An Italian chef has revealed how she saves money on her food shop by foraging for ingredients amid the worsening cost of living crisis in the UK.
Vittoria Veltri, who lives in Putney, south-west London, cooks with edible flowers, wild garlic and nettles she finds near her home.
Growing up in the south of Italy, the mum-of-two regularly foraged but was too nervous to try it in the busy capital, especially as she did not know what would be fine to pick.
Her grandmother was an ‘amazing’ cook, and her dad is really into growing food and foraging, so Vittoria always ate fresh produce in her childhood.
Inspired to continue the family tradition – and save some money on groceries – she took a course to learn about natural ingredients available in the area.
‘It definitely saves money because you don’t have to buy anything. You just need to have patience and go for a walk,’ she told MyLondon.
Vittoria now enjoys going foraging with her five-year-old son before the pair get home and prepare dishes like nettle pasta and salads with fresh wild garlic pesto.
‘When we walk to get him from school, it is full of things to forage,’ she said.
‘Once were home we cook it, my son loves cooking with me, so we cook it together.’
While foraging for ingredients, Vittoria makes sure she takes her book with her to ensure they are safe.
She said: ‘Of course [there’s dangerous plants that you have to watch for].
‘I always have the book on me because some plants are quite similar to other plants so you need to look for that as well. I’m still learning so I’m quite cautious.’
Foraging has regained far greater popularity in recent years amid the rise in food costs, petrol and bills.
It is among the more creative ways – like car shares and clothes swaps – people cut their spending.
Fortunately for Vittoria, her story has inspired many to try out foraging themselves – either for the fun of it or to also tackle the cost of living.
She now teaches cooking classes in London under the name of Pasta and Play.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more by signing up to Metro’s News Updates newsletter
News Related-
Reputable tipster says that Samsung is preparing a folding tablet
-
Strictly Come Dancing 2022: Who is Tyler West as he joins the line-up?
-
Pfizer buying spree continues with $5.4B hematology deal
-
Drought: what is it and what can be done about it?
-
Knife-wielding man who broke into police station jailed
-
More than half of businesses hit by increased regulatory burden due to Brexit
-
Vogue Williams stuns in a leopard print bikini as she spends the day on a speedboat with Spencer Matthews and their children in Ibiza
-
COVID-19: How careful do I still need to be around older and vulnerable family members?
-
Can Dominic Perrottet ride out the storm? The Liberal brawl giving him hope
-
Victoria 2026: What to expect from the next Commonwealth Games
-
Editorial: Bring back the lost children of Los Angeles Unified
-
Amazon ‘drop-shipping’ resellers work a lollipop hustle that cost this family candy maker millions
-
Facing extreme heat and drought, young Californians cope to beat climate anxiety and doom
-
William and Kate are using 'Middleton way' to keep their children grounded, says expert
OTHER NEWS
jQuery(function(){ if (typeof jwplayer_load == typeof indefined) { var jwplayer_load = 1; jQuery(window).load(function(){ jQuery(".sc_video_shortcode_jwplayer").each(function(){ var _this = $(this); jQuery.get(jQuery(this).attr("url"), function(data, status){ if (typeof data.split("\n") !== typeof undefined) { var src ... Read more »
A flu jab nurse who spied on women in toilets has been spared jail – despite having sexual abuse pictures of children on his phone. Daryl Crofts, 50, from Buckingham, ... Read more »
ITV’s Big Brother reboot will reportedly be ‘launching in May next year inside a new house on a massive airfield in the countryside’. According to TV insiders, a new Big ... Read more »
A tourist has been left fuming after being charged £500 for a 10-minute journey into London’s Soho in a pedicab. The man, who wanted to remain anonymous, is claiming he ... Read more »
jQuery(function(){ if (typeof jwplayer_load == typeof indefined) { var jwplayer_load = 1; jQuery(window).load(function(){ jQuery(".sc_video_shortcode_jwplayer").each(function(){ var _this = $(this); jQuery.get(jQuery(this).attr("url"), function(data, status){ if (typeof data.split("\n") !== typeof undefined) { var src ... Read more »
The Queen is the proud owner of some seriously impressive and historic jewels, many of which cost more than most people could expect to earn in their lifetime. And other ... Read more »
The South African National Road Agency Limited (Sanral) has launched a new app that allows motorists to report potholes on municipal and provincial roads for repair by the government. According ... Read more »
jQuery(function(){ if (typeof jwplayer_load == typeof indefined) { var jwplayer_load = 1; jQuery(window).load(function(){ jQuery(".sc_video_shortcode_jwplayer").each(function(){ var _this = $(this); jQuery.get(jQuery(this).attr("url"), function(data, status){ if (typeof data.split("\n") !== typeof undefined) { var src ... Read more »
While desktops and tablets are increasingly converging, there remain some fundamental differences, none more so than the control interfaces you use. Apple’s Magic Trackpad helps bridge the gap between tablet ... Read more »
Two women who momentarily died have shared what the afterlife is really like – and one said it was so nice that she wants to go back. Jessie Sawyer and ... Read more »
James Maddison’s decision to line-up for Leicester City on the opening weekend of the Premier League amid interest from Newcastle United is a sign of character that will make him ... Read more »
Tottenham stars Giovani Lo Celso, Bryan Gil, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane Tottenham are working on two separate deals to send both Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele to Villarreal, ... Read more »
