Truly embracing a completely plant-based diet is a significant lifestyle change, but sometimes the prohibitive expense of adopting the vegan lifestyle can make things difficult – especially if you’re raising a growing family. However, homeowners have options that will help them enjoy a fully vegan lifestyle and eliminate the need to go to a grocery store ever again.
Start a Greenhouse (or Two!)
What could be more simple than growing your own food? Unless you have extensive experience as a farmer, you’re probably going to need a little guidance on how to get started. First thing’s first: choose the right greenhouse. Not all greenhouses are the same and not every greenhouse will adequately meet your needs, so considering your options and making an informed decision is the most important step.
Once you’re up and running with your greenhouse, though, the possibilities are endless. Regardless of your climate, you can grow anything you can imagine – strawberries, herbs, spices, tomatoes, carrots, and more! And the good news is there are even more money-saving ways to grow a robust and plentiful crop in your greenhouse to feed your family all year long.
Visit the Farmer’s Market
There’s no better time than the present to start frequenting your local farmer’s market. Grab a cup of fair trade coffee and peruse the booths with your family. Having the ability to ask questions of the farmer themselves and not a store clerk is invaluable and gives you a real connection to the people who are actively supporting themselves through organic farming. It’s good for the community, your health, and your family.
Join a Community Garden
Living in a city can put restrictions on space availability and make it hard to find fresh food at an affordable price. Fortunately, local and community gardens are cropping up all over the country and don’t require a major investment (if any at all) in order to join. Being part of a food collective or co-op is a great way to share food, ideas, and growing techniques with other people in your community. Plus, anything you don’t need can easily be donated to a shelter or food bank, extending the benefits to those less fortunate.
Create a Rooftop Garden
The benefits of having a rooftop garden on your building are many, but getting approval from your landlord may be a more difficult step. I think we can all agree that simply using a flat rooftop for shelter is a tremendous waste of space, especially in urban environments. Get together with your neighbors and make a plan or presentation to your building’s owner or landlord. Explain the clear benefits of a rooftop garden, costs of maintenance, and who will be responsible for keeping it clean and manageable.
Make Your Own Household Products
Growing your own food is a significant change, but going one step further and making your own commonly-used household items can help you avoid making a future trip to the grocery store and save the environment at the same time. By assembling a few key ingredients, you can easily and safely make your own laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaning solution, and even specialized cleaning agents for rust removal, wood furniture, and glass cleaning. The best part? Making and keeping each solution on-hand is much cheaper than buying harmful off-the-shelf products from the store.