I would like to switch to raw diet, but am on a very limited budget. I've looked at books on raw diet, and they talk about all this expensive equipment which I can't afford. I have a blender and a food processor, would like tips on doing a raw diet cheaply/frugaly. Any help would be appreciated.
-Sandra

Forget about expensive equipment. You don't have to have it. I, too, only have a blender and food processsor, but no dehydrator or juicer. Maybe someday I'll get them, but for months it's been working out fine for me without them.

As to getting fruits and vegetables cheaply, seek out a local farmer's market for bargains. Your town might have a market that sells only fruit and vegetables; often their prices are much better on produce than the big grocery chains. Some big chain grocery stores will mark items off when they get new shipments of produce in. Keep a watch for a good price on special; get a large quantity of that item, then have mono-meals of it. I did that recently when mangoes were two-thirds off and it was heavenly.

Perhaps you could start a small vege plot or even have a few plants in pots on a patio come Spring. I was lucky enough to rent a house for a while that had six plum trees, an orange tree, a mandarin tree and grapes. I vow to have fruit trees again someday! If you are able to grow something you may be able to trade your surplus with someone else's surplus. (But I know that's not a quick solution.)

One practical thing I do is add extra kamo kamo to many lettuce wraps. (I just recently posted a LOT of wrap recipes on the "Recipes and Food Preparation" forum.) Kamo kamo is a HUGE zucchini-like squash that is somewhat plain tasting, but CHEAP and a good filler for extending other more expensive ingredients in the wraps.


My favorite raw vegan

You don't need any equipment. Just the raw foods themselves. Dr. Fuhrman recommends eating the whole food rather than only the juice. That way you get it as nature intended with all the fiber. The important thing is to eat a minimum of 5 fruits a day and at least one huge green salad. Eliminate all processed foods. Frozen fruits are fine as well. I highly recommend Dr. Fuhrman's books Eat To Live and Eat For Health.

Add a citrus juicer or press (less than $20). Check Craigslist.org in your city for used juicer or consider a manual hand powered auger juicer. $40. new. [www.discountjuicers.com] If you want to skip the dehydrator (I would save an get one), is there a warm part of your house, apartment with direct sun exposure? That's the way the Essenes did it. Obviously if the humidity of the room is over 50 percent, that's not going to work. Foregoing the dehydrator all together is also an option as Trive suggests. I would make the investment for a juicer though, even if it's used or a new manual one. You can make this fit your budget. Also figure the cost of not buying. Dehydrators are food preservers. Not just making breads and crackers. You can buy fresh organic produce in the summer months and dehydrate it for winter. Just a thought. Hope this helps.

Paul

Right! In my experience, you can/do achieve excellent results by simple upping your percentage of fresh fruits & vegetables. You don't HAVE to have expensive machines or organic only to show vast improvement. Here are some practical tips:

1) It's all about who you know! Try to find local small produce stores that will sell you dented produce on the cheap!

2) Make your diet center around inexpensive bulk veggies and fruits like apples, bananas, cabbage, etc.

3) Avoid processed foods and expensive nuts.

4) Grow your own sprouts: Things like sunflower seed sprouts, or mung beans are delicious and inexpensive.

5) Grow your own stuff in a small garden.

6) Just open your eyes and look around your own neighborhood for ANYONE that has fruit trees & knock on their door! Folks are often just fine with loading you up with bags of fruit from their trees!

7) Get a girlfriend/boyfriend and....ummm....'encourage' them to feed you! It works!

8) Ask family to help support you with a little bit of extra money for healthy foods! Most would be happy to do it! Crap......I would be happy to send you money if I thought you were working hard to improve your health! Heh...heh. Where else can I buy good karma so cheaply!

-Power to you!

Oh...PS...you can also buy very inexpensive juicers/dehydrators/blenders, etc, at large thrift stores or yard sales. Check em out.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

My overall view of the expense of eating raw is that its the cheapest way to eat.
No equipment required.You grab an apple or a carrot and eat. No energy or utility bill needed to fix it.
Then the idea of doing your shopping only in the produce section.No boxes,bags,or fancy packages to have to pay the advertisers,or big wigs.
I see person after person load their carts with all the stuff from the middle of the store,spend hundreds of dollars,while I have my little cart full of fresh produce and my tally is rarely over about $40 a week. Yes,thats just for me,but I have no one to feed but me.

Vinny

I get by mostly on fruits, vegetables, and raw soaked buckwheat... pretty darn cheap, at under $5 per day.

All of the above suggestions are excellent. I'm also on a budget and finding good raw food in the winter is even harder! I make out pretty good at Wal Mart with produce like: Bananas, Tomatoes (cherry), Celery, Greens (bagged), Apples, Oranges, Lemons, Ginger, Grapes, Avocado, Peppers, Carrots, Garlic, Onions, etc. etc. Most of it is not organic, although they occasionally carry various organic products. You just have to watch the quality. I prefer organic, but can rarely afford it, so I have to make-do with what I can get - especially in the winter when fresh organic farm produce is not readily available. I figure it's better than NO raw food at all. My diet is simple, mostly consisting of Green Smoothies with mostly Wal Mart produce (in the winter), Salads, veggies and fruits for snacks, and raw spaghetti with zuccini from Wal Mart.

Believe me, I know what you mean about being on a tight budget, so you just have to do the best you can with what you have available and can afford. You'll do just fine. Good luck and keep us posted. =)

*****************************
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

Thanks for the advice can put some of it to use.

I live semi isolated so getting some things is difficult, and being that veggies and produce have to be shipped farther, we pay a higher price for it. We had two grocery stores in town, but word is that one is closing down so we will have only one. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive to the nearest big city center, and I don't drive.

It sounds like you will need to start gardening. Things like tomatoes, greens, and sprouts can be grown inside. You can also order some produce online for reasonable prices if you shop carefully. Co-Ops are also helpful in some situations. I don't know your religious affiliation, but as a Christian, my encouragement would be - Take the challenge, be faithful, and God will provide in miraculous and surprising ways when you take that step of faith. Be blessed and encouraged and keep us posted on your journey. =)

*****************************
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

I like to go foraging for nettles, dandelions and clover, depending on the season. can save a lot of money on greens that way.

alls i have is a knife.

i am a student, and i work at kohls. i make about 80 dollars a week and that is for all expenses.

if i can do it, anyone can.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2009 01:52AM by ILoveJen.

I agree. It's amazing how simply I can manage to live on produce just from Wal Mart. Fancy and "organic?" Not always, but I do the best I can with what I can afford and what is available. The blessing of "whole food" is that it is exactly that - "WHOLE FOOD." When a budget is tight, you can often get just what you need for a balanced healthy diet from a few simply ingredients and survive just fine. =)

*****************************
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

Hi Sandra
I relate to your concerns. In the beginning, in a transition period, it seemed so difficult and complicated. All the recipes and many new ingredients. The cost seemed so prohibitive.
I don't know where u live, a lot of those things for me have to be imported and hence were really expensive. As I have been out of full time employment for over a year. It forced me quite early, to keep it simple. Now I can say that I am glad for that and suggest you do the same.
Now I save the recipes for treats at non raw friends parties.
I have been about 80% calories from raw foods, which is affordable for me, and it has shown tremendous benefits like needed weight loss, better vision, and lots of spiritual growth and increased energy levels.
There are some political issues around the cost of food in general, and food distribution/ exploitation that I want to get into in my own thread.
There is a reason you are being drawn to raw foods. Listen to your own intuition and do your best.
Enjoy your new raw life.
Bless

sandra

its true
what everyone said

and i think its also the cheapest way to go
i mean if u think about it
non raw and processed foods are VERY expensive because they are prepared and prepared foods are expensive

anyhow... as a rule of thumb, i find certain greens to always be pretty cheap
like parsley kale spinach plus they fill you up because of high mineral and chlorophyll content

take davey's advice concerning fruit etc.

he has a garden he should know

if you live that far away u may do what someone suggested like growing a garden
so you can save on gas money
time
and food money

u r only limited by your

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I went raw for years with just a blender and food processor, there are books for rawfoodist who only use those two items.

plainlydressed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can also order some produce
> online for reasonable prices if you shop
> carefully.

Can you give sources? I am really surprised that someone has not set up a weekly delivery service with all the basics for one person (apples, carrots, peppers, greens, oranges, etc.) at a reasonable cost. I'd love to find someone who does this... I'd order weekly. It couldn't be more expensive than what I have to do now ($30 cab ride to the store only to find produce that is not fit for eating).

Thanks, Bob