5 Tips to Eat Raw Food on a Budget

Are you struggling to maintain a healthy diet high in raw vegan foods because of a tight budget? These 5 easy tips will help you to eat raw food on a budget, so you can enjoy the widest variety of fresh produce and the highest-quality equipment without breaking the bank.

Last week, I got an interesting question from one of my beautiful subscribers about how to maintain a high-raw diet without spending a ton of money: “During the weekends, when I’m at home with my parents, it’s perfectly doable to eat mainly raw vegan foods. They have all the equipment I need to experiment in the kitchen with your recipes and those I find on other raw food web sites. However, during the week when I’m living in a student room in the city where I study, I find it very difficult to prepare raw vegan meals every day. I don’t have a powerful blender like my parents have at home, nor do I have a big budget to spend on organic fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. I frequently end up having the same meals over and over again, which tends to get really boring after a few days. Moreover, the portion size of my raw meals is often too small, leaving me hungry and unsatisfied. This makes me grab for unhealthy snacks when all I want is to eat healthy and clean. Do you have any tips to break through this frustrating cycle? Thanks!”

Tip 1: choose your produce wisely

Organic fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy raw food lifestyle, but unfortunately they can take up a considerable amount of your weekly budget. Trying to cut the costs? Choose your produce wisely. Seasonal & local fruits and vegetables are usually a lot cheaper than tropical produce that has been shipped halfway across the world. If your budget doesn’t allow you to buy all organic, then choose conventionally grown products that are relatively low in pesticides. Use this organic produce guide to decide which types of fruit and vegetables you should really be buying organic.

Tip 2: plan ahead

Start your week by analyzing the exact amount you can afford to spend on food. Write a weekly menu according to that budget and create a detailed shopping list. Planning ahead will help you to stick with your budget and avoid impulse purchases at your local supermarket or organic grocery shop. Don’t restrict your list to three main meals, but include snacks and drinks as well. After you’ve composed your list, check if you have a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Your ideal shopping list should consist of a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, supplemented with a small amount of nuts, seeds, sea vegetables and if necessary some other healthy protein sources. If for whatever reason you find yourself crossing your budget limit at the store, take the time to determine which foods you can put back on the shelf or replace with less-expensive options. Your budget plan will prevent you from buying additional products that aren’t on your actual shopping list.

Let me know if you found these tips useful so far. Three more tips to save money on a raw food diet are coming your way soon!