As I mentioned three years ago, we didn’t start on our make it, grow it, source it path with the intention of saving money. Our goal then, as it is now, was simply to eat and live better.
But it is absolutely without question that we have saved an enormous amount of money in the process, with our food costs still about half of what they used to be, even allowing for the improved quality of ingredients we now buy compared to three years ago.
Sometimes it’s good to stop and take stock. Here are some of the items that have made a significant impact on our balance sheet…
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Meat
I have two highly carnivorous sons – Small Man is now a strapping sixteen year old and Big Boy will be twenty-one this year. And whilst Big Boy has finished his growth spurts, Small Man is currently an eating machine. One night last week, he ate two pizzas and most of a chicken for dinner.
We now buy most of our meat from Haverick Meats in Banksmeadow. I first discovered them through Lorraine’s blogpost, and subsequently wrote about them here. They supply a large number of Sydney’s fine dining establishments, and are open to the public on Saturdays only. We still buy value added meats (schnitzels, marinated free range chickens, sausages) from our local butcher, but for all our bulk meats, it’s impossible to beat the quality and pricing offered at Havericks.
Here’s a good example of why the system works. Haverick Meats sell pre-sliced grassfed eye fillet to the restaurant trade – the pieces are cut to 200g each. The tail of the fillets are too narrow to use for these cuts, and are therefore sold off at their Saturday store – for just $20/kg. I’ve seen exactly the same meat retailing online for over $70/kg. A one kilo tray is ample for two dinners at our place, and we end up paying just $2.50 per person for absolutely amazing beef.
On our last visit, we also came home with a 5.8kg grassfed rump, which we cut, trimmed and minced. The resultant homemade mince filled nine 500g freezer bags, costing us just $6.45 per meal. We started mincing our own meat as a way to ensure quality, and whilst it’s not a real saving over prepared mince, it’s certainly far better than anything we could buy for the price.
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Groceries
These days, we only go to the supermarket once every five or six weeks. And that’s to stock up on bulk staples – cereal, butter, sugar and so forth. We continue to buy UHT milk at Aldi – no-one here drinks milk by the glass, so we buy it for breakfast cereals, tea and yoghurt making.
Breaking the “twice a week visit to the supermarket” loop has saved us both time and money. More significantly, it means that we now have almost no highly processed foods in our daily diets. It’s interesting to look back and see the insidious damage regular supermarket shopping did to our budget – we would always come back with “treats” or other impulse buys that we didn’t need, and it was nearly impossible to pop into the store without spending at least $50!
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Bread
I blag on about bread ad nauseam, but it’s really the lynchpin to our lifestyle.
We spend just $20 a month (if that) on flour and salt, which is enough to produce all of Small Man’s school lunches plus an average of twelves loaves of ciabatta a week for eating and sharing. My original sourdough loaves cost us 65c each, but my ciabattas work out at just 37c a loaf. That’s a substantial saving compared to Italian woodfired bread at $5 a loaf – if we were to buy twelve ciabatta loaves a week, we would be saving over $2,500 a year by baking our own! In practice though, we would stretch out four purchased loaves, so our savings are probably closer to $800 a year.
Again though, the bread making has never been about saving dollars (and these costs certainly don’t take electricity into account), but the difference to our bottom line has been both noticeable and significant. And, like buying UHT milk, baking our own bread frees us from the supermarket.
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Specialist Suppliers
What is perhaps the most surprising outcome of our lifestyle is that because of all the other savings we make, we’re able to accommodate some very expensive foodie habits. We indulge in Pepe Saya butter for spreading (we probably go through one wheel a month), I pay extra for both fair trade and origin chocolates, and we buy San Daniele prosciutto and Jamon at premium prices. Even with these items included in our calculations, our food costs are still far less than they were five years ago.
It’s a lovely thing – we live very frugally compared to our peers, but we never ever feel like we’re being deprived. And it’s nice to know there’s still room to move in our food budget – if we needed to cut our expenses even further, we could easily reduce our consumption of these “specialty” items.
