By Zoila Palma: As the cost of everyday living continues to rise, some Belizean families are turning to practical ways of producing more of what they consume, from planting vegetables and herbs at home to raising chickens and keeping small backyard gardens.
For households facing tighter budgets, these efforts can help reduce grocery bills while providing a source of fresh food for the family.
And, these practices are not out of the box, our grandmothers and grandfathers used their resources, planted tomatoes, sweet peppers, plantains and more and grew local chicken.
“We have to find creative ways too, I remember my grandma had chickens,” the Prime Minister said today.
Prime Minister John Briceno said that his Government continues to find ways to ease the cost of living issues including the Free education programs, the National Health Insurance, expanding GST exemption on electricity bills for more households among other programs.
But, PM Briceno said that this must be a whole country approach.
The latest figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) show why many households are looking for ways to stretch their dollars.
Belize recorded an annual inflation rate of 4.4 percent in August 2026, while the year-to-date inflation rate stood at 2.9 percent.
During the first eight months of the year, prices increased by 7.0 percent for transport, 2.2 percent for food and non-alcoholic beverages, and 2.8 percent for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels.
For many Belizeans, the response is increasingly about finding ways to spend less and make what they already have go further.
A small garden can provide vegetables while raising chickens can provide eggs or meat.
Others are turning to cooking and selling food, baking, growing produce for sale, doing small side jobs, or using their skills to generate additional income.
These efforts may not replace a regular salary, but they can provide meaningful savings or extra cash for households dealing with higher bills.
As electricity, water, rent, transportation and food costs put additional pressure on household budgets, the traditional advice to “plant what you eat” is taking on renewed relevance—encouraging Belizeans to use whatever space, skills and resources they have to help feed their families and build greater financial resilience.
The post Plant what you eat: How Belizeans are getting creative to sustain their families appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: As the cost of everyday living continues to rise, some Belizean families are turning to practical ways of producing more of what they consume, from planting vegetables and herbs at home to raising chickens and keeping small backyard gardens. For households facing tighter budgets, these efforts can help reduce grocery bills while
The post Plant what you eat: How Belizeans are getting creative to sustain their families appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
