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Grocery Bill, YIKES!

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  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    caleb – I’m impressed that you are able to eat all organic for only $500 per month! I want to eat all organic, too, for all the reasons you mentioned. I grow my own garden, so during the summer I have at least some food organic, and it’s soooo good!

  • thecavsmanthecavsman Raw Newbie

    Caleb I track my finances to the T and I have spend over 500 this month for food. But since months are all different (like if I buy something on Sept 30th it logs as Sept), I usually break it down by the week. When I ate Bananas, I spent between 70 and 100 per week at 100% raw (meaning that I can’t save buy buying trader Joe’s almond butter) and all (95+%) organic. Now that I am Banana Free, I am usually between 95 and 110 per week – and now I buy bariani olive oil, which is another 10 or so per week, I’d guess. Keep in mind that I hardly ever eat ANY outside food at all. So it all depends on what you are buying. But you seem about right for organics. I actually spent 130 something one week and then I took cost cutting measures that I might as well share now:

    1. I used sunflower seeds instead of hemp seeds in salad – I know it’s not the same, but hemp is 10 bux for 24 Tablespoons while Sunflower is 2.16 per pound (both prices organic) 2. I buy conventional mangoes since they have VERY little pesticide load. At the conventional market in my city where EVERYTHING is so cheap, I can get a case of 12 medium sized mangoes for 4-5 bux. Organic Mangoes run @ 1.60 – 2.00 a piece, or 3.50 for two TINY mangoes at Trader Joes. That is the only thing conventional that I eat, but with the low pesticide load and the fact that I really can’t afford to purchase that quantity of fruit organically – it’s what I do.

    When I ate SAD I spent about 35 in the grocery store weekly and another 30 on outside food…so that was 60 dollars compared to 105 now…O well…man if I could only go 100% conventional I’d spend 50 per week all raw, if not less! lol

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    FYI for anyone interested, avocados are usually not sprayed with pesticides, even when they’re not organic. I buy mine at Costco, which makes them even cheaper.

    thecavsman – Thanks for the info. about mangoes – I don’t buy mine organic, but I’ve been wondering if I should.

  • Yeah!! I spend over $600 dollars a month on food for myself! I eat A LOT of raw food, all organic. Im trying to cut down my bills to $400 dollars a month, but so far ive only been able to save about 20 bucks haha!

  • Branwyn32Branwyn32 Raw Newbie

    CSAs – could someone tell me about them, how they work, exactly what they are, and how you get in on one?

  • thecavsmanthecavsman Raw Newbie

    Yeah angie avocados are another fruit I used to buy conventional – I just can’t eat them anymore for whatever reason because they make me sick – donno why – it’s a whole ‘nother story.

    Another tip is frozen conventional mangoes from Trader Joes. I like cutting the fruit myself (trust it more) but sometimes it’s just more convenient. 1.5 lbs of frozen mango is 2.29 frozen – and if you make mango sorbet all the time like me, you were going to freeze the mango first anyway so it saves a lot of time having it pre-cut and frozen.

    Same here jkd..it’s really like a game for me now. I try to get the lowest (score) possible and at the end of the month when I look at the graph. I want to have spent less than I expected and less than the month before.

    I will say, eating raw is cheaper than eating “healthy” – like buying organic pizzas, organic mac and cheese, organic tortilla chips, etc etc etc because that food is expensive AND makes you eat more.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    thecavsman – I totally agree – last year, I thought raw was too expensive, and went to eating “healthy” cooked food – I spent just as much even without buying everything organic, and I had to eat more to get the same nutrition as eating raw, so I gained extra weight, plus I didn’t feel as good.

    Branwyn – CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture”. You pay for a “share” and then whatever the farm has that week is what you get – usually a LOT cheaper than buying at a store. You can find a farm near you by Googling CSA – sorry I don’t remember the website right now.

  • CalebCaleb Raw Newbie

    I have heard that avocados are not sprayed before. I wonder what the taste difference is though. I also have a concern that they are still farmed conventionally, but at $2.10 a piece I might have to consider making a compromise on that one. That would be one place I could cut my costs.

    I have never actually used hemp seeds, I only use hemp seed protein in my smoothie. I have always used sprouted sunflower seeds, I may try pumpkin next.

    How are mangoes btw, I have yet to buy any? What are the similar to? So far the only fruit I don’t like is cantaloupe and peaches, pears are ok but they are so fragile they get destroyed before I can eat them.

    cavsman, where are you from that sunflower seeds ae over $2/lb? I pay around $1-$2 depending on the place and if they are on sale.

