Raw on a budget?

[blue_sky]

Hi all,

I did the 30 day challenge a few years ago and felt great :D !!! Somewhere along the way I fell off the wagon though. I am ready to return to raw but since I am a stay at home mom now I am on a budget. We have about $100 a week to spend on the family's groceries. (Omnivore DH, raw foods for me and baby, who is only 10 mo so doesn't eat much at all). I live in the northeast and things tend to be pricey here.

Does anyone have tips on going 100% raw the cheap way? I'm hoping to get at least some organic. I was thinking of starting with the cheaper things like sunflower seeds, fruit in season, etc. keeping it simple.

What are some things that have helped you go raw while sticking to a budget?

[EZ rider]

I watch for bananas that are ready to eat marked down. They are usually much less expensive and then I have bananas in everything for awhile.

[blue_sky]

Good idea EZ, everyone in the family likes bananas and they are cheap (even the organic ones) I like them when they have brown spots! Plus they freeze well.

I have access to a farmers market (june-october) and a supermarket and a health food store. No co-ops though unfortunately.

[DavidZaneMason]

Tips:

1) Make your own sprouts
2) Grow your own herbs/greens
3) Ask neighbors for excess fruit from their fruit trees (works VERY well in Florida....heh..heh...)
4) Shop at MANY stores for individual sale items
5) Stick to lower-cost fruits/veggies as your staples
6) Get a part-time job at a produce stand (they ALWAYS need loaders/helpers)
7) Drink a large glass of water 30 minutes before every meal

-Just some tips.

-David Z. Mason

[Raw Angel Mom]

I live in the North too and i understand the cost and price. More and more now, the grocery are getting organic food which made the price go down. You can also try to find a local farmer. Like here on summer, you can have organic food at the market on Saturday even Winter, for some farmers have green house. Which town are you? You seem to have a great plan, maybe you will find a way to bring on the side some extra income by being a stay home mom.

Your plan of buying what is in season seem like a great idea. Victoria Boutenko didn't know that you could make recipe with raw food at first (www.rawfamily.com) and they were eating the samething, what was in season and whole. Do you know that many people that start on raw making gourmet, end up eating more simple and just whole food.

I also noticed that when i first decided to buy organic only, i got 5% raise at my work, which paid the extra cost. In that time, let me tell you that organic food in my area was so expensive, thanks to goodness, the price is reasonnable now. So somehow, when you say yes of what is good for your, the universe seem to provide. So keep the faith and congratulation of doing the right thing for you. I was like you did raw food then went back on healthy cook food but i couldn't go back on raw and it was by taking greens that i managed to motivate myself again.

Congratulations!

[MommyB]

blue sky - I am in the exact same boat! My ds is 10 months even!! and I will be a sahm starting Nov. 1st. Too bad I live on the west coast or we could hook up ;) I was also looking for tips, and I have found that the less recipes I make the better. I'm also only buying nuts when I find them really cheap. I heard that sprouting is extremly cheap and you can eat them with everything, or as a meal. I like to make fresh dressing with stuff I have on hand anyhow and have a salad with whatever I have in the fridge.

[crystalmoon]

Hi I bulk buy nuts & dried fruits when they are on sale (my local wholefood store does different offers each week). I often use hazelnuts (filberts) instead of the nuts stated in a recipe cos they are much cheaper than many of the others here (UK). I also use them for nutmilk.
I make sure I have at least one yummy dessert recipe made up & cut into small portions in the freezer so I can have a srummy bite if Im starting to feel bored or have cravings.
I cant afford to use raw agave so I use the soak water from dates as a liquid sweetener (keeps in fridge for a week).
My staples are recipes made from sunflower & pumpkin seeds - like seed pates. I add different herbs, spices & grated veggies to the basic mix of soaked seeds to give me variety.
Flax crackers are very cheap to make & sprouts are amazingly cheap & scrummy.
I try to eat all organic & am a stay at home mum so know how hard it is to keep to a budget.
I save alot of money from not buying all the toxic household cleaners i used to get. I use old fashioned methods now mostly involving lemon juice, white vinegar & bicarbonate of soda.
I also stopped buying fancy shower gels,etc. I use organic soap which lasts ages & epsom salts in my bath (these help detox too).
On my face & body I use jojoba oil as a cleanser/moisturiser. I get it from a pharmacy - no fancy bottle, no additives, great price.
I have eco balls for my washing machine (not sure if you can get them in US) so I dont have to buy wash powder anymore (well not for 200 washes).
HTH

Oh Yeah,I also make hummus from courgettes (zucchini) using home made raw tahini made from sesame seeds & sesame oil, garlic & celtic salt.
I make pestos using pine nuts & basil or other herbs like coriander (not sure what this is called in the US, sorry) which work out much cheaper than shop bought.

[MommyB]

Hi I bulk buy nuts & dried fruits when they are on sale (my local wholefood store does different offers each week). I often use hazelnuts (filberts) instead of the nuts stated in a recipe cos they are much cheaper than many of the others here (UK). I also use them for nutmilk.
I make sure I have at least one yummy dessert recipe made up & cut into small portions in the freezer so I can have a srummy bite if Im starting to feel bored or have cravings.
I cant afford to use raw agave so I use the soak water from dates as a liquid sweetener (keeps in fridge for a week).
My staples are recipes made from sunflower & pumpkin seeds - like seed pates. I add different herbs, spices & grated veggies to the basic mix of soaked seeds to give me variety.
Flax crackers are very cheap to make & sprouts are amazingly cheap & scrummy.
I try to eat all organic & am a stay at home mum so know how hard it is to keep to a budget.
I save alot of money from not buying all the toxic household cleaners i used to get. I use old fashioned methods now mostly involving lemon juice, white vinegar & bicarbonate of soda.
I also stopped buying fancy shower gels,etc. I use organic soap which lasts ages & epsom salts in my bath (these help detox too).
On my face & body I use jojoba oil as a cleanser/moisturiser. I get it from a pharmacy - no fancy bottle, no additives, great price.
I have eco balls for my washing machine (not sure if you can get them in US) so I dont have to buy wash powder anymore (well not for 200 washes).
HTH

Oh Yeah,I also make hummus from courgettes (zucchini) using home made raw tahini made from sesame seeds & sesame oil, garlic & celtic salt.
I make pestos using pine nuts & basil or other herbs like coriander (not sure what this is called in the US, sorry) which work out much cheaper than shop bought.

Great ideas!! I love the one about the date water instead of agave, which I find too expensive as well! I need to print all these ideas and keep them in a book :D

[ladypeace82]

I watch for bananas that are ready to eat marked down. They are usually much less expensive and then I have bananas in everything for awhile.

This is what I'm doing right now. :)

[girl81]

I spend over $40 per week on fresh produce. :eek: