Help keep One Green Planet free and independent! Together we can ensure our platform remains a hub for empowering ideas committed to fighting for a sustainable, healthy, and compassionate world. Please support us in keeping our mission strong.
Eating raw food doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, there are numerous ways—ten, to be exact—that can help you save money while keeping your raw food journey exciting and delicious. After all, who doesn’t want to keep a little more cash in their pocket?
Before diving into these fantastic tips, let me share my thoughts on the intrinsic savings of adopting an organic, plant-based diet, especially one rich in raw foods. Since embracing this lifestyle, I’ve noticed significant savings in various areas: fewer doctor visits, lower health insurance costs (though I dream of the day when discounts are offered to vegans like they are for non-smokers), reduced sick days (resulting in increased productivity), and savings on beauty products (my skin, hair, and nails thrive without the hefty price tag). Ultimately, prevention is key!
Now, let’s get to the money-saving tips for enjoying raw food!
1. Use Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds
Many recipes call for pricey nuts like cashews and pine nuts. You can easily reduce costs by substituting sunflower or pumpkin seeds without sacrificing flavor. This not only saves money but also adds nutritional benefits to your meals.
2. Repurpose Juice Pulp
Don’t toss out leftover juice pulp! Use it to create delicious raw dehydrated crackers, especially if you have a centrifugal juicer that produces wet pulp. Investing in a dehydrator can save you money by allowing you to make your own raw crackers, granola, and breads. Alternatively, incorporate the pulp into vegan muffins or sprinkle it on salads for added texture and nutrition.
3. Utilize Almond Pulp
After making homemade nut or seed milk (a fantastic money-saver), don’t let the leftover pulp go to waste! Use it to create raw banana bread by processing the pulp with bananas, a splash of water, and a dash of cinnamon, then dehydrating or baking it in the oven.
4. Make Your Own Nut Butters
There’s something incredibly satisfying about making your own nut butters. It’s simple and significantly cheaper than store-bought options. All you need are your choice of nuts or seeds and a food processor. Blend them together, and voilà—homemade nut butter!
5. Opt for Simple Smoothies
While green smoothies are a staple for many, using a variety of expensive greens and fruits can add up. To save money, create smoothies with simpler ingredients like bananas and spinach, and enhance their flavor with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, or ginger.
6. Substitute Raisins for Dates
Raisins can often replace dates in recipes like pie crusts, cheesecakes, and raw cookies, providing sweetness and binding properties at a lower cost.
7. Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk can lead to significant savings over