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Shopping at markets and growing our own
Five years ago, we started shopping at Flemington Markets in Sydney. These are an offshoot of the commercial Growers Markets that operate very early on weekday mornings. Every item there is a bargain – apples are just $20 for a 16kg box, large free range eggs are $7 for 30. For a couple of years, this made a big impact on our budget.
And then we started our garden, and we no longer needed to buy eggs, or green vegetables. Now we go just once a month or so, to stock up on potatoes, onions, tomatoes and fruit. If you don’t have a garden, markets of this ilk are a great resource – the produce will be weeks fresher than what’s available at retail outlets, and the prices are unbeatable. By contrast, organic farmer’s markets are a lovely place to wander, but most of the ones in Sydney are too rich for my pocket.
If you have space to grow your own herbs and vegetables, you’ll be amazed at how creative you’ll become at using homegrown produce. We will often go into the garden to see what we can pick, and then decide what we’re going to have for dinner. And at the moment our yard is full of self-sown broccoli rabé, which will happily feed us a couple of meals a week over the coming months!
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Homemade foods
The list of things we make from scratch continues to grow, with each new food being painlessly integrated into our routine. Some items have been dropped – for example, we no longer make our own passata, as we can’t seem to grow tomatoes in bulk, and we’ve now sourced a very reasonably priced bottled alternative. Nor do we always make pasta at home, although we’re now confident of being able to do so quite easily – it just makes such a mess to clean up afterwards!
However, we make all our bread, Greek yoghurt, stock, vanilla extract, ice cream, pastry, cakes and jams. Pete puts together his custom muesli blend once a month, and almost all our meals are homemade. It’s become a mindset – “how can we make this?” becomes the question asked, rather than “where can we buy it?” And it’s very rewarding on all fronts – emotionally, physically and financially.
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Sorry for such a longwinded post – once I started, it was hard to stop. But there you have it, a review of the past few years of our journey. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Loved this Celia. I’ve been mulling over the change in my mindset since I started on this bread making thing and thinking back to your empowerment post. You should have seen my kitchen last night after a day of bread, passata and pasta making. Not pretty! xxx
Thanks Ali! I know you understand where I’m coming from! And cleaning up the mess – that’s what husbands and children are for! :) xxx
It has been good to follow part of this journey with you over the years Celia. I have also traveled a similar path, but not as far along on the journey as you. I still go to the supermarket on an almost daily basis – must really try and stop that!
The funny thing is that I now often feel like I have to hide the fact that some things are home made/home grown as it gets a rather odd reaction from some people. They groan and say “don’t tell me you make this as well” like I am in some super woman contest or trying to impress. It embarrasses me as it is not my intention at all. I hate having to explain that I love doing it, my family loves eating it (they won’t eat the commercial alternative most of the time) and I don’t want any of us eating all those additives and preservatives if I can help it. And often it is just pain easier to make something than to go to the shop and buy it :) Ah its a funny world we live in eh?!
That IS funny, SG! We occasionally have folks who think we’re bonkers, but friends have been almost universally supportive of what we’re trying to do. Although my dad did tell us once that he thought we were all “communists”.. ;-)
Dear Celia,
This is a fascinating blogpost about eating healthy. As an accountant, I believe you would need also to factor in the time cost in making your own breads, tending to the garden, fertilizers etc. But then again, there are also saved trips to the supermarket and how do you measure happiness, fulfillment and healthy lifestyle when you actually *want* to do all these things at home as opposed to buying it off the supermarket shelf?
I think it is so fulfilling when one can incorporate one’s passion into lifestyle especially when it also contributes positively to one’s health and happiness.
My husband says the exact same thing. And he is an accountant too. Must be a mantra for you all or something :)
Chopinand, my time is valuable, but it only costs me when I have to do stuff that I don’t like.. ;-) And you’re right, it’s a joy and a passion, so spending the time is a pleasure! :)
All I can say is Wow!! You’re an inspiration!
