People love to say that there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal. Does the same rule apply to cannabis edibles?
Many stoners feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to homemade vs. store-bought edibles. If you asked me five years ago, I would’ve laughed my ass out of the dispensary and started whipping up some THC-dosed oatmeal raisin cookies (they’re better than chocolate chip and I’ll fight you over it). But these days, store-bought edibles are potent. Like, forget-your-own-middle-name potent.
But which type of edible is better? More importantly, which is better for you?
By Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels
We can also refer to these as The Man’s™ edibles. But in this case, The Man™ is sort of cool. First, I want to talk about the store-bought edibles, whether you have a local dispensary or you exclusively shop online.
The first benefit of choosing store-bought edibles is that you get to be lazy. All you have to do is hand over the money, and your next high is in your hands.
Other major pros include the rigorous lab testing these products undergo. The dosages are precise, so there’s no “eyeing” measurements or guesstimating, like some of us do in the kitchen. But it’s not just about amounts. It’s also about the cannabinoid and other ingredient ratios, as these impact the entourage effect and can strongly influence your experience.
Dispensaries and cannabis companies have to follow intense regulations and strict guidelines. These don’t apply in your kitchen at home. If you’re new to cannabis and nervous about taking too much or having a bad experience, I think store-bought is the safer bet. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting into and can better control your experience.
Plus, screwing up homemade edibles can be disgusting. F*** it up enough and you’ll be forcing yourself to eat brownies that taste like literal grass, like from your neighbor’s lawn.
To recap, the pros are precise dosing, strict regulation, consistent flavor, and convenience. There’s for sure an argument to be made for these.
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Homemade edibles can be a wild ride. There are a million ways to make them, from cannabutter to gummies to classic pot brownies. And there’s a billion ways to screw them up. Even if you’re a great baker (I am not), edibles are still tricky, so don’t go in with too much confidence.
Homemade edibles give you total control over your dosage, ingredients, flavor, and everything else. If you want to make a 250mg THC brownie, you can. I recommend saying a prayer before eating it, but do you.
One of the biggest pros of making your own edibles is the cost. Whether you start with straight flower or use a pre-made tincture, you’re likely to save money.
Despite the many failures and frustrations I’ve experienced, making edibles can also be a blast. You get to be creative, combining the science of edibles with the art of flavor.
The drawbacks are the other sides of all these coins. You get complete control, but that means you could make them too strong or disappointingly weak. You could make whack cookies that taste like mouse food. Like I said, a billion things can go awry. And if you mess up so bad that they have to go in the trash, that’s money down the drain.
Basically, making edibles at home can be fun, affordable, and customizable, but it takes skill and practice.
If you’ve been taking edibles for a long time and know what you like, don’t like, and can handle, then try making your own. There truly is something cozy and special about homemade edibles. But the convenience and consistency of store-bought can’t be discounted.
Many stoners feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to homemade vs. store-bought edibles. If you asked me five years ago, I would’ve laughed my ass out of the dispensary and started whipping up some THC-dosed oatmeal raisin cookies (they’re better than chocolate chip and I’ll fight you over it). But these days, store-bought edibles are potent. Like, forget-your-own-middle-name potent.
But which type of edible is better? More importantly, which is better for you?
Edibles From the Dispensary: Lazy and Precise
We can also refer to these as The Man’s™ edibles. But in this case, The Man™ is sort of cool. First, I want to talk about the store-bought edibles, whether you have a local dispensary or you exclusively shop online.
The first benefit of choosing store-bought edibles is that you get to be lazy. All you have to do is hand over the money, and your next high is in your hands.
Other major pros include the rigorous lab testing these products undergo. The dosages are precise, so there’s no “eyeing” measurements or guesstimating, like some of us do in the kitchen. But it’s not just about amounts. It’s also about the cannabinoid and other ingredient ratios, as these impact the entourage effect and can strongly influence your experience.
Dispensaries and cannabis companies have to follow intense regulations and strict guidelines. These don’t apply in your kitchen at home. If you’re new to cannabis and nervous about taking too much or having a bad experience, I think store-bought is the safer bet. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting into and can better control your experience.
Plus, screwing up homemade edibles can be disgusting. F*** it up enough and you’ll be forcing yourself to eat brownies that taste like literal grass, like from your neighbor’s lawn.
To recap, the pros are precise dosing, strict regulation, consistent flavor, and convenience. There’s for sure an argument to be made for these.
Homemade Edibles: Cozy and Customized
Homemade edibles can be a wild ride. There are a million ways to make them, from cannabutter to gummies to classic pot brownies. And there’s a billion ways to screw them up. Even if you’re a great baker (I am not), edibles are still tricky, so don’t go in with too much confidence.
Homemade edibles give you total control over your dosage, ingredients, flavor, and everything else. If you want to make a 250mg THC brownie, you can. I recommend saying a prayer before eating it, but do you.
One of the biggest pros of making your own edibles is the cost. Whether you start with straight flower or use a pre-made tincture, you’re likely to save money.
Despite the many failures and frustrations I’ve experienced, making edibles can also be a blast. You get to be creative, combining the science of edibles with the art of flavor.
The drawbacks are the other sides of all these coins. You get complete control, but that means you could make them too strong or disappointingly weak. You could make whack cookies that taste like mouse food. Like I said, a billion things can go awry. And if you mess up so bad that they have to go in the trash, that’s money down the drain.
Basically, making edibles at home can be fun, affordable, and customizable, but it takes skill and practice.
Choose Your Treats Wisely
My best advice for newbies is to stick with store-bought for a while. Get a good feel for how different edible dosages affect you. You can even assess the pre-made edibles and consider what you would change if you made them.If you’ve been taking edibles for a long time and know what you like, don’t like, and can handle, then try making your own. There truly is something cozy and special about homemade edibles. But the convenience and consistency of store-bought can’t be discounted.
