How to slash your grocery bill
As food costs continue to spiral, particularly fresh produce, more people are finding that growing their own ‘‘supermarket’’ in the backyard can save hundreds of dollars on grocery bills.
Forget the humble vege patch – food forests, also known as forest gardening, are a trend growing in popularity as the cost of living bites.
Marlborough pensioner Sue Brien estimates she is saving $100 per week on groceries since she dug up her small front lawn in November, and replaced it with a mini food forest where she grows berries, other fruits, tomatoes, and all types of vegetables and herbs.
‘‘When I harvest, I cook a meal for four, but freeze two portions. I have now got 76 frozen meals in my freezer – a huge variety – like nachos, curries, stir fries and roasts. My plan is that this will last me over the winter months. I have only budgeted $30 to spend at the supermarket each week on things like meat or eggs. So I’m saving $100 a week.’’
Brien has also preserved her produce, and made her own sauces and even baked beans. The mini forest has even yielded too much for one person, so she gives away food.
‘‘I’d never even heard of food forests until I read about them, and didn’t have a clue how to do all this, but I set myself a challenge to see if I could save money. I definitely recommend it as you can save heaps. Everyone is having to learn how to save more as it is not just food that is going up, but all bills.’’
Award-winning landscape architect Carl Pickens says there has been more interest in food forests since the cost of living crisis, and he has been ‘‘inundated’’.
‘‘We work a lot in this space and have been inundated with inquiries the last 18 months. This year we have started on seven new rural projects and all have either a food forest, organic permaculture orchard or annual vegetable garden or more commonly, all three.’’
Pickens helps newbie gardeners from Waikato to the far north, and can grow anything from cherimoyas and bananas to plums and peaches.
’’An awful lot’’ can be slashed from the weekly grocery bill, especially if people preserve and store what they grow. Another benefit is food security and knowing what goes into your food, he said.
‘‘Produce in New Zealand is often heavily sprayed with pesticides and herbicides. We prefer to use organic techniques – good for soil health and better for your health too.’’
Melissa Winn at Bay Property Projects recently designed a food forest for the Otū moetai Social Supermarket. More and more people are interested in productive garden designs since the pandemic and cost of living crisis, she said.
‘‘Kitchen gardens are becoming popular too. People used to think they didn’t have space to grow produce, but more people are creating a productive garden in as little as one square metre or in pots. It’s pretty cool to see the shift.’’
A family of four mature people could save upward of $200 a week, said Winn.
‘‘The best bit is that the food actually tastes so much better . . . You would also save on potential medical and dental expenses because you would be eating real food – not fake food that is full of numbers, nitrates and nitrites, causing cancers, among other bodily complications.’’
A food forest will save you money, and the planet, said permaculture expert Byron Birss.
‘‘A food forest is an edible ecosystem that mimics the structure, function and succession of a natural forest ecosystem. A well-designed and well-maintained food forest can provide a significant amount of fresh produce, fruit, and berries year-round, which can translate to significant savings on groceries.’’
Birss gave up his corporate office job to teach others how to grow their own food and rely less on supermarkets.
‘‘Starting a small food forest can be done in a weekend and can cost as little as a few hundred dollars . . . you will want a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Start small with just a few edible species and chop & drop plants, gradually adding more over time. Even a small food forest can become super productive very quickly by incorporating annuals, perennial veges and fastproducing fruit trees.’’
People who are switching on to food forests are amazed at not only what they can save but how much they can produce.
‘‘You can also grow herbs, edible flowers, and even some small livestock, such as chickens, ducks or bees, for eggs and honey.’’
Even more savings and a wider variety of food can be gained by trading surplus food with neighbours, he said.
‘‘It’s empowering to know that we can create more sustainable and resilient food systems, one food forest at a time.’’
On March 27, Birss is inviting people to his Bay of Plenty home to highlight the positives of creating your own backyard food forest. The 5pm event is part of a EnviroHub Sustainable Backyards initiative, and is $20. To sign-up: https://sby. envirohub.org.nz