Thank you, that’s very kind of you! :)
An inspiring post, thanks Celia. I noted a significant difference to both our bottom line and my bottom when I began to make my own bread. You save a fortune on artisan breads by making them yourself, but I do find I eat quite a bit more of it – especially when I have some yummy home-made jam to put on it.
Aaah, you notice I didn’t go there, Amanda. :) Hope the starter has picked up, let me know if you need more! xx
Very well said! I found it very interesting to read. What a difference it makes in grocery expenses! Plus you have an added benefit: better health as you are cutting out most processed foods. What an interesting journey! Wishing you all the best on your further excursions!
Manuela, it really has been interesting to look back on it. Thank you for taking the time to wade through the post! :)
Something I have notIced in your posts, which I have been reading for over a year now, is that I think all of your life is much like your food journey. I have seen you take such care with family, not only those in your home, but your extended family, your neighbors, your friends, your vendors; all of your community. You are one of those rare individuals who brings out the best in people and life. You enjoy life in a way that brings joy to many. Your living simply and eating healthy and sharing the bounty of your life enriches my life and helps me on my way. I am so glad to have found you.
Nana, what a kind comment, thank you very much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the blog, it’s lovely to have like-minded folks to share our thoughts with! x
Celia that wasn’t long winded at all I could have read even more! Everything you said is so what I’m trying to achieve too.
Funnily enough, I started buying organic fruit, vege and meat (when I can) and good quality, local products just this year.
Since I started, every week without fail we have had money left over in the grocery budget even though the individual items are so much more expensive.
I’ve done two big supermarket shops (for things like you said you stock up on) and apart from that, I’ve hardly been to a supermarket. I’ve done those shops online so that I don’t get sucked in to the ‘specials’ and it means that I can really stock up and not have to worry about getting it all home. Now I need a storeroom!
Just this weekend we were able to buy organic eye fillet to make a homemade sukiyaki and it didn’t blow the budget.
I can’t wait to have a real garden and be able to grow more of my own food and have chickens.
Yesterday for lunch I made a loaf of Kev’s sourdough, some butter out of a little pot of organic cream that was past its used by but still ok and we had that for lunch with some organic camembert. It was the best lunch ever!
I know what Spice and More is talking about though. I get the ‘oh don’t tell me you made this too’ as well! I just find making things myself so much more satisfying and rewarding not to mention the health benefits!
Great post Celia! Sorry about the long-winded comment :-) You are an inspiration! xx
Claire, it’s so wonderful that you and Will are already on this path – we didn’t discover it until we were in our 40s! Your lunch yesterday sounds absolutely perfect! Just ignore the folks who roll their eyes and tease, they’re just jealous! :)
Great post Celia! I wish I could be self-sustaining 100%. But it gives me a good goal to shoot for!
Anna, we’re certainly not 100% self-sufficient, but this lifestyle which has evolved over the past few years certainly suits us! It’s also reassuring how little we actually need to spend to live really well! :)
Now I know why I found your blog Celia & why I feel so in ‘bond’ with you and your ways! We do the same thing. Bake our own, grow our own (well we try to!), and try to be frugal in many ways which is very rewarding indeed! I too have 2 big eaters (esp. the PT son!) & we buy our beef in bulk saving $$$$$ . thank you for sharing! xx
Lina, there’s a fortune to be saved with buying meat in bulk, isn’t there? And more importantly, you’re assured of the quality as well! :)
Another one of your posts to file and read in the quiet of the night! Isn’t it amazing what a difference just a little bit of intelligent thinking and planning and trying can make! In addition to wanting to eat healthy I also have a very slim purse these days and every penny saved . . . :) ! Living where I do excludes quite a few of your choices. However making my own yogurt, labneh, many sauces and marinades etc + growing all my herbs which can be so expensive at the supermarket does help! For the last year I have made use of online shopping thru’ GroceryRun, part of the Catchofthe Day group and have been very happy to buy any shelf items needed at hugely discounted prices [1 dozen good quality Colgate toothbrushes at $5.85 one night, 1 doz Safcol tuna pieces in sachet form for under $1 per sachet etc!] One way for me!!!
Eha, thank you for understanding the underlying thing I was trying to say – this all works for us, but it won’t necessarily for everyone. Having said that, I think we can all look creatively to find alternatives that will benefit both our health and our back pockets! Your Catch of the Day sounds like it offers some great bargain! And not paying for sauces and yoghurt and the like makes a huge difference, but just wait until you get going on the SD bread! :)
What a beautiful and inspiring post Celia! We are slowly starting to think this way too…I’m really enjoying our little herb patch we have made… It makes such a difference to just go out the back and pick rather than buy! Lovely, lovely post!
Dzintra, thank you! Isn’t going out to pick edibles from the back garden just the best thing ever? :)
It certainly is Celia…tonight I picked basil that cost $1 from our local Farmers Markets and it just won’t stop producing….we also had pumpkin (gift from a friend), purple carrots and beetroot from our market….all so delicious….I’m hooked on these markets!
Great post Celia. You have touched a lot of people. I am going to forward this on to my 2 adult children. Hopefully, they might change their ways.
Miranda, thank you, but I never want to make anyone feel that our way is better than theirs – it’s just our story, and we’re sharing it. Not everyone has the time and shopping options available to us… :)
Nice work Celia! A very inspirational post. And as well as all the money saved, look at all the friends gained by blogging about it!!
Rachel, thank you, the nicest thing about this blog has been all the like-minded friends we’ve met through it! :)
Very inspiring – I’ve clicked a couple of the links. We’ve tried making our own muesli but my daughter still prefers a very expensive shop bought brand. Must try harder. I agree entirely about the drain on time, energy and finances with regular supermarket visits….not to mention morale. It’s hard to get the balance right in life… not just financially …but you seem to be doing a pretty terrific job.
Sally, it absolutely is a balance, that’s a very good point, thank you. We feel like we’ve found one that works quite well for us, but it’s always being tinkered with. And we’re pretty gentle with ourselves when times get silly busy, and will go out for a meal or buy a marinated free range chook from the butcher. In the end, it’s always about doing whatever you can.
I’ve never been a grocery store treats person, even when I was American. We were brought up in a rural (cold) part of the country and we were taught to make do or do without. My mother made everything from scratch and so do my brother and sister and I. I’d love a big garden again and chooks. Maybe one day. :)
“Even when you were American”, Maureen? ;-) Your mother sounds like she was a wonderful role model! x
You have found some really amazing deals – and your bread looks amazing!
Thank you! :)
I learned, first hand, that preserving food — in my case tomatoes — is a real money saver. It’s not that the food is cheaper, though that’s often the case, For me, having tomatoes in the basement means no trip to the grocery for a can when I want to make a sauce. And as most of us know, enter a grocery store for 1 item and you return with 20. That is where I save the money. I can completely see how your bread baking and beautiful garden could really impact your food costs — no matter how much your teenager eats. ;)
John, it’s amazing how much we save when we break the supermarket cycle, isn’t it? How wonderful for you to have cases of homemade passata in the basement! We used to make it, but it stopped being viable a couple of years ago when tomato prices soared due to adverse weather conditions. We now buy the Mutti brand, and we’re really happy with it, although like you, we keep a dozen in the pantry at any time! :)
Your blog is an amazing story to follow, and I love how your lifestyle has this kind of insight into it. I would love to accomplish half of what you do, and posts like this really bring home what a difference it makes!
Thank you! It really does make a difference, but we’re not diehards, we simply do what we can. And I actually think that’s what makes it workable, in that it never actually feels like a chore, and it never stops being fun! :)
You’re an inspiration! Celia
my loaf I posted the other day was taken to church yesterday and everyone one enjoyed it so much their was only a couple of inches left for the pastor to take home to his wife who was not well enough to come to church
Linda, thank you, and how great that your loaf was such a hit! :)
It’s wonderful isn’t it, when you do something for pleasure and better quality but can enjoy the side result of monetary savings too? We have been growing our own vegetables for many years, increasing the amounts year on year. Last year was a disaster but otherwise, it’s always been fabulous. In fact, yesterday, we finally canned the last of the apples from the allotment (last year’s harvest) into apple pie filling which can live in jars in the larder not just for a few months but well into next year. I made a tonne of different jellies too – apple and lemon verbena, apple and chilli, apple and mint…
As you say, it wasn’t to save money but to make best use of the home grown produce we had but the net result is financial savings, that money can be spent on holidays, eating out and other such treats.
