One of the best ways to cut food costs is by growing your own produce. Sure, it takes time to see the results of your green thumb, but in the end, you may find that it was worth it to set up your own backyard garden.
If fresh fruits are always on your grocery list, you may dread the prices when certain ones aren't on sale. The good news is that you may be able to slash the produce expense altogether by growing them yourself! Like certain vegetables, there are several fruits that are actually cheaper to grow at home. You just need the patience and determination to see the plant to the finish line.
If you love going to pick your own fresh strawberries, why not grow your own? Stevens says, "Strawberries are easy to grow in raised beds or containers, and they multiply each year through runners. A few plants can turn into a patch pretty quickly. The berries you pick at home are fresher and sweeter—and you avoid paying $5+ for a pint." Definitely a huge homegrown win!
Like strawberries, our experts say raspberries and blackberries are other berries that are easy to cut from your grocery bill to grow in your backyard. And, the best part? These plants keep producing! "Raspberries and blackberries come back every year," Chastain says. "The plants spread on their own, so you get more fruit each season without doing that much. Once they’re in the ground, they mostly take care of themselves."
If you're a plum lover then you'll be happy to know Stevens says this is another fruit easy to plant and grow yourself. "If you have the space for a tree, plums are a great long-term investment," she says. "I have an Italian prune plum tree that puts out more fruit than I can use every fall. They’re easy to dry, freeze, or turn into sauce—and fresh plums aren’t cheap at the store."
While growing your own apples is going to take several years of patience before the plant starts producing, it's another fruit that's easy to pick in your own backyard. Chastain says, "Apple trees are also amazing if you have the space. Just make sure to plant two varieties near each other so they can cross pollinate." Plan to see apples start to appear seven to ten years after planting the tree, so in the meantime, you might have to buy some from the store until your own are ready!
Though rhubarb is technically a vegetable, Stevens says it's often used as a fruit and one that's easy to grow at home. "Once you plant rhubarb, it comes back stronger every year and needs very little care," she says. "At the store, it's seasonal and pricey, but a backyard patch gives you a steady supply every spring for pies, compotes, and jam."
Technically a fruit, you can easily grow your favorite tomato variety outside to keep from purchasing them at the store. But be cautious: tomato plants usually produce a lot more than you'd expect, so have a plan in place to either preserve what you don't eat or give them to loved ones. In terms of price, Chastain says growing your own cherry tomatoes is very beneficial for your wallet since they can cost several dollars a pint at the store while one plant costs less than one pint.
Those favorite fig bars you pick up at the store? You now can make your own once your own figs come in and are ready to harvest. "Figs are another one people don’t think about. Fresh figs are expensive, and they don’t travel well. But if you’ve got the space, a fig tree can produce a ton of fruit once it’s mature," says Chastain.
