question about prices of produce...

[mamabear]

I am new to this, but I have done some research and I really believe that raw vegan is the way to go. The only thing right now is that I am struggling financially and I am having a very hard time affording fresh produce. Do you have any ideas for me?

[Raine]

You might want to consider fasting to begin. I've found that after fasting for a few days, my body needs far less food and it easily absorbs the nutrients from that which I eat or fruit/veg that are juiced.

[spicyfull]

You can Always buy seeds and Sprout. You can Forge for Greens in your Yard, if you know what to pick. You can eat the melon and Juice the rind. Eating RAW can be so Simple if we want it to be.

Check out the Sprouting Section, it is the cheapest way to eat and you can do it for less than $1- a day.

[rawstrength]

www.growgreens.com
By investing in some nice trays, the thalassa mix all-natural fertilizer, and some germination blankets, you will be able to grow all the salad greens you could ever want for pennies. Arugula, speckled pea, buckwheat greens, sunflower seed greens, wheatgrass, basil and more all make lovely microgreens to grow indoors in trays. You would also need a sunny window or a light.

[EZ rider]

There's a huge wild blackberry field near my house and every once in awhile I go there for a free fresh off the vine feast.

[Eva]

There's a huge wild blackberry field near my house and every once in awhile I go there for a free fresh off the vine feast.

You lucky thing. I used to do this as a kid for a time when we lived on South Carolina's beautiful coast. I lived in a small town, and the dirt road a couple blocks away had a huge amount of blackberries on the fence.

That was about 15 years ago. When I went last year to visit, the road had been paved and the blackberries were gone. What a sad thing for me to see.

So -- you pick some extra blackberries for me, EZ rider!

And to the original poster -- my recommendation would be to find out if there is a farmer's market near you. I have one down the street, and the prices are usually half or less what I would pay in the store. I have also heard of people speaking to produce managers about getting damage or "overripe" fruit for little or nothing. (Overripe in grocery lingo = perfectly ripe in my book).

If you are on a very tight budget, you may need to avoid the fancy schmancy "young coconut" etc. recipes and to replace sunflower and sesame seeds for some of the nuts and nut milk. And the "superfoods" you will hear about are just fine, but they are expensive and overhyped. So no worries if you don't included them!

[Frugal Raw]

One way would be to set a budget for yourself each time you go into the grocery store or farmer's markets and buy as much as you can within that budget.

Don't go in looking for specific things - but rather look to see what you can do with the things you are able to maximize your dollar with. Think of it as Iron Chef - Raw style!

Best of Luck!

[RawPaw]

One way would be to set a budget for yourself each time you go into the grocery store or farmer's markets and buy as much as you can within that budget.

Don't go in looking for specific things - but rather look to see what you can do with the things you are able to maximize your dollar with. Think of it as Iron Chef - Raw style!

Best of Luck!

Great suggestions. I should be as flexable.

[brownies]

Pick & grow your own, go to farmers markets/street fairs, join food co/ops, start your own co/op.

A lot of smaller produce stands (the ones that are open everyday in a real building) have a discount section filled with fruits & vegis that are perfectly fine, just a little ugly or irregularly shaped.