Kaves, what has surprised me is not that we’ve saved money, but actually how much money we’ve saved! And part of that is because the food at home now is so good that we don’t feel the need to eat out nearly as often as we used to! It’s a joy to know we can eat so well on much less than we ever imagined.
Enjoy spring, and wishing you a wonderful season in your allotment! x
Hi Celia. Best post you have ever written!!. Why? Coz I agree with every word. We have spent so little on groceries this summer. Even dinner parties cost very little (except for the wine!!!). When we go to the supermarket now we take a basket, not a trolley. We do spend quite a bit at my favourite shop, though. It sells everything you need. We buy everything there, including our flour. Cheese and deli meats are less than half supermarket prices and there is a much broader range. All this does take time, though, but it is time we are willing to spend.
Well darling, if you agree, then it must be good.. ;-)
How nice that you have a favourite shop that can supply all your needs – time is only expensive when it’s spent unwillingly.. ;-)
I have saved so much by making my own, all except for our granola which works out quite expensive – but so worth it as it has no ‘funnies’ in it :)
Tandy, it’s all swings and roundabouts, isn’t it? You save on everything else, so you can spend more on your granola. And now you have the SD baking rhythm happening!
I agree that growing your own herbs + veggies means you need to be more creative in the kitchen – which has been good for me. Is the meat you get all free range, or a mixed bag . It sounds like a good deal. And only going the supermarket once every 6 weeks sounds blissful to me.
It’s all free range, Mel! And the beef is all grassfed as well! :)
This post has got me very excited. With our plans to move country next year (Australia to UK), doing more with our small garden options here are difficult. I also suspect we won’t be able to afford much space of the outdoor sort in England, but I have been moving further and further away from the ‘buy everything at the supermarket’ approach to shopping and would love to extend that. It sounds like there’s a lot of scope even without growing things yourself. Buying legumes dry and in bulk is my ‘thing’ for this year and I’m loving that, so doing more bulk buying and less packaged buying really appeals. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Kari, it takes a little while to search things out, but I think there are almost always options, particularly if you’re close to a major city. I find Asian and Arabic grocery stores a wonderful source of legumes and spices, as well as oodles of other bulk items like rice and flour.
An awesome post Celia. It’s wonderful to be able to look back and see how far you’ve come.
Jo, thank you! It has been nice to reflect on where we’re at now.. :)
This is such a perfect description of how quality and frugality are actually in the same court, not opposite ones. I love this post.
Linda, thank you! It can be hard to convince people sometimes that what they’re really paying for is often time rather than ingredients, and that even raw ingredients of amazing quality are usually quite affordable.
Here’s a bit I wrote about it years ago:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2010/01/24/frugal-living-3-time-money/
This is fabulous stuff Celia, thank you so much. I’ve been doing some recent evaluation of my own shopping so I’ve just printed this for further perusal.
Thanks Rose, I hope it’s helpful! Did you get the email I sent you? :)
Wise, inspiring words as always Celia. I recently mentioned hot cross buns to my daughter (6) and she immediately started talking about making them as opposed to buying them…this really made me think about how empowering self sufficiency (or part self sufficiency) can be for the whole family! Just as you said, it is a mindset and also incredibly rewarding.
Jane, your lifestyle always inspires me so much! And I love how our kids are no longer really impressed when we make something from scratch – not because they take things for granted, but rather because they assume that that’s how it’s done! :)
You are so right about saving by cutting supermarket visits! Our main supermarket offers ordering on line with a choice of delivery or pick up. Given that it is a 6 mile round trip, the delivery charge of £3 is well worth it.