  • thecavsmanthecavsman Raw Newbie

    Organic at whole foods they are 2.16 i believe…i could be wrong. Conventional @ whole foods they are closer to 1.00.

    Mangoes…I can’t even begin to explain….AMAZING FRUIT. You just gotta try it. There are no words. I would say to slice it up tho…I can’t bit into one…wayyyyy too messy. I have to but them into bite size pieces.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    Mangoes – texture-wise, they are between a cantaloupe & a peach :D Flavor is very different – when I first tried them, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like them, but they’ve sure grown on me. Mt sis in law eats them unripe with vinegar & salt. I love them when they’re soft & sweet.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    thecavsman – You can order sunflower seeds from www.azurestandard.com – I think a 50 pound bag was $65 organic – ends up to be $1.30 per pound.

  • troublesjustabubbletroublesjustabubble Raw Newbie

    Mangoes mangoes mangoes. So delicious. I do often just bite into them after peeling. Even though it’s messy it’s so incredibly delicious that I don’t care.

  • iknikn

    Aaahh mangoes! my favourites! I ordered a mango tree from the nursery, so in a few years I will grow my own mangoes!! I have orange trees, a lemon tree, just planted a star fruit tree and a leech tree. Hopefully next year they will produce some fruit.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    Ooh, I wish I lived where I could grow mangoes! And oranges, and lemons…yum!

  • schmoopeeschmoopee Raw Newbie

    Branwyn, at www.localharvest.org you can search for CSAs in your region.

  • angie, I was going to mention Costco earlier. This w/e we bought 5 giant non organic avocados for $6, a giant vat of organic lettuce for $6 and a massive bag of organic baby carrots for around the same price (couldn’t find the big carrots). They also have mangos and bananas there. I am seriously considering a CSA as well Branwyn, but haven’t done my research for CSAs in my area yet. My understanding is that you are buying “shares” in a farm and get whatever produce they have at massively reduced prices. It’s also a great way to support small farms and farmers. We’re buying property in upstate NY soon, so I hope that by next spring/summer I’ll be growing most of my own vegetables.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    I have grown a pretty big garden this year, and it has been WONDERFUL! I highly recommend it to anyone with the opportunity. :)

  • I too have just started going raw and I find that I spend a lot more. It’s some what of a deterrant just starting out b/c I have a tight budget and i’m spending more now than ever before. I agree that getting it started makes it very expensive but hopefully soon it won’t be that way. I am actually not as stuck on getting organic b/c I live in the Deleware Valley of PA and I have a TON of options for buying locally which always ends up cheaper. I do however supplement my purchases w/ trips to Whole Foods. I don’t think that the ppl I purchase from are necessarily organic certified. I bet if you did a little more research Caleb you could find a lot of resources in Dallas. Do you have farmer’s markets around your area? That could be a resource if you do. Also, perhaps if your concerned for some of the things you buy are you willing to not eat them organic? I have had to decide what I can and cannot live w/o that is organic. I hope that it all works out for you!

  • 1sweetpea1sweetpea Raw Newbie

    I feel like I’m spending a lot of raw food right now. I seem to buy tons of food, particularly produce, but I think the costs will spread out a bit, now that I’ve bought my appliances, books and staple items. The rest is produce and replacing other items as they are depleted. Though it seems like an expensive lifestyle, when I consider that I eat in restaurants far less often, buy no dairy, poultry, fish or shellfish anymore, buy very few packaged items (boxed or canned), buy no vitamin and mineral supplements, am no longer buying a couple of diet sodas every day and am no longer visiting Starbucks and other similar places for expensive cups of tea, I think in the long run I’ll be saving money. Even if my BF and I open a bottle of wine in the evenings, it’s much cheaper than ordering one at a restaurant, where markups can be 150% or more! It’s all relative. I was a gourmet foodie as a SAD eater and I’m no less of a foodie now that I’m raw. I expect to pay more for organic and pay more to pursue and enjoy true health. I’m also hoping to be in good health for many years to come, which is an expectation that virtually none of my SAD eater friends can confidently state.

