. I have milled my own seeds, but not for bread. The result is nothing like the purchased product. Milled rice looks nothing like nor feels like rice flour either. Sugar milled does not equal icing sugar, but it will do the job.
I choose to mill/grind for my health. If this is your reason, Then do not use bird seed.
I have just remembered millet is a Predominant factor is bird seed as well as grass seeds - at least for small birds.
hi,
Regarding the bird feed, there are bags of unmixed seed available.
The food standards are in place for a reason, for sure, but what is the actual risk? rocks, poison, rancid seed? just curious..
I have costed bread making, I've found it's much more value for money. I also find it a joy to make bread, especially with my 3 year old.
As far as my question goes, it was perhaps just a silly idea I wanted to get some opinions on. I haven't read an answer that address' the question. I really thought that someone would have been through the pros/cons and had a decent thought out reasoning for or against, i'm sure it's on the www somewhere. I could phrase the question better and have done a little more research first, i was just coming ot ozbargain for the insight that is sometimes shared. Thank you for your reply, :)
I think they dont remove pests like worms in bird flour…
Extra protein?
I just had a quick look at the ingredient list for a packet of bird seed at Pet Barn and one of the ingredients listed is Fine shell grit.
Yum yum.
Yes, I remember from long ago that chickens eat sand to help them grind up the food in their crops and gizzards as they don't have stomachs or teeth. So the grit is needed for this. Presumably this is true of birds in general.
There might even be cuttlefish beak for calcium and egg shell pieces. Mmmm mmm.
So in an attempt to save a few cents you want to eat bird feed?
I've set up a portable milling machine on the passenger seat in my car so when I'm stuck in traffic I can grind bird seed.
Plus-vote for dedicated multi-tasking.
excellent idea.
I also make sure i wring out all my clothes of sweat so i can distill it to drink again.
This goes for other bodily fluids
A previous Prime Minister of India used to drink his own urine every morning.
That'll confuse the heck out of any cop that stops you thinking you've been using your phone.
I've come late to this conversation, but I'll point out that birds have a very fast digestive system, food in to poop out is much faster than humans. As such, bacteria don't have time to multiply significantly in the "stomach" of the birds, so food intended for birds does not need to be nearly as sanitary as food for humans and animals with slower digestive systems.
https://prdseed.com/is-bird-seed-ok-for-humans/
anyway, baker's flour is cheap enough, i don't see why you would need to go out of your way to mill bird seed to produce flour. Need to take into account the energy required to mill the grains into flour, isn't that also an extra cost? (not to mention you'd need to own a cereal grinder)