If you have some knowledge of the local edibles you can go out and gather free berries or other foodstuffs. It is early in the season now but if you plan on when and where to go, you can have an enjoyable outing - great with kids - and bring home some tasty fresh food. I frequently harvest both blackberries and blueberries that grow wild in the summer. Other berries are available as are mushrooms, fiddle heads and other edibles. I make a point to always have a plastic container with me when hiking or cycling in case I run into something interesting. Living near the ocean provides a bounty of fresh seafood as well. While it costs money for a fishing license, it can easily pay for itself if one puts in some time. It is very important to learn what can and can not be eaten before chowing down on sauteed wild mushrooms, but if you learn you can enjoy the cost savings of free food for a portion of the year.
I honestly never even thought to do this and would be scared to do so. I also feel I wouldn't know enough to do so. What if I brought home something poisonous. We have grown a couple of vegetables and fruits and then ate them throughout the season, but I've never just gone on a hike and found food.
I don't have access to those kind of freebies unfortunately. We used to have some blackberries out back at one of the places I lived, but I think they were intentionally planted there by previous owners and not just wild berries. We used to occasionally pick wild mushrooms, too, but I don't live anywhere near that kind of food any more.
It's possible to gather your own food in places where you can. It not only saves money but you get delicacies which you can't find elsewhere on the market. Wild mushrooms for example — they're tastier, much bigger and more nutritious. It pays a lot to live in a small town in the country