We don’t buy fresh goods from the supermarket anyway so, like you, it its the bulky and heavy staples that we buy there so it is a joy not to have to trudge round, trying to avoid the inevitable groups of people having a nice little chat in the middle of the aisles and the F1 trolley drivers. Grrr!
We’ve found the fresh produce at our Farm Shop to be superior and no dearer than the prepacked stuff at the supermarket.
Pat, supermarkets really do have their place for the staples and dry goods, don’t they? I think we fall into the trap of thinking of them as a “one-stop shop” – an idea which they love to promote, of course – when there are so many other options, particularly as we live in a major city. Your Farm Shop sounds fabulous! :)
I so enjoy making these things from scratch too. Mine really started as an experiment to see whether I could and they tasted so much better I couldn’t stop! :D We do go to Haverick’s when we need meat too-thanks for the shoutout! :)
Thanks again, Lorraine! Finding Havericks has made a huge difference to how we eat! xx
Fascinating post, Celia, and I applaud all the effort you put into feeding and caring for your family. I’m sure they love it because nothing beats homemade! By the way, can yogurt be cultured from UHT milk?
Misky, thank you! We make ALL our Greek yoghurt from UHT, it saves us the whole boiling and cooling process, and the milk is already sterilised. Here’s the tutorial we wrote on it:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2010/07/10/homemade-greek-yoghurt/
Thanks. Just had a read, and discovered that I need an Easiyo. I’ve tried numerous times to make yogurt but it always fails, so perhaps it’s time that I bought the proper equipment. :)
Misky, the Easiyo flask makes it simple to keep the yoghurt at the right temperature. We don’t use the sachet mixes, but we’ve had the same thermos for years now, and it’s still working brilliantly.
As soon as my kitchen is a kitchen again, I’ll buy one! :)
Great post Celia, I’ve enjoyed revisiting the linked posts too. Whenever I am able to replace ‘bought’ with homemade I feel such a sense of satisfaction – it’s as much about knowing what’s in it as much as what it did or didn’t cost – although cheaper is also satisfying. When my children were young I wanted to give them the best I could and for me that meant made-at-home – and they did and still do have adventurous and discerning tastes in food. I too love San Danielle – bad luck for the piggies eh!
Jan, the San Daniele is very addictive, isn’t it? For a few years, it was all Big Boy wanted on his school lunches. Johnny at the Cheese Shop, bless him, gave me a discount so we could make it work! :)
I’ve grown all my herbs for years, that alone saves some decent money. Bread and desserts are also made at home rather than bought. Once you get used to feeding yourselves at home well and at qualities often better than going out, when you do eat out, it becomes evident how much salt, butter, sugar and cream are being used.
We choose to eat in because we do eat better qualities of food this way. While I am in the restaurant business, I think there needs to be more awareness and serving of dishes that reflect accurate portion size and less salt, sugar and fat.
I am putting tomatoes into the ground soon and am looking forward to a nice crop but am keeping my fingers crossed!
Pamela, it’s really interesting how our dining out habits have changed over the past few years. We used to eat out regularly – maybe a couple of times a week, and now it’s far less frequently. We do eat out socially, but rarely just as a family of four, because as you say, the food at home really is usually better!
Yes, once you know better, you usually do better. That applies to eating too.
You have done exceptionally well in such a short time.
I grew up in a family that believed eating healthy is the path to good health and making and growing what you can and able to is better.
Besides saving money and eating the freshest produces, the other benifits of gardening are: breathing the fresh air, exercise (from taking care of the soil, etc), developing patience (one cannot “hurry up” the plants to mature), discovering the beauty in nature ….. I can go on and on.
Norma, please do go on and on, I love hearing it! There are so many lessons to learn from gardening, patience being the big one for us, and a willingness to not give up immediately when plants don’t grow (like the snake beans!).
You’re giving yourselves choices and inspiring others with your ideas. The cost savings speak for themselves.
Thank you so much, Peter! You’re such a supportive friend, and I really appreciate it! x
I love it Celia! I could have writen this post myself. Our self sufficient/frugal adventure has been an exciting one. I’m loving making more, doing more! Our days are full, and I’m ‘good’ tired at the end of the day. It’s so much more satisfying to make it ourselves, find a way to do it, rather than spend $7 on a tub of yoghurt.
