A woman who once depended on fast food and store-bought frozen meals now cultivates and stores enough food to sustain her family for four months, leading to an annual savings of $2,000.
Cara Jones, a 27-year-old, began exploring homesteading as a way to regain control during the unsettling times of the pandemic. She gradually learned food preservation techniques, like canning, through YouTube tutorials.
Today, this mother of two has filled her pantry with jars of fresh veggies, flour, and homemade meals, which she estimates can last up to four months.
By embracing this lifestyle, Cara, a content creator living near Chicago, says she saves $2,000 yearly and now prepares homemade meals for her truck driver husband, Devon, 28, and their two young children.
Before this change, Cara used to shop weekly, often opting for takeout or fast food. She previously believed homesteading required large land and livestock.
However, in the summer of 2022, she began her journey by setting up a pantry in her basement and growing vegetables in her modest garden.
