Hello all!! I’m going into my third week of being raw. I love it, I feel fantastic (pmsing at the moment so having lots of naughty cravings, but, biting my lip and battling through it). I feed 3 very picky, SAD food kind of eaters (especially my husband). Everything organic and”rare” is so expensive I’m almost finding it not worth it. I so don’t want to go back to eating the other way, I feel so good, and have already lost 8lbs. Do you have any tips on how I can feed them homemade meals, feed myself (I find myself going to the grocery store EVERYday for fresh food b/c I’m scared to death to spend that much money simply for it to spoil) without it costing me, literally, my left arm? I’m also stuck in an avacado rut…I eat them EVERYday!! I love them!! Is that bad? I don’t have a deydrator yet, I saw something somewhere where the person used their broiler for like, a minute in the oven…eh? I want to make sure I can do this fiscaly (is that a word?) wise before dishing a bunch-o-moola. Thanks in advance everyone!!!!—-I also wanted to add, I’m in Arkansas, not the kind of state that supports this type of diet. It supports good ol’ fried cookin’ and LOTS of it ;) I’m smack in the middle of Wal-Mart land
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We spend a TON of money on our food, but we figure it’s worth it in the end…best to invest in your health – so try to stick with it! You can also start growing some things yourself – it’s a blast, and the food tastes better than anything… also, eat as many avocados as your body desires; they are SO incredibly good for you!!! Eat intuitively…your body will never lead you in the wrong direction if you listen carefully enough!!
I agree about the farmers’ markets – I’m also new to the raw diet and find that eating locally cuts costs. If you need help finding a farmers’ market in your area, try the Eat Well Guide (www.eatwellguide.org) – just type in your zip code and it will tell you where the closest one is (as well as other vendors that offer sustainable food in your area). I’m currently volunteering for the guide and have found it to be a big help in finding wholesome food. Also, if you’re interested in purchasing a dehydrator, maybe check out craigslist and other classified sites before splurging on a new one.
I have found that I am spending about the same- I have been doing free range meat for the past three years which is pricey as well as raw cheeses, raw milk (which is outrageous here in Montana because it has to come from Oregon- $16 a gallon)- omega 3 free range eggs- organic produce and so on…. the transition to raw food was actually maybe even cheaper as we already had been doing the organic versions of everything already. I guess it all depends on what kind of diet you had prior.
I have a girlfriend that eats ramen noodles several times a week- boxed macaroni- cheap junk like that…she literally spends about $250 a month on groceries for her family of 3 and I am baffled on how she does it. Cheap crap- that’s how…so a transition like this would be outrageous for her.
I find I am spending a lot as well as I am still learning and because before I went raw I loved to cook. So naturally I went straight to the extravagant recipes. Green smoothies help keep my costs down as they are so filling. They take the place of two meals for me. I did the math one day for the smoothies and in terms of meals it came out to about $3.50 each. A side salad at a restaurant cost more than that. And I buy whatever fruit is on sale for snacks. I spend less when I have a clear picture of what I will be making and make a list of what I need. I go and do groceries 2x a week and try to stick to the list. I also make what my boyfriend calls “use it or lose it” meals. Whatever I have left over will get used before I touch any of the new stuff I buy.
hii… i’m also here in arkansas (up in fayetteville). we have a co-op up here, ozark natural foods, but a lot of their produce can be quite pricey. i find that our sam’s club here usually has a consistent supply of organic baby spinach, strawberries, blueberries, and some other constantly used produce. i’m in the middle of stocking up on organic in-season berries, cleaning and freezing them to use later on in the fall when prices go up because they are out of season and are being importing from warmer countries. the harp’s chain also carries organic produce, but it can get expensive. we have a farmer’s market three days a week that i like to get squashes, herbs, and greens from, but it shuts down in early november when it gets too cold to grow anything here. also: i have a small back porch, but i have been thinking of growing my own spinach and peppers and tomatoes out there to cut down on the cost of buying those at the store. spinach is a fall plant… you could always experiment with it this fall to see if it helps with the food bill. finally, i think that ordering bulk nuts and grains online might be helpful. some of the online stores seem to have really good deals on bulk foods these days. i don’t know if any of that was helpful, but i sure hope you find a way to keep with raw foods!