Growing your own food is a smart way to save money on groceries. Many fruits and veggies cost a lot at the store, but you can grow them at home for much less.
By planting the right crops in your garden, you can cut your grocery bill while enjoying fresh, homegrown produce.
1) Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the best crops to grow at home if you want to save money on groceries. Store-bought tomatoes can be expensive, especially when you’re looking for flavorful varieties.
Growing your own tomatoes gives you a much better taste than what you’ll find in stores. Plus, you can choose from many different types based on what you like to eat.
Tomatoes need three main things to grow well: plenty of sun, nutrient-rich soil, and good support. Make sure to plant them in a spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day.
You can grow tomatoes in your garden, raised beds, or even containers if you’re short on space. Even a few plants can produce enough tomatoes to offset your food costs for months.
Different varieties serve different purposes. Cherry tomatoes are great for snacking and salads. Roma tomatoes work well for sauces and canning. Beefsteak varieties give you nice big slices for sandwiches.
If you’re a beginner, start with just a few plants to learn the process. As you gain experience, you can expand your tomato garden and save even more money.
2) Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a great choice for cutting your grocery bill. They grow easily and produce a lot of fruit over the growing season. Many gardeners find that just a few cucumber plants can provide enough for a family.
You can grow cucumbers from seeds or starter plants. They thrive in warm soil, so it’s best to plant them after the last frost. Make sure to give them plenty of sun and water.
Cucumbers can be grown in pots if you’re short on space. You’ll need to provide something for them to climb on, like a trellis or cage. This helps them grow upward instead of along the ground.
One cucumber plant can produce 10-20 cucumbers throughout the season. This can save you $15-30 at the grocery store. Fresh homegrown cucumbers also taste much better than store-bought ones.
Harvest your cucumbers when they’re medium-sized for the best flavor. If you pick them regularly, the plants will keep producing. You can use your harvest for salads, pickles, or refreshing summer drinks.
3) Lettuce
Lettuce is one of the easiest crops to grow and can help lower your grocery expenses. It grows quickly, often ready to harvest in just 30-45 days from planting. You can start picking the outer leaves while letting the center continue to grow.
Different varieties like arugula, mesclun, and romaine give you options to match your taste preferences. These greens cost several dollars per bunch at the store, but seeds cost only a few dollars for hundreds of plants.
Lettuce grows well in containers, raised beds, or directly in the ground. It doesn’t need much space, making it perfect even for small gardens or balconies.
You can plant lettuce in both spring and fall since it prefers cooler weather. This gives you two growing seasons to save money throughout the year.
For continuous harvests, plant small batches every two weeks. This “succession planting” ensures you’ll always have fresh lettuce available when you need it.
Growing your own lettuce also means you get the freshest greens possible without pesticides. The flavor difference between garden-fresh and store-bought lettuce is remarkable.
4) Strawberries
Strawberries are a fantastic crop to grow if you want to save money on groceries. They’re not only delicious but also quite expensive at the store, making them perfect for home gardening.
Growing your own strawberries can lead to big savings on your grocery bill. According to search results, they’re considered an incredibly profitable crop for small-scale farms, which means they can also be cost-effective in your garden.
You can grow strawberries in many different ways. Plant them in the ground, raised beds, or even containers on a patio. This flexibility makes them perfect for gardeners with limited space.
Strawberries are perennial plants, meaning they come back year after year. After the initial investment, you’ll get returns for several seasons without having to buy new plants.
Fresh-picked strawberries taste much better than store-bought ones. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of growing your own sweet treats while keeping more money in your wallet.
Consider planting different varieties to extend your harvest season. This way, you can enjoy fresh strawberries for months instead of weeks.
5) Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are a fantastic crop to grow at home if you want to save money on groceries. These colorful veggies can be quite expensive at the store, but they’re relatively easy to grow in your garden.
The California Wonder variety is a popular choice for home gardeners. This sweet pepper produces large fruits that turn from green to red as they ripen.
Bell peppers love warm weather and need plenty of sunlight to thrive. You can start them indoors before moving them outside when temperatures are consistently warm.
One pepper plant can yield several fruits throughout the growing season. Some gardeners report being surprised by how many peppers they get from each plant.
Peppers are versatile in the kitchen. You can use them raw in salads, stuff them with filling, or add them to stir-fries and other cooked dishes.
Growing your own peppers also lets you avoid pesticides that might be used on store-bought varieties. Plus, homegrown peppers often taste sweeter and more flavorful than what you find at the grocery store.
6) Onions (‘Walla Walla’)
Walla Walla onions are a fantastic crop to grow at home to save money on groceries. These sweet onions are known for their mild flavor and can be a valuable addition to your garden.
In mild climates, you can plant Walla Walla onions about a week after the last frost date. You can continue succession planting until early fall for a longer harvest period.
Recent harvests of Walla Walla sweet onions have been abundant, with some yields reported as 30% above average. This makes them an even more economical choice for home gardeners.
Growing your own Walla Walla onions helps you avoid the “sticker shock” that some shoppers experience at grocery stores. Fresh onions from your garden also taste better than store-bought options.
Walla Walla onions work well in many dishes due to their sweetness. You can use them raw in salads or cooked in various recipes.
With proper care, you can enjoy a steady supply of these versatile onions throughout the growing season. Start with quality seeds or sets for the best results in your home garden.
