Replacing five grocery items is the beginning to eating healthier and saving money on groceries on your frugal suburban homestead. When asked for gardening advice, I tell people the best thing to do is start with your seeds. Plan what you will eat. For example. I don’t eat beets. My husband is the only one in the house who likes beets. We didn’t save any money that year because I never really bought beets.
Choose grocery items you will eat and want to grow on your frugal homestead. My garden list always includes tomatoes because we use a lot of those for chili and spaghetti. Then, I add one new one like carrots for this year. Last year I replaced green pepper with sweet peppers, but those didn’t work out so well. Green peppers will be back on my list.
Eggs: Store Bought vs. Backyard Coop
Fifteen years ago I purchased six chickens and a coop for our frugal homestead. We have never went back. Those six chickens have long been gone, but our desire for fresh eggs remain. We save so much money owning our own chickens.
You don’t need a lot of chickens, but you do need ones that will lay eggs plentifully. Over the years’ we have identified which chickens we wish to own, and which are good for the flock. Keep good records so that you know which breed of chickens you prefer.
Fresh Herbs: Grow your Favorites
Growing your own herbs has been so much fun for me. I learned how to grow them last year outside of my garden space intermingled with my flowers. I know, you probably think “really” that is not hard. But, hear me out. My thinking was everything had to fit in a box in my garden. When I saw some gardens at our State Fair that had sage in them for beauty it was eye opening for me.
Perennials are the herbs I grow more frequently. I have indoor flowers that keep me busy in the winter, so if I add any annual herbs that have to be brought in they usually die. My garden is my best annual project, and if I over extend that into fall I forget those also. For me, I have found herbs that come up on their own have a better longevity in my herb garden. Replacing your grocery items On a frugal homestead like cilantro, basil, oregano and rosemary is easy if you choose to grow your own. Window kits are perfect for those in apartments or live in the city with no yard space.
The Frugal Homestead Leafy greens- Salad and Cooking Supplies
Romaine lettuce is my favorite because I love Caesar salads. They are so good and the lettuce tastes good to me. Arugula has more of a bitter taste, so I don’t really grow that leafy green.
Taking on new vegetables to try is a challenge, but this year I am going to substitute my salad selection for something new.
Spinach is another leafy green that I am going to try and grow. Kale has a taste that I don’t love, even though I have grown it and it is easy to grow. This leafy green grows best in cooler weather. Harvest season is when I stop planting, otherwise as I mentioned before, I forget to harvest it. Then, it becomes food for the animals on your frugal homestead.
Tomatoes and Foods that Include Tomatoes
I grow my tomatoes in the ground. For many years’ I grew a lot of tomatoes. Now, my thinking has changed. Instead of planting a lot of plants, I plant a few plats and work on a big harvest from those plants. If you look back on all of the recipes used for tomatoes the observation can be made they support aloe of winter recipes.
Look into canning and freezing tomatoes once they are harvested. Another item that can be replaced from the grocery store is corn.
Homegrown Corn and Corn Products
Corn is used in vegetable soup, as aside side dish, and wonderful as the main ingredient in corn casserole. If you have never had corn casserole try to make it for Thanksgiving. It will become your most requested side dish for pitch ins.
Conclusion
This summer buys some seeds, purchase some raised beds, or large planters and start growing. If you have any space in your yard, front or back I challenge you to get rid of the grass and chemicals to keep it treated. Start a garden and some flowers. Preserve your food, and next winter you will see lower grocery bills for sure.
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