  • rawlizardrawlizard Raw Newbie

    I spend about $1,400 a month, but we are a family of 5, and my two children are on special diets. I but everything organic, lots of fruits and veggies and ocassionaly I get some nuts and seeds. My friend, not raw by any strech of the imagination,spends about $500 a month for her family of 5. Needless to say, most of it is chicken, pasta, broccoli and canned “goods”. Of course she thinks I am crazy, but what the heck…

  • roadrunnerroadrunner Raw Newbie

    Im with ya IKN! I spend 120 or less a month on food. I got 2 cases of apples this month for 25.00 and I buy jalepenos,greenpeppers,red chili peppers,limes,tomatoes, and avocados at the farmers market each weekend and Ive spent each Saturday 20 to 25 dollars so for september I spent 125.00 actually less because there were a couple saturdays i spent less than 20 and I get a lot of peppers for that. And when Im only eating a few hours a day, 10 am to 4 pm it cost much less. 1200.00, 1400.00 damn thats a lot of money! I love the idea of not depending on food for pleasure like I used to on SAD. I can use the money for other things. Oh and I get about 1000 calories a day.which is PLENTY. PEPPERS are awsome for health and for fruitarians like myself that live in cold climates like here in Idaho they “heat you up”. this is noted at the bottom of this article: http://home.howstuffworks.com/peppers3.htm I eat jalepenos,green peppers,red chili peppers every day in quite large quanities! All peppers are FRUIT, they have seeds they are fruit, not vegetables, I like to take an avocado, 3 limes and a tomato and blend that in my bullet and pour it over the peppers,tomatoes,and apples allsliced up in a bowl,and eat it as a salad, its awsome! Makes me sweat like crazy! very cleansing.

  • Branwyn32Branwyn32 Raw Newbie

    schmoopee thank you! There’s one based out of a place right down the street from where I work! Squee!

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    roadrunner – At $120 for 1000 calories per day, that’s about the same as my spending $450 for eating 3500 calories per day. :) Oh, and that pepper/avo/apple salad sounds pretty good – thanks for the idea, though I probably wouldn’t make it quite as hot. :)

  • We have a local place here (AZ) that carries excellent produce, and seemingly every Wednesday has the most amazing deals….todays…

    Tomatoes – 3 lb/.99 Limes—3 lb/.99 Banana—3 lb/.99 Oranges—8 lb/.99 (i have an orange tree, however it is not fruiting right now) Red plums—3 lb/.999 Watermelon 6 lb/.99 Carrots 4 lb/.99 Onions 6 lb/.99

    Can you figure out what is on MY menu for the week??

  • Angie-I also live in Utah, and i don’t know if you know about a local food coop we have here. (http://www.saltcitypantry.com) But i’ve gotten in bulk medjool dates, there before, have gone in to split things with people.(agave and almonds) It’s free shipping. you just have to pick it up, (by capital hill area)or they can deliver for a fee. and I don’t think they charge the 8% fee anymore. just the 3% tax I always try to find the best bargains i can. I think i’ll compare prices to the one that you use. They also have organic almonds from Italy (it’s listed under the ‘other’) They’re the best deal i’ve found on real raw almonds (like 8-9/lb, but it’s a 25 lb bag, so good to find people to split it w/) Also, i just found out about The Salt Lake City Raw Food SuperHero’s Alliance. I’ve been trying to find something here for awhile, then a friend of mine just stumbled upon it. I hope that can help you find some better bargains!

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    STENE – Thanks for the info.! I joined the Superhero’s Alliance, but I haven’t been to a potluck yet. :) They were going to be organizing a raw food coop a month ago, I think. I’ll have to check them both out.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    STENE – I just checked the catalog, and most things I can get cheaper from Azure Standard, plus the pickup point is closer – I’m about an hour from the capitol & drive a gas-guzzling beast only as far as necessary :), but I’m going to check this catalog more thoroughly before I order stuff again. Thanks again for the info. – do you know if the almonds from Italy will really sprout? Those would be worthwhile; I bought some that were imported from Spain, and they still wouldn’t sprout. :(

  • ROADRUNNER—are you a runner? if so, how do you eat 1,000 calores a day and be a runner? i’m a runner and need to eat much more than that to stay feeling OK.

  • Angie-where is the pick up point for Azure? I have yet to check that site out. I have some Italian almonds from them and will try to sprout them and let you know. I’ve actually never sprouted them before. How long do they take to sprout? Oh yeah! I found a good deal on a greenhouse today on KSL I’m getting! I’m really excited!! I’m trying to prepare for the big economy scare. plus, it will pay itself off i think from what i’ll save with food.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    STENE – I pick up my Azure order in Lehi, but there’s probably one or more in the Salt Lake area. You have to call them (phone # from the website) & set up an account. They will tell you where the nearest drop point is & send you a catalog. Congrats on the greenhouse! Growing food saves me a ton of money in the summer; it would be nice to have a greenhouse & get fresh stuff year-round! :)

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