7) Herbs (Basil, Parsley, Cilantro)
Growing your own herbs can make a big difference in your grocery budget. Fresh herbs are expensive at stores but easy to grow at home.
Basil is perfect for beginners and thrives in sunny spots. You can snip leaves as needed for Italian dishes, salads, and homemade pesto. One basil plant can provide harvests all summer long.
Parsley is another money-saving herb that keeps producing when you harvest it properly. Just cut the outer stems and the plant will continue growing from the center. It works well in both outdoor gardens and indoor pots.
Cilantro adds fresh flavor to Mexican and Asian dishes. It grows quickly from seed and can be harvested multiple times. Many gardeners plant small batches every few weeks for a continuous supply.
These herbs can even be grown in water! Place stems in jars of water near a window for fresh herbs year-round. This method works especially well for apartment dwellers without outdoor space.
By growing these three herbs, you’ll save money while enjoying fresher, more flavorful meals. The difference in taste between store-bought and garden-fresh herbs is remarkable.
8) Arugula
Arugula is a fast-growing leafy green that can save you money at the grocery store. This peppery green is simple to grow and gives you multiple harvests from a single planting.
You can start arugula from seeds directly in your garden bed or in containers. The seeds germinate quickly, often in less than a week, making it perfect for impatient gardeners.
Arugula grows best in cooler weather, so plant it in early spring or fall. You can harvest the outer leaves while leaving the center to continue growing, giving you weeks of fresh greens.
A small patch of arugula can provide enough greens for several salads each week. At $3-5 per bag in stores, growing your own can save you $15-20 monthly during growing season.
Try growing arugula as microgreens for an even faster harvest. In just 10-14 days, you can have tender, flavorful greens ready to eat.
Arugula is also very low-maintenance. It needs consistent watering but doesn’t require much space or special care to thrive in your garden.
9) Mesclun Greens
Mesclun greens are a mix of baby lettuce varieties and other leafy greens that can save you money at the grocery store. This French-inspired mix typically includes arugula, lettuce, chicory, sorrel, and sometimes Swiss chard or kale.
One of the best things about growing mesclun is how quickly it grows. You can harvest these baby greens in just a few weeks after planting, giving you fresh salads in no time.
Mesclun is perfect for small spaces and can be grown in containers on patios or balconies. You don’t need a large garden to enjoy these fresh greens.
To maximize your harvest, try the cut-and-come-again method. Simply snip the leaves about an inch above the soil, and they’ll regrow for multiple harvests from the same plants.
Plant mesclun in both spring and fall for extended harvests throughout the growing season. They prefer cooler weather and will grow best during these seasons.
Freshly harvested mesclun tastes much better than store-bought and costs significantly less. One small packet of seeds can produce many salads worth of greens.
10) Mini Sweet Peppers
Mini sweet peppers are perfect for gardeners who want big flavor in a small package. These colorful little gems are easier to grow than their larger cousins and produce abundantly in most gardens.
You can start mini pepper seeds indoors about 8-10 weeks before your last frost date. They love warm soil and full sun conditions to thrive.
One great advantage of growing mini sweet peppers is their quick harvest time. Many varieties will produce fruits faster than full-sized bell peppers.
These peppers are incredibly versatile in the kitchen. You can eat them raw as snacks, stuff them with cheese, roast them, or add them to salads and stir-fries.
A small patch of mini sweet peppers can yield dozens of fruits throughout the growing season. Just a few plants can provide enough peppers to significantly reduce your produce spending.
Be careful though – as one gardener mentioned in the search results, pepper plants can be incredibly productive! You might find yourself with more peppers than you expected.
Mini sweet peppers also store well in the refrigerator and can be frozen for later use. This makes them an excellent crop for preserving your harvest.
11) Cilantro
Cilantro is a fast-growing herb that can save you money at the grocery store. It’s often priced high in stores but costs just pennies to grow at home. You can grow it from seeds (also known as coriander) or from cuttings.
Cilantro grows best in cool weather and partial shade. You can plant it in small containers on your windowsill or in your garden. It’s perfect for beginners since it grows quickly and doesn’t need much space.
The best part about growing cilantro is that you can harvest it multiple times. Just cut the outer leaves and let the center continue growing. This gives you a steady supply for your Mexican, Asian, and Mediterranean dishes.
To prevent bolting (going to seed too quickly), keep the soil moist and plant in cooler locations. You can also plant new seeds every few weeks for a continuous harvest throughout the growing season.
Don’t throw away cilantro that has bolted! The seeds can be harvested as coriander spice, giving you two useful products from one plant.
12) Basil
Basil is a powerhouse herb that can significantly reduce your grocery expenses. A small bunch at the store costs about $3, which adds up quickly if you use it regularly in your cooking.
Growing your own basil is incredibly easy and rewarding. You can start with a small plant from the grocery store and split it into multiple plants, giving you enough basil to last all year.
Basil grows well in containers, making it perfect even for small spaces like balconies or windowsills. All it needs is good drainage, regular watering, and plenty of sunlight.
Harvest basil frequently by pinching off the tops to encourage bushy growth. This gives you a continuous supply for fresh use in pasta dishes, salads, and homemade pesto.
You can also dry or freeze extra basil to use during winter months. This means you’ll never have to buy it from the store again, saving you money all year round.
The flavor of homegrown basil is much more intense than store-bought, so you’ll need less in your recipes. Plus, having it readily available encourages you to cook more meals at home, saving even more on your food budget.