Prices Are Soaring — These Veggies Are Cheaper To Grow At Home

Inflation is everywhere these days, including in the grocery store aisles. According to the USDA, the cost for fresh vegetables has risen by 7.5% between March 2025 and March 2026. Political policies preventing many seasonal workers from entering the U.S. are also having a huge impact on prices, particularly on labor-intensive items like lettuce and tomatoes. A study by Michigan State University assistant professor Zachariah Rutledge even put numbers to the problem. He found that a 10% decrease in labor shows up as an almost 3% increase in prices at grocery stores.

Obviously, this perfect storm places consumers in a bit of a pickle (pun intended). Fortunately, there are things people can do to lower their grocery bills while still putting plenty of healthy produce on their plates. One of the best options? Start growing your own veggies. Growing vegetables at home is an investment that can pay off in a big way over time, and is something you can start with just a few easy steps. Some gardeners say they can save up to $50 per week growing vegetables at home for their family. That's over $2,500 per year if you preserve some of your harvest to use over the winter! To increase your savings, you will need to focus on veggies that are cheaper to grow at home than they are to purchase at the store.

When choosing the best vegetables to grow to get the biggest bang for your buck, there are a few factors to consider. First, take a look at in-store prices and determine which veggies have the highest cost per pound. You should also consider how much food a particular plant will produce, how quickly it grows, and whether it can be harvested multiple times in a season. On the other hand, some vegetables take up too much space or are too finicky to grow, to see any real cost benefits. It is also helpful to keep an eye on the news for local and national trends — for example, tomatoes have been vanishing from stores recently, and they are easy to grow at home.

Zucchini, for example, is a summer vegetable that grows quickly and produces a lot of fruit. One plant can grow up to ten pounds of produce! As stated above, tomatoes are another great option because they grow prolifically and can be quite expensive in the store. Roma tomatoes, for example, can produce about 20 to 30 pounds in a single season. Other high-yield producers include cucumbers, peppers, green beans, and rhubarb. 

Some veggies, like cucumbers, can even be grown vertically or from hanging baskets to maximize space. Other veggies like herbs and leafy greens (think lettuce, spinach, collard greens, kale, or arugula) are beneficial to grow because the same plant can be harvested again and again. For would-be gardeners without the outdoor space, many easy vegetables can be grown indoors. Lettuce and herbs are also notoriously easy to grow and can provide you with fresh produce from a pot in your kitchen!