A Canadian mother has built an entire supermarket in her basement as she revealed the 'apocalyptic' DIY project in an Instagram video that has left doomsayers impressed.
Alyson, 38, has stocked her personalised 'store' with hundreds of tinned and frozen goods at a cost of less than £400 after becoming fed up with rising costs and the unhealthy food options on offer.
The mother-of-three, based in Ontario, Canada, posted a short clip showing shelves of dried beans, soups, bone broth, and lentils, as well as pasta and canned tomatoes on Instagram.
Text on the clip read: 'In your 30s, people will tell you to 'be realistic' and not create a grocery store in your basement.
'It is VERY important you ignore those people.'
Alyson explained she was motivated after she realised she was paying exorbitantly high prices for 'non-nutritious food'.
'Aside from being prepared, it means more nutritious homemade meals, and it's so convenient. If I need anything, I don't have to haul my three toddlers to the store, and I don't need to grocery shop every week or twice a week because I have stock.'
Reacting to Alyson's £400 'supermarket', one Instagram user said: 'I want you on my team for the apocalypse.'
Alyson first started building her pantry in the summer of 2024, and by April 2025 she expanded her project to include a second dry goods pantry. Remarkably, she explained that the cost of painting the room herself and installing the shelves came to less than $500 (£365).
Alyson first started building her innovative pantry in the summer of 2024, and by April 2025, she had expanded her project to include a second dry goods pantry.
Remarkably, she explained that the cost of painting the room herself and installing the abundance of shelves came to less than $500 (£365).
'The cost of keeping it stocked varies season to season as different farms have different prices, but based on previous years, you kind of know what to expect the following year,' explained Alyson.
She insisted that she doesn't sell anything and that the DIY home supermarket is 'just for personal, family, friends and emergency preparation'.
'I don't do all my canning at once,' she explained.
'Yes, there is busy season, which is July to August in Canada, where there is a lot of seasonal produce to can.
'But in the off season, it is simple to can things you freeze - like tomatoes and corn, dried beans, stock, and bone broth can be made any time as well with frozen bones.
'And for us personally, we need to restock things like chilli, bone broth, stock, and soups once or twice a season.'
Over the course of the year, Alyson rotates her pantry and replenishes it twice. However, she also stocks enough dry pasta, rice, lentils and beans to last one to two years.
She admitted that stocking the supermarket each month comes at a price far greater than they had initially paid to build it. However, Alyson insisted that starting your own home supermarket is highly achievable.
Over the course of the year, Alyson rotates her pantry and replenishes it twice. However, she also stocks enough dry pasta, rice, lentils and beans to last one to two years.
She insisted that she doesn't sell anything and that the DIY home supermarket is 'just for personal, family, friends and emergency preparation'.
Social media users have praised Alyson for her innovative home supermarket.
Now, Alyson has shared her home supermarket online in the hopes of inspiring others, with an online post of the DIY shop amassing more than one million views and 44,000 likes.
'Anyone can do this as long as you're realistic,' encouraged Alyson.
Taking to Instagram to share their support for Alyson's home supermarket, one commenter said: 'Judging by how things are going, you're probably right.'
Another added: 'If you're not doing this you are really not paying attention to the crumbling world around you ...let alone understanding how much money you can actually save by doing this.'
One quipped: 'Enough for a zombie attack survival,' while another remarked: 'What an amazing setup. Way to be self-sufficient!'
For anyone curious about replicating Alyson's grocery store, she advised: 'Isolate grocery stores when organic is on sale or purchase in bulk whenever possible.'
'Sometimes you might have to drive a bit,’ she added, ‘but buying in bulk makes it worth it. I drive an hour to my honey supplier but we stock up and it never expires.'
She added that many people are left 'shocked' when they discover that she has been able to 'build something like this,' but that it is a project which is completely worth the time and effort.
She explained: 'Many things we buy are actually quite simple to make with a few basic ingredients - from what we eat to what we put on our bodies and what we use.
'The idea is to be more self-sufficient. We want to gain skills and be less reliant on big box stores and conglomerate chains but also eliminate many toxins from our daily routines.'
The products to purchase if you are looking to make your own DIY supermarket (and at a cost of less than £400!)
- Wooden shelving unit
Installing the infrastructure needed to set up your home supermarket doesn't need to be complicated or expensive. Instead, this shelving unit from IKEA offers the perfect solution to your woes. The light wood gives it a urban and authentic feel, while the large shelves offer plenty of space for your fresh produce. - Home fridge/freezer
While a slightly more costly expense, a fridge and freezer is a vital component for a home supermarket, given the need to keep your produce fresh. This affordable white fridge-freezer offers a sleek yet practical solution to ensuring you are never without fresh goods. - Glass jars
Filled with spices to dry goods such as pasta and rice, these glass jars from The Range are incredibly versatile and a must have in your home supermarket. Fit with a metallic lid, the 550ml jars come in packs of six. - Black metal baskets
Perfect for storing your fresh fruit and veg, these Amazon black baskets come in packs of 4 and will help ensure your home supermarket stays organised. - Wooden storage boxes
One thing's for certain, you just can't have enough storage in a home supermarket, and these sturdy natural wooden crates are perfect for storing some of the heavier stuff. At a cost of just £14.99, these hampers are a perfect addition. - A bright and airy runner rug
To finish off your home supermarket, take inspiration from Alyson and incorporate a rug as a finishing touch. This silver runner means you can truly enjoy your home comforts while food shopping