Hey, everyone.

I just wanted to post (for once) that I found perfect strawberries for 99 cents a package yesterday at a discount store. They usually sell for about 2.98 around here. I also got an entire bag of tangelos for two dollars.

What are some good deals you've gotten on fruits and veg?

Last week I got 5 mangos for a dollar. They were so good too.

This week they were $.50 each.

The Asian markets I haunt can be amazing.

7 mangos/$5
3 cartons of blackberries/$3 (same for strawberries)
7 mangosteens/$5 (compare to Whole Foods, 1/$3 HA HA HA)

Mmm... those are the ones that stand out in my mind the most. Unfortunately, none of it is organic, and half of it doesn't even have a PLU sticker, so could be GMO. Most of the people working there don't answer your questions, either, so, caveat emptor.

This was AWESOME in the beginning when I needed to eat a very large volume of raw food. Now, I'll spend a little more, since I require less. I plan on going back when lychees come in season, and maybe for the occasional durian treat...

pakd4fun, I would be thrilled at 50 cent mangos! They're usually $1.50 or 2 here (central New York). My co-op sells produce that's close to going bad at 45 cents a pound. If I plan to use it in the next couple of days it can be an amazing bargain.

I love it when they have the .99 Canteloupes here.....or the 3.99 Watermelons in July that weigh like 40 lbs! Ha! ha! Now THAT'S good eats!

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

The best deal ever is going to be behind my house in about a week. As many organic blackberries as you can pick!!! We have thousands of acres of timber land behind us and the blackberries thrive. We also have wild grapes that are tiny right now.

Yes, Asian market deals are great, non organic tho.
Produce on sale at the place where I go to (has been watermelon, cucumber, napa cabbage, pear, cabbage,spinach, green onion, lettuce in the past) is either 5lbs for 99 cents or when they have a blow out it is 1 cent for 1 lbs, limit 20 lbs.
But the 1 cent items are usually crap quality - that's why they sell it for 1 cent. Alas, still good for juicing most of the time.

Once I got something like 15 fairly big watermelons for $1.49 each. I was on a high for days and days.

Sarah
[goingbananasblog.com]

I have been very depressed today because I have realized that since going mostly raw my grocery bill has gone through the roof. The only way I can keep this up is if I buy cheap as heck and not organic. I felt very guilty about this at first but now after reading these posts I feel much better.

It's a great feeling to know that I am not the only one who is on a tight budget.

A good buy I found here recently is mangoes $5/case. Strawberries manager's special $2.99/5 lb box. I always do the "manager's special" Yes it is stuff that isn't the newest but my kids go through it so fast that it doesn't stand a chance at going bad. This is how I can afford to eat so many mushrooms is because I buy them when they are on "manager's special".

I also found a sale at walmart, avacodos .98 cents each, so I bought 15.

Dillons had organic lemons 3/$1 for a while but now it's back to regular price.

Talk to ya'll later!

River Willow

PS. If any of you have tips on cheap shopping let me know.

We spend so much more on food now. Wednesday I shopped in the produce section on one end of the store and then crossed all the processed food isles to the other side of the store for laundry soap and cat food and such. I though about how I used to think that cheese and milk and so many other things were expensive foods. I always thought fruit was relatively cheap. When I saw how much more it cost to eat this way I was shocked. We know we have to just do it. It is an investment in our health and what other investment is more important than that? It makes me angry that our government is subsidizing the crappy food so it will be cheaper. I want MY healthy food to be cheaper, or at least in a fair market.

The other argument is, look at what you AREN'T spending money on: over the counter meds, doctors, prescriptions, surgery... I know I used to spend a FORTUNE on allergy medicine. Not even the real Claritin, the fake stuff! When I told my dad how awesome it was to be no-poo, he was like, "Why couldn't you do that when *I* was still buying your hair products?! I spent a fortune!!" And my dad is the king of buying in bulk.

So, yes, the grocery bill is higher. But other bills are disappearing. And to know I will have my best health as I age... that seems increasingly priceless.

All those processed foods that sell for cheaper just aren't really foods. You pay for it with your body, and the interest could come in years of your life, you know? =\

Eh, I've been raw for a long time, almost 1/4th of my life. I am pretty used to the price. I don't have to buy medications. My skin is perfect. I don't use diet pills or eat fast food or need all of the cosmetics & products that my peers do. It evens out.

My partner!!! He is a produce god!!! His passion is growing beautiful organic food. He put up a greenhouse in January in Massachusetts and promptly filled it with plants he had growing in our living room. Now we are the only people we know around here giving away produce because we have so much! A raw foodie's dream come true!!! He is also the produce buyer at our local co-op, which has a 100% organic produce section, so anything that gets culled goes into a bin that the staff can take home. /so lots of freebies there (today's cullins' -- 2 slightly briused mangos, some lemons (for my hair, since I'm doing the "no poo" thing too) and a couple of avos)!

That's what I need, a greenhouse. Where do I go to get that started?? Even if just a miniature one.


River

Box of 9 Guatamalan mangos for $5.00 at the flea market.

We started a garden. We are doing square foot gardens and also planting veggies in our flower beds. We hope to continue to add a new square foot garden as time and money allow until we have more than enough to grow the food we eat.

We didn't go to the doctor, take medicines or eat fast food before raw so no savings there. We do spend a lot of money on health insurance we never use. If we do need a doctor we go to the naturopath that insurance won't pay for. We feel like we need insurance in case there is an accident. We want to find one with a high deductible and lower monthly paymants but that has proven hard to do.

I will be saving a small amount on not shampooing.

Just bought 5 kilos of mangosteen for about $2.75 USD and 12 kilos of Durian for 7 dollars.

Oh how sweet it is.

Love Peace and Happiness,

Cherimoya

i work for a farmer at a farmers market once a week and i get paid in some fresh produce. =)

A box of 25 mostly perfect avocados for $2.

Same deal with tomatoes, and a tray of 12 mangoes for $5 (Asian market).

3 mangoes for a dollar ( buy a truckload lol) Often get a whole bunch of bananas for a dollar as well.

case of thai coconuts today ... $11

$200 for selling our greens from our "urban microfarm" at the farmers market this Sat! Woo hoo!! We were hoping for $20 or $30. So everybody grow a garden!!! Even in a windowsill!

That is AWESOME Sundancer!!! So inspiring!