A Budget-Friendly Kitchen, a Healthier Family: Making the Most of Home Gardens Through BERISIK

Fluctuating food prices, particularly for everyday ingredients such as chilies and onions, can be a challenge for household budgets. At the same time, concerns about the quality and safety of commercially produced food—including potential exposure to synthetic pesticides—are an important consideration for mothers who want to provide safe and healthy food for their families.

Some of these household challenges can be addressed right at home. Through BERISIK (Berkebun Itu Asik), or “Gardening Is Fun,” an initiative by Yayasan ALIT, the Home Gardening pillar encourages mothers to turn available spaces around their homes into sources of fresh, affordable, and sustainable food.

More than just a hobby, growing food at home can be a long-term investment in both family health and household finances. It can help reduce spending on frequently used ingredients, provide greater control over how some food is grown, and create what could be called a “living pantry”—a supply of fresh ingredients that is available just outside the kitchen.

To make gardening manageable alongside daily household routines, choosing plants that are adaptable, useful, and relatively easy to maintain is essential:

1. Everyday Kitchen Staples: Chilies, bird’s eye chilies, and lemongrass are frequently used in Indonesian cooking and can be vulnerable to price fluctuations.
2. Kitchen-Friendly Leafy Greens: Mustard greens, spinach, and water spinach grow relatively quickly and can be prepared in a variety of dishes.
3. Spices and Herbs: Galangal, ginger, and pandan can add flavor to everyday cooking and are also commonly used in traditional food and home remedies.
4. Regrowing Kitchen Scraps: Leftover roots from spring onions and celery, as well as onion scraps, can sometimes be replanted, giving kitchen waste a second life with little or no additional cost.

Limited space in urban homes does not necessarily have to be a barrier. Vertical gardening can make use of walls and other small spaces, while hanging pots can be placed on balconies or other suitable areas. Reusing containers such as old buckets or planting bags can further reduce costs. With a practical selection of plants, daily maintenance can also be kept relatively short—around 10–15 minutes a day.

Another strength of BERISIK is what happens after the harvest. Through Olah-Olah, a family cooking activity, mothers can invol