We are buying more expensive, but local milk, we’re going through it quicker due to making our own yoghurt, but it’s delicious. But we seem to be saving money everywhere else.
What a fantastic learning experience it has been.
It’s really interesting, isn’t it Clare? We seem to be buying expensive fancy ingredients, and yet we’re coming out ahead! And that’s because the most expensive component of almost every processed item we buy is time! :)
I just love your comment ‘time is only expensive when it’s spent unwillingly’
I certainly don’t grow nearly enough to feed us properly- but I sure do love trying! Some of my experiments are perhaps too ambitious for our climate here- the coffee and lychee trees didn’t make it :( But my Saffron and my little truffle tree are doing well instead. I really admire and respect you and Pete for your lifestyle choice Celia, and thankyou so much for allowing us to share that journey with you xox
Becca, you have the most amazing things growing in your garden! How cool that your saffron and truffle tree are doing so well! Hope we get a chance to catch up again soon, love. xx
Hi Celia, what a fabulous post! I have been thinking how much my vegie and herb garden has saved me this summer despite the weird weather. While I’m now planting for autumn/winter crops, I still have herbs and enough vegies to keep us going – snake beans, potatoes, zucchinis, lettuce amongst other things. Fruit is my next challenge and I have just planted out a small orchard though I did have vast quantities of strawberries this year and my rosellas are just about to flower.
I think, for us, meat will be something that will still be a significant portion of our grocery spend. Saving on fruit and vege, honey (we have bees) and homemade items like jams allows me to spend a bit more on meat. I try to cook a few meatless meals a week but in a family of 3 males that doesn’t always go over so well!
Now I need to get into a routine with my SD baking!
As others have commented, people roll their eyes at us too! Just ignore them and keep doing what you doing!
Bronwyn, we haven’t really figured out fruit growing either, although we do have a lemon tree which is producing a little bit now. We planted an apricot tree and managed to grow just two apricots, that were eaten before we had a chance to pick them! Still, we keep trying and have limes and blueberries, and will hopefully get some raspberry canes in soon as well!
Having your own bees is wonderful! My friend the Spice Girl has those as well. Re the meat, depending on where you’re based, you might be able to find wholesale options – I know we have a several in Sydney. Buying in bulk has literally halved our meat costs!
It sounds like over a period of a few years you really have changed things around – impressive!
And one of the keys seems to be that you have found great alternatives to the supermarkets – and you just showed us that the prices outside of the supermarkets can be very good.
And you know I’m giving you a huge round of applause for growing your own don’t you – the taste of homegrown gets me every time!
Claire, in retrospect, I think that’s been the biggest cost saver – not going to the supermarket every other day. And it seems paradoxical, because the supermarkets seem to be forever promoting their lower prices! Can’t wait to see what you grow this summer! :)
It’s truly wonderful to see not only financial savings but lifestyle benefits from independent, creative, self sufficient living for whatever people can manage dependent on their circumstances. I rejoice every time I circumvent retail. It’s people like you who share their stories, ideas, enthusiam, knowledge and inspiration that makes a huge difference :)
ED, thank you, and you raise a very good point, it’s always about doing what we can in our given circumstances. Everyone’s situation is different, and we feel very fortunate to have the time needed to make our lifestyle work!
I love reading your journey because I love hearing about your self sufficiency.One day I will have more time to grow and make everything, but for now I love to read your journey and imagine I am there. BTW, you are a wonderful friend and you are good at bringing people together and seeing the best in people. x
You’re very kind, thank you darling! You already do so much, which is amazing given how busy you are!
I try to be mindful and have certainly eschewed processed food but am simply in awe of all you do! Some great resources and ideas in this post. Love your indulgences too ;D
JJ, thank you – I hope you find some of the links useful! x
I’m sure the satisfaction of growing some of your own food is as great as the savings. You would love the choice of prosciutto here in Italy. My local supermarket has at least a dozen types…all excellent, for a fraction of what we pay in Australia…and then there the delis. I can’t quite bring myself to change to UHT milk, I think it tastes different.
