NJ Quilter

I'll start by saying I don't eat hummus. But I need to serve hummus for business reasons. I frequently have to serve small(ish?) portions of humms on short notice. Until now, I've been running to the grocery store to pick up the necessary pre-sliced fruit; veggies; hummus on an as-needed basis.

I see from checking various recipes that it doesn't take long to make and it's not all that complicated. I guess my first question is - how long does it last?? Is it any less costly to make my own vs buying either the small tubs when I know I only need a serving or 2 over a couple of days or a larger tub when I know I need more.

Here's some back-story, as it were, as to my needs. Hubs and I fly passengers in hot air balloons as a business. After the flight we do the traditional champagne toast for the passengers and crew. Sometimes we have as few as 2 passengers/flight; sometimes as many as 8. Sometimes there are 1-2 crew people; sometimes many more. Sometimes we have 1 balloon/truck; sometimes 2. For morning flights, it's fairly easy. Mini muffins/danish; sliced fruit. For afternoons I do cheese/crackers; sliced fruit; veggies/hummus. If we have 2 balloons/trucks for any given flight, I package up duplicate quantities of all of the above - 1 for each truck - so that if one group finishes up earlier than the other, the passengers do not have to wait for both groups to start their toast.

I used to do not do the fruit or veggies for either flight time but one of our extremely dedicated crew people is a vegan. This young man is there for us day/night. I can not in good conscious not have food available for him that conforms to his dietary preferences.

So is it worth my time/money to make the hummus myself or just continue to buy the small/large tubs? I'd still be going to the grocery store for the fresh fruit/veggies but I feel I can manage those quantities fairly easily. I guess I'm also feeling a bit guilty when opening a 'used' purchased container of the hummus the next day (or 3). I buy packages of pre-sliced cheese and use a fresh one of those each flight, but do the other snacks in re-usable containers. I've done a large tub of the hummus and put that in re-usable containers as well. Just freshen everything up a bit the next flight.

Thoughts; opinions; suggestions wanted and welcome. TIA

tessagin

I have only had hummus a couple times. Each time it was from a Mediterranean market. The lady who provided the hummus said it was better than she has made and less time and expense was worth it. So your choice. There are many recipes and usually, according to her, a good stir refreshens. Just depends on the amount you need and how soon you would be using it again. Maybe it would be worth it to buy couple containers and only use as needed instead of opening a larger container and having it not so fresh the next time. I do that with sour cream. Don't use it a lot but sometimes within a couple weeks depending on use by date.

quiltbuddy

I make my own hummus al the time, so much cheaper and better than the grocery store. Soak about 1# garbanzo beans overnight. Next day I pressure cook for 8 to 12 min., depending on the age of the beans. You only want them covered by an inch or two of water when done cooking, more flavorful this way. Make hummus as usual, adding garlic ,sesame tahini,lemon, cumin etc. I find using the warm beans in a food processor will help make it smooth. Save some bean liquid but don't add too much or it will be thin by the time you add the lemon juice. I have small 1 cup containers and freeze what we're not going to use in the next 3-4 days. when ready to serve I like to adjust lemon and then add a drizzle of olive oil, smoked paprika or hot paprika and a sprinkle of good olives to the top. By the way, I live by a hot air balloon (and gliders) airport.

SewingSew

First of all, I wanted to comment on your business. That sounds so cool! I have never been up in a hot air balloon before but it is on my bucket list. I have never made humus, but I have always intended to. We usually have it on hand and I like to pair it with "Stacy's Pita Chips" Simply Naked with nothing but sea salt. I also like to make my own pita chips by using pita bread, cutting it into triangles, brushing it with olive oil and sprinkling with Italian seasoning and sesame seeds, then toasting it in the oven. I prefer Joseph's brand humus. My favorites are the roasted red pepper and jalapeno' and pineapple. I also wanted to mention that I recently bought an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, and I can't believe how easy and quick it is to cook beans using it. Of course, it is easier to just to buy beans in a can at the supermarket, but they taste better fresh. Please post a photo of your hot air balloon!

ube quilting

There really is nothing better than fresh hummus. I love it. There must be a million different recipes on line. I just bought a tub of Hope Brand Original Hummus and I love it. It comes in several flavors which I still have to try. Of all the brands I have used, this one is by far the best in my book. Look it up to see where it might be sold in your area. When there is something this good on the market I wouldn't bother making it even though it is easy to do.

I am also a vegan for 40 years so I know my way around a good hummus.

Thanks for your consideration for this good man.
peace

Lizzie142

Homemade hummus rocks!
I use canned garbanzo beans but I agree with Quiltbuddy that warm beans makes a smoother hummus so I just throw the can into a small pot, bring it to a boil and then turn it off and let it cool for a few minutes.
Another trick with the tahini (because when you buy it sometimes the sesame seeds part is hard as a rock and it is impossible to mix the oil back in) is to throw it into either a food processor or a good blender when you first get it. This will mix it up really well and it never seems to settle back into the two parts)
There are so many recipes out there but sometimes simple is better...tahini, olive oil, maybe a little lemon....

zozee

No doubt there are some fabulous recipes out there. I've only tried one and it was so-so; store bought works for me. Mediterranean brand hummus and Stacy's pita chips are my favorites, but I'm not a hummus snob because I don't eat it more than 3-4x/ month.

My concern for you is the possibility that a passenger might sue you if they claimed they got sick from the homemade hummus--whether or not it was the source. With a storebought product, you have recourse. As a passenger / total stranger, I'd be leery to try any food or drink that wasn't coming freshly opened from a manufacturer's labeled package, especially outdoors. When it comes to business, I think the small price for store bought hummus would be worth the peace of mind.

Geri B

Size is correct about the possibility of legal hassle......buy food supplies.......use as business expense items......

mac

I want to chime in about buying fresh items for each excursion. You always have to careful about cross-contamination and if a guest gets sick, you really don't know how 'sue-happy' they are. Using store bought, freshly opened, containers are your best bet. You may save a little money making your own, but in the long run you save nothing if you get sued. Plus, the extra time you spend making the food you cannot take off on your taxes, but you can certainly take off the mileage to the store and food you bought off on your taxes.

gram2five

Don't remember where I saw them or what brand, but they were individual servings of hummus. Might have been with the lunch box sizes of cheese and crackers. Just did a quick google search, and the stores that carry them included Sam's Club, Costco and Walmart. The brand name is Sabra.