How It Saves Us Money (and Brings Joy)
One of the most impactful ways our family has learned to save money—and live more intentionally—is by growing and preserving our food. It takes time, yes, but the return on that investment has been worth every hour spent in the garden or kitchen.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Over the past two years, as grocery prices have steadily increased, our grocery bill for a family of five has stayed the same. Here’s how we’ve made that possible—and why it’s become so much more than just a way to save money.
Staying Ahead of Rising Grocery Costs
By growing our food and preserving it during harvest season, we’ve been able to significantly cut down on what we need to buy at the store. This past year, we preserved enough vegetables like corn, carrots, and green beans to last until the next growing season. We haven’t had to purchase vegetables—or even meat (besides some chicken)—for over a year.
We also buy beef in bulk once a year, which we don’t count in our monthly grocery budget. If we did spread that cost out monthly, it might only add $20–30—still a huge savings overall.
Doubling Our Garden, Doubling Our Potential
This year, we’ve doubled the size of our garden, and we’re already seeing the fruits of that effort—literally. We’ve added new blueberry bushes, planted more fruit trees (one is already producing!), and our wild plum trees are loaded again. Even with some food left over from last year, we’re focused on preserving enough to carry us through the summer and fall.
The Power of a Packet of Seeds
If you’ve ever doubted whether gardening is worth the cost, consider this: a packet of seeds costs around $2–$4. From that, you might get 10 plants. If each plant produces just 20 items (which is a low estimate), that’s 200 fruits or vegetables.
Even if you can’t eat them all fresh, preserving, freezing, or canning allows you to enjoy that homegrown goodness all year long. What would you do with all your produce? How would you use it?
Canning Days: Productive, Even with Kids
With two or three adults—and the inevitable interruptions from kids—we’ve canned up to 40 jars of apples or pears in a single six-hour day. While carrots and green beans take a bit longer, we’re hoping to speed things up this year with a new pressure canner that holds more jars. Often, it’s the waiting between batches that takes the most time.
More Than Money: Creating Margin for What Matters
While saving money is wonderful, this lifestyle also creates room in our budget for the things that truly matter—especially as our kids grow and become more involved in school and activities. Instead of stressing over grocery bills, we can say yes to family outings, sports, and other experiences.
Giving Gifts from the Heart
Another beautiful bonus? Homemade gifts. This past Christmas, we shared jars of our preserved food with loved ones. It cost us nothing but our time—and everyone appreciated it. Next year, we plan to do even more.
In a world where the most expensive gift often gets the most attention, I think it’s time to bring back the art of giving homemade gifts—things made with love, intention, and care.
Final Thoughts
Growing and preserving our food has done more than just save money—it’s changed how we live. It’s given us a deeper connection to the food we eat, taught our kids valuable life skills, and brought joy to others through gifts from our kitchen.
Whether you’re trying to stretch your budget, reduce food waste, or just get back to basics, I can’t recommend this lifestyle enough. And as our garden grows, so does our gratitude.
Faith
As much as gardening has changed our physical habits, it’s also deepened our spiritual walk. Just like we nurture seeds in the soil, our faith in Christ requires intentional care—watering it with prayer, tending it with Scripture, and trusting God through seasons of growth and waiting.
There are times in the garden when we wonder if anything is happening beneath the surface—but in faith, we continue planting, believing in the harvest. The same is true in our relationship with Jesus. Even when we can’t see the outcome, we walk in trust.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
— Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
In both gardening and faith, patience and perseverance are key. When we preserve food, we’re preparing for the future—believing that what we do now will bless our family later. Spiritually, we do the same: building a firm foundation in Christ so that we can stand strong when life’s storms come.
“They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”
— Psalm 1:3 (NIV)
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”
— John 15:4 (NIV)
Growing food has taught us more than how to save money—it’s taught us about trust, discipline, and the unseen work God does in quiet places.