I would make more of my own bread, but then I would eat it.
It must be amazing to have so much choice over there, Deb! UHT milk takes some getting used to, but we don’t drink it straight, so it’s fine. :)
What a wonderful post, Celia!
Thanks Zirkie! :)
I love the way you have chosen to feed your family, you and Pete.
The labor you put into it is one of love obviously- and the results are lovely.
Great post!
Thanks Heidi darling! xx
Hi Celia, great post. If only we had a climate as good as yours to get the garden into action. Had a weekend away and came back with cheap lovely tomatoes and have been making passata and kasundi. Found quinces which is now made into paste and made Asian curry paste full of chillies, ginger and garlic which freezes really.
I must admit that going to the fresh Sunday market here has been a big saving for us also, now that I only work 1 day a week.Thanks so much for all that inspiration.
Will send through photos of the grain loaf which was good.
Annie, wait until you see what a difference it makes when you stop buying bread! Talk soon, hopefully catch up in April (still trying to figure it out).. xx
I think you all do a great job! It is a necessity & reflect on how to do things better! I wished I had a bigger garden to grow even more veggies from scratch like potatoes, etc! I like all of your home-made recipes! I learn a lot too! :) xxx
Thanks Sophie! xx
From Joanna @ Zeb Bakes (posted to the Cacao Nib Brownie post by mistake):
A really chewing it over post from you, I am glad you think it is all worthwhile, we find that growing our own food is enormously satisfying and wish we were able to do a bit more thsn we do. But having had to deal with a half dead mouse the other week and a poorly dog I don’t think I am cut out for livestock management. We are slowly but surely reducing the amount of meat we eat as we are not growing, well we are growing old (!) and apparently excess protein is a burden on the kidneys and ultimately gets stored as fat in the body. We eat too much of everything – that is our challenge to deal with, not the quality and range of foods. But hey, we all have our own worries and way of looking at our lives and it is always a great pleasure to read about you and yours. xx
Chickens where you live with all the foxes would be traumatic, I think! Pete and I are eating less meat too, although Small Man is still eating like a caveman.. :) xxx
You’ve really got a small “foodie footprint” Celia, it’s really amazing what you’ve accomplished in just such a short while. I’d like to try that here, but have no idea where to begin sourcing everything. I think many feel as I do, I think there’s a book in here somewhere, if you wrote it, people will buy it and follow your lifestyle choice. I know if we had such a book here, I’d snap it up and begin shopping differently. We just seem to keep doing what our parents did and making big changes like this are so important. xx Smidge
ps.. I can’t “like” now that I’m not on wordpress.. so I’m here to say have a wonderful respite from blogging:D
Smidge, thank you! Did your letter arrive yet? I’m sure Canada has so many options for sourcing wholesale produce, but it DOES take time, and you’re such a busy lady as it is! :)
What a great story! We have a garden for salad items and herbs but I still do the twice per week grocery shop :0! I need to break the habit for health and finances.
Thanks Julie! :)
Celia, I am way behind reading blogs, and I am so glad I read your entry… I agree with Smidge, there’s a book in need of being written, and you should consider going for it.
I have to say that this year I decided (very seriously) to stop beating myself up for the things I am unable to do. Gardening and studying Chinese were two things that crushed me when I realized I had to stop. I cannot do more than I do at the moment, so instead of beating myself up, I will cheer you and admire you and hope that you will be able to inspire many many people!
You rock!
Can’t see myself writing a book Sally, although I’m flattered that you’re the third person to suggest it since I wrote this post.. :)
We can only ever do what we can – and that’s always good enough. :) xx
it must be satisfying to see just how you have changed your lifestyles. I do a lot of cooking at home but go to the shops too often so it is inspiring to see how you shop
Have you turned off your comments while you’re having a break? I couldn’t comment on your break post. I hope you have a lovely Easter and I’m sure you’ve made your family some lovely chocolates – can’t wait to see them xx