Barbara Simoes

All of the above, but also lemon balm.  I use this as a tea and as a tincture.  I keep a little bottle upstairs in my bathroom and if I can't get to sleep, this will do the trick every time.

I'd ordered some hawthorn capsules after reading about how fantastic it was for the heart.  I then went to my doctor, where I was able to cut my medicine in half because of how well the hawthorn worked.  Since, I've planted a Hawthorn tree and bought a capsule maker!  I look forward to the day when I can use my own freshly dried plant matter.

I also have elderberry bushes out back from which I make a tincture.  I haven't had a cold since starting to take this.  The trick is to start it before you start having any symptoms.  It is easy to take because it tastes quite good, as does the hawthorn in tincture form.

Gardening and herbalism go hand-in-hand.  If you're willing to grow the plants, the hard part is done.  I have a good sized area by the back door covered in cardboard and mulch where I plan to extend my herb growing.  I plan to try planting a knob of turmeric and ginger.  I know that if I get it at the co-op, it should be pesticide free.  I know it won't survive the winter, but I can either carry some over inside or just start fresh when running low.

I grow peppermint, but honestly, that's mainly for mojitos!  I know that it is supposed to be great for upset stomachs, but it never appeals to me when I do have an upset stomach, so there's that...but, there is nothing easier to grow than any form of mint.  Contain it in a planter so it doesn't bully the rest of your plants!

I know that this thread is at least nine years old, but it is timely now and lots of people have food insecurity.
My first bit of advice: Embrace intermittent fasting.  We, as a culture, eat too much and would be healthier if we cut out all snacks and ate only one or two meals a day.  My eating window is usually between noon and seven pm.

I second the idea of incorporating legumes more.  Cook a large batch and freeze a goodly amount for times when you don't want to start from scratch.
Home cooking is essential. I buy a gallon of milk and make my own yogurt.  When I used to eat bread, I'd make my own. I grow basil like a crop, buy the walnuts, and make and freeze pesto all summer long, which feeds me through the other seasons. (I clip the plants about once a week, which helps them bush out and grow more.) I love it on rice with a can of tomatoes tossed in.  Sometimes, I'll add chicken, but not very often. Buying the raw ingredients will be less expensive than buying the finished product every time, and you don't have to worry about the extra stuff like preservatives, added in.

As you're able, buy fruit and nut trees and learn to can and preserve your own food. Granted, it won't be instant gratification, but before you know it and then for the rest of your life, you can have more than you can use--you can then barter for stuff that you don't have. Fruit bushes and perennial vegetables also really pay.  Strawberries will produce quickly, are vitamin-packed and easy.  They send out runners and make an excellent groundcover. I bought 50 2 year old asparagus crowns a few years back, and now I have so much that I eat my fill for months while it's fresh, and then pickle and can the extra to feed me through the winter.  There are many people who stop canning for one reason or another, and are willing to give away their jars and equipment.  Maybe place a notice on line that you're interested and looking for the materials.  Most of my jars were free.  I still get a thrill every time I open a can of peach salsa or applesauce!

I now can, freeze, pickle and ferment along with dehydrate and freeze-dry food because of all of the fruit that is coming in. I make my own wine.  I have so many strawberries that every year I make strawberry wine along with drying, freezing and canning them. I have blueberry, rhubarb, dandelion, peach and other fruit wines.  I'm not big on jams and jellies, but you could make those and barter or sell it at a farmer's market.  

Find a local farmer who grows things and is willing to sell in bulk.  This past year, I found someone who sells tomatoes, and I was able to can 36 quarts. It's true that there is an initial investment that needs to be made for some of these ideas, but they each will pay you back one thousand%!