A fragile cease-fire deal to end nearly three days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza held into Monday morning – a sign the latest round of violence ... Read more »
Roger E. Mosley, best known for playing helicopter pilot Theodore “TC” Calvin across from Tom Selleck on “Magnum, P.I.,” died Sunday from injuries sustained in a car crash, his daughter ... Read more »
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers says he has no doubts over his decision to make Danny Ward as first-choice goalkeeper after his faultless display in the 2-2 draw with Brentford. Read more »
Deividas Skebas was arrested after Lilia, 9, was stabbed to death (Picture: SWNS) A 22-year-old fruit picker accused of murdering a nine-year-old girl in Lincolnshire was a well-liked altar boy ... Read more »
Ronnie O’Sullivan downed Judd Trump in the World Snooker Championship final in May (Picture: Getty Images) Judd Trump is taking plenty of positives from his run to the World Snooker ... Read more »
Marcos Alonso will be the latest new arrival at Barcelona this summer (Picture: Getty Images) The deal to take Marcos Alonso from Chelsea to Barcelona is very nearly done, with ... Read more »
Bannisters, windows and walls have been removed to aid the complex rescues (Picture: Getty) Firefighters are rescuing more severely obese people from their homes than ever before. Lifting equipment and slings are ... Read more »
Jay portrays Billy Fletcher in Emmerdale (Picture: ITV) Emmerdale star Jay Kontzle was ‘proud’ to share his new film project with his fans. The actor, who portrays Billy Fletcher on ... Read more »
A west suburban man who allegedly fired a gun at a vacant South Side park last week was also driving with four other weapons including an AR-15 rifle, more than ... Read more »
Only one offensive tackle surrendered more sacks last season than Storm Norton did. Only one gave up more pressures. Those statistics are courtesy of Pro Football Focus. The rest of ... Read more »
SACRAMENTO — Renee Kuykendall woke up at 4 a.m. to prepare for the arrival of her first client. She won’t be done with her last client of the day until 11 ... Read more »
Listen to this episode of The Times: Last week, Nancy Pelosi became the first House speaker in a quarter-century to visit Taiwan. China viewed Pelosi’s trip as a direct challenge. ... Read more »
WASHINGTON — As Democrats celebrated an abortion rights win last week, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke confidently from the center of an ornate room at the White House compound, surrounded by ... Read more »
NS&I says phonelines experienced technical issues between 9am and 11.40amIt advises customers to check the FAQ page on its website and try calling laterCustomers complaining new security system is locking them out of accounts NS&I maintains there are no issues with its new two-factor login You have a problem logging in? editor@thisismoney.co.uk Read more »
Chelsea have a bundle of players available for sale after making significant additions to their squad. But they may not be finished making signings either with the club still looking ... Read more »
Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. First Beethoven, now Mozart: Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes is one of classical music’s completists. But where his so-called Beethoven Journey with ... Read more »
A large Second World War bomb discovered in an Italian river during a severe drought has been safely defused, the military has said. Fishermen spotted the US-made device, which weighed ... Read more »
Simon Goodenough, 67, said he was outraged to find Ventnor Botanic Garden 'overrun with weeds' and 'completely run down' The former curator had worked on the site for 25 years and left in 2011, but has since called for a change of managementThe site was taken over from the council by American businessman John Curtis in 2012The gardens on the Isle of Wight are known as the hottest in Britain and boast subtropical plants Read more »
Alice Evans has risked violating her restraining order from her estranged husband Ioan Gruffudd after once again taking to social media to post about their separation. The mother-of-two, 54, claimed ... Read more »
L’heure des Pros : Pascal Praud arrêté, CNews victime de son départ ? Le jeudi 4 août 2022, CNews proposait une nouvelle édition de L’Heure des Pros . Pascal Praud ... Read more »
The family has now returned home to Kettering, Northamptonshire, where the injured boy is recovering and using a wheelchair. Read more »
LITTLE Mix star Jade Thirlwall has caused a stir online by sharing a video of a barefooted passenger on her flight. The singer's footage shows a foot with green painted ... Read more »
Horror attraction Psycho Path will be stirring up deep fears this Halloween when thrill-seekers are plunged into a whole new world of gruesome piracy. Those who venture into the scary ... Read more »
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers during the Premier League match against Brentford Managers live and die by their substitutions, at least in the eyes of fans. They are the most ... Read more »
Both high alcohol and tobacco consumption linked to a swatheof cancersExperts thought men's drinking and smoking habits behind higher cancer ratesBut major study suggests biology makes men more vulnerable to the disease Read more »
Representational image. ANI Patna: Former Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Monday hit out at the JD(U) and dared it to take on the BJP directly instead of ... Read more »
Parliament of India. ANI New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday took exception to an Opposition MP walking up to a Union Minister’s seat during Question Hour, saying ... Read more »
César Azpilicueta has admitted he considered leaving Chelsea last season until deciding to “stay in my home” after the turmoil that ushered in a new era under Todd Boehly. The ... Read more »