Cash Kitties

9 Ways to Eat for Free

Posted on 06 October 2011

Hopefully, your financial situation doesn’t leave you wanting for food. If this is the case, however, you have options. While many of these ideas won’t work on an everyday basis, implement a few of them and you’ll find that your food bill will take a dive.

1. Pick berries in the spring, along with other fruit as it becomes seasonally available. For example, the park across from my house has a pear tree with fruit that makes an incredible pear compote. Berries are often available around lakes and undeveloped rural areas. Be sure to ask before picking on private property.

2. Hunt and fish. If you have to buy lots of supplies to do these activities, this activity can end up costing you money. But if you already have a rifle or rod and reel, get over the “yuk” factor and put them to good use. Don’t feel badly about killing cute animals. The animals raised on factory farms are cute too.

3. Gather nuts in the fall. As with berries, seek out parks and rural areas. A bonus is that an hour spent gathering nuts is a fun and free family activity that kids will enjoy.

4. Volunteer to serve at church and community potlucks. You’ll get something to eat and you’ll be making a contribution.

5. Pull up some dandelions. This prolific plant is easy to find and happens to have the healthiest greens you can eat. One cup added to a salad provides over 100 percent of the daily value for vitamins D and K, along with a healthy amount of fiber and vitamin C.

6. If things are dire, go to your community’s food bank. Funded by generous members of the community, food banks offer a temporary solution for when you just can’t make your food budget stretch far enough.

7. Barter a skill for a few meals. For example, you might help a neighbor’s child with his math homework in exchange for dinner. One benefit of a recession — or depression — is that it can help community members come together in mutually beneficial ways.

8. Dumpster-dive. Yes, it sounds gross, and may well be in some circumstances. However, grocery stores are required to throw out items after they’ve expired. Many items will be in perfectly good condition after their expiration date. Use caution and common sense, however, should you decide to adopt this strategy. And if you’re worried about the stigma, simply tell people you’re a dedicated freegan.

9. Create a free garden. Gardens can often be expensive after soil conditioning, seeds, fertilizer and so-on are factored in. However, some plants, such as beans and squash, are not very picky about growing conditions. Put a few seeds in the ground and add water. You never know. Need seeds? Get them free!