Episode 29

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Published on:

21st Jul 2026

The Great Meatball Debate: Homemade versus Store Bought

In this episode of Everyday Cooks Recipe Club, Stephanie and Kelly try to answer the question: is making meatballs from scratch worth the time and effort? Stephanie walks us through a meatball recipe and then conducts a taste test with her husband.

In this episode, we talk about:

  • How homemade meatballs are easy to make and taste great
  • How you can make the meatballs in the air fryer, oven, slow cooker or on the stove
  • How the traditional meatball recipe calls for half ground beef and half ground pork, but Stephanie uses half ground turkey and half ground pork
  • Stephanie’s taste test using Trader Joe’s Turkey Meatballs vs Preppy Kitchen’s meatball recipe
  • Matt’s verdict: the homemade meatballs were more flavorful and softer
  • Kelly also shares a few meatball recipes with tasty sauces
  • How store bought meatballs are so convenient and do taste good
  • How you have to consider your time and the cost of the groceries in making your decision

Resources & Links

Preppy Kitchen Meatballs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5QDQ7nvIbA

Martha Stewart Meatballs

https://www.marthastewart.com/314668/classic-meatballs

Banh Mi Style Meatballs

https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/banh-mi-meatball-bowls-6006fe3bfa868674aa3c47b9

Meatballs with Bulgogi Sauce

https://twoplaidaprons.com/beef-bulgogi-meatballs/

Firecracker Meatballs

https://www.theendlessmeal.com/firecracker-meatballs/

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Disclaimer

Everyday Cooks Recipe Club is a podcast for home cooks who love exploring new recipes and sharing the experience. We feature recipes from talented chefs, cookbook authors, and food creators, always giving full credit to the original source. We do not claim ownership of these recipes, and we encourage listeners to support the chefs by purchasing their cookbooks or visiting their websites or social channels. For copyright reasons, we do not share full recipes in our show notes. Instead, we talk about our own cooking experiences, tips, and takeaways.

Credit

Original Music by Matthew J. Smith

Recipe Testers are Matt, Ryan, Matt and Cameron

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About the Podcast

Everyday Cooks Recipe Club
Welcome to Everyday Cooks Recipe Club—a fun, no-pressure cooking podcast for home cooks of all levels who love discovering easy recipes, helpful kitchen tips, and the occasional hilarious cooking mishap. We’re Kelly and Stephanie, two friends who started a cooking club to make our dinners more exciting and now we’re inviting you to pull up a chair and join us.

Here’s the deal: Every month, one of us picks a recipe. It could be a cozy family favorite, a new dish we’ve never tried, or something that pushes us out of our comfort zone. We each make it in our own kitchens, navigating grocery shopping adventures, ingredient swaps, and plenty of “learning moments” along the way.

Then we get together to dish on:
~Why we chose it
~How the shopping went
~The steps that made us cheer, laugh, or groan
~The tweaks we’d try next time
~Whether it’s destined to become a weeknight staple or a one-time experiment

That’s our main monthly episode, a recipe deep dive with real talk about what worked and what didn’t. The rest of the month, you’ll get short and snackable episodes filled with quick meal ideas, time-saving cooking tips, kitchen gadget finds, and simple recipes you can make anytime. Think of them as the side dishes to our main course.

If you’re looking for a home cooking podcast that feels more like chatting with friends in the kitchen than watching a polished cooking show, you’re in the right place. We believe great food doesn’t have to be complicated, mistakes make the best stories, and every home cook deserves a little club of their own.

So grab your spatula, pour yourself something tasty, and hit play. Welcome to Everyday Cooks Recipe Club where we’re sharing recipes, tips, and laughs one month at a time, with plenty of delicious detours along the way.

About your host

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Kelly Smith