A couple have built an entire supermarket in their basement for less than £400 so they can eat more healthily and save money.
Alyson, her husband and their three kids – aged three and four – have stocked their at home “store” with hundreds of tins and frozen goods.
The 38-year-old is sharing the DIY project online to urge others to consider updating their lifestyle and follow suit.
READ MORE: Woman’s ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ designer charity shop find worth HUNDREDS cost her just £3.65
- Advertisement -
An online post about the ambitious undertaking has gained an amazing one million views and 44,000 likes.
“After I started reading food labels, all the additives in our food became more apparent,” the mum from Ontario, Canada, told What’s The Jam.
“Not to mention high prices for essentially non-nutritious food.
“The idea was to start saving a little here and there so if we ever needed it, we had it.
“Now with three kids, there is more responsibility and interruptions in the food supply chain can happen anytime.
- Advertisement -
“Aside from being prepared, it also means more nutritious homemade meals and it’s so convenient.
“If I need anything, I don’t have to haul my three toddlers to the store and I don’t need to grocery shop every week or twice a week because I have stock.”
Alyson first started building her pantry in the summer of 2024, before adding on a second dry goods pantry in April 2025.
- Advertisement -
She said: “It was DIY.
“I got the idea and made the drawings.
“I emptied out and purged what was in that room to gain space.
“Painted the walls black and installed the pantry with bare wood finish for a nice contrast.”
Cost-wise, the shelves, framing and paint was less than $500 (£365).
She said: “The cost of keeping it stocked varies season to season as different farms have different prices but based on previous years, you kind of know what to expect the following year.
“I don’t sell anything.
“It’s just for personal, family, friends and emergency preparation.
“I don’t do all my canning at once.
“Yes there is busy season, which is July to August in Canada, where there is a lot of seasonal produce to can.
“But in the off season it is simple to can things you froze – like tomatoes and corn, dried beans, stock, and bone broth can be made any time as well with frozen bones.
“And for us personally we need to restock things like chilli, bone broth, stock, and soups once or twice a season.
“The entire pantry is rotated every year and replenished.
“Many canned goods can last longer than two years.
“We prefer one to two.
“For the dry goods you might have to restock dehydrated foods, or perhaps dry pasta depending on how much you use.
“We go through a lot of homemade ramen bowls which uses up dehydrated foods quite a bit.
“I stock enough to last one-to-two years for dry pasta, rice, lentils, beans etc.”
Alyson admits that stocking the supermarket each month costs a lot more than they paid to build it initially.
However, despite confessing that the process is not always easy, she insisted that starting your own self-sufficient home supermarket is highly achievable if you don’t expect too much of yourself.
She said: “Anyone can do this as long as you’re realistic.
“Don’t try to grow or can everything.
“It’ll take the joy away from the process and you’ll find yourself burnt out.
“Finding resources like local farms to supplement food is a big one.
“Isolate grocery stores when organic is on sale.
“Purchase in bulk whenever possible.
“Places like Costco have some great options and organic options too if a farm is not an option.
“Sometimes you might have to drive a bit but buying in bulk makes it worth it.
“I drive an hour to my honey supplier, but we stock up and it never expires.
“My mom loves shopping in my basement.
“She usually grabs some canned food, tallow moisturizer, beeswax candles, anything she sees that she wants she can have.
“She is always surprised when I tell her what I added recently to the ‘cantry.’
“I like trying new recipes and methods to see what I like best.
“Most people are shocked that I am in the city and built something like this.
“Also I am self taught. My grandma and mom didn’t teach me.
“My home is also modest. Most people assume you need a huge house and space to build something like this.
“Many things we buy are actually quite simple to make with a few basic ingredients – from what we eat to what we put on our bodies and what we use.
“The idea is to be more self-sufficient.
“We want to gain skills and be less reliant on big box stores and conglomerate chains, but also eliminate many toxins from our daily routines.”
Viewers loved Alyson’s impressive change of lifestyle.
One person said: “This is the dream! All homemade food.”
And Marcy Drummonds remarked: “The shelves are sturdy, and well built.
“Scrupulously clean. Very neat, beautifully arranged. Attention to detail.”
Another person said: “This is exactly how I want my house to look.”
A fourth person added: “This is a store I’d like to shop at!”