I get eco-friendly laundry sheets.  I think the brand I started with was Earth Breeze, but they are a bit pricey.  Costco has even started to carry some sheets.  They are very easy to use, and the humidity doesn't seem to reconstitute them. Here's a page that compares a few brands:
https://www.thelaundryguru.net/best-laundry-sheets?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ga_text_dg_tpv_core_broad_v2&tw_source=google&tw_adid=1450218186224&tw_campaign=44032987561&tw_kwdid=kwd-4062487600

Arizona's climate supports a variety of crops beyond pistachios and pine nuts, with top performers including pecans (a major commercial crop), almonds, and dates. Citrus, figs, pomegranates, olives, and stone fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots also thrive in the region.

Here are specific, well-adapted plants for Arizona's climate:
Nut Trees: In addition to pecans, almonds and walnuts have shown potential, particularly in the northern regions.
Fruit Trees: Figs (especially Chicago Hardy), pomegranates, olives, and citrus are well-suited for the heat.
Stone Fruits: Apricots, peaches, and plums perform well.

I'd avoid walnuts because of the juglone, but everything else sounds great!

As soon as I read Arizona, I thought of Pine nuts and pistachios.  Pistachios and specific native pine nuts (piñon) grow well in Arizona, particularly in areas with hot, dry summers and cold winters that provide necessary chilling hours. Pistachios thrive in mid-to-high desert regions, with an estimated 10,000 acres currently under cultivation, while Arizona piñon pine is native to the state.

Pistachios in Arizona
Growing Areas: They flourish in Arizona's arid conditions, particularly in Cochise County, as noted on Farm Progress.
Requirements: They require 1,000+ hours of winter chilling (under
) to produce, which is ideal for higher elevations but may be marginal in the low desert.
Conditions: They need well-drained soil, thrive in high temperatures, and require both male (e.g., 'Peters') and female (e.g., 'Kerman') trees for pollination.
Production: Trees take 5–8 years to start producing nuts.

Pine Nuts (Piñon) in Arizona
Native Species: The Arizona Piñon (Pinus edulis or monophylla) is native to the region, often found alongside junipers in arid, rocky, or sandy soil.
Climate: They are hardy, generally adapted to USDA Zones 4–8.
Care: They are easy to grow once established and prefer to avoid summer irrigation.

Key Considerations
Water: While drought-tolerant, they still require adequate irrigation, with Arizona's tree nut industry using an estimated 118,145 acre-feet of water in 2017, according to the UA Cooperative Extension.
Investment: Pistachio trees can live for hundreds of years, making them a long-term investment.

Quite a bit!  My friends and I call this "Barbieland" because bad things can happen in Barbieland!  If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all kind of thing!  

Nancy Reading wrote:

Barbara Simoes wrote:no one in the state seems to do this sort of thing.

Sounds like an opportunity for someone then.
I'd be tempted to have a go myself - hire someone with a digger and make a workparty. What's the worst that can happen?

I made some phone calls and no one in the state seems to do this sort of thing.  I love Vermont, but it is lacking when it comes to many things. This is just one such example.  We're not "cutting edge" with things involving medical advances either, just as a quick example!  

Nancy Reading wrote:Did you make any progress with this Barbara? A living pond gives many more functions than a swimming pool.

If you know anyone with a freeze-dryer or you have one yourself, that's a way to take care of dozens of eggs.  I have a freeze dryer because of all the fruits and vegetables I have growing, but one of the first things I did was to do seven dozen eggs or so in one batch.  It's like having powdered eggs on hand and you just rehydrate at a 1:1 ratio. I would put them in various sized mason jars and seal with a portable hand sealer.

I use George Stella's keto recipe for mock potato salad that is actually made with I think 7-8 eggs and cauliflower instead of potatoes.  If you're still interested, I can type it up in another post.

A dish from my childhood was stuffed tomatoes that uses hard boiled eggs, fresh bread crumbs, minced onion and some other ingredients I'm not remembering at the moment.  Ditto from above! I don't have my mom's original recipe, but I found a recipe that was a good second in one of my cookbooks.

Egg salad is another great thing to have on hand for a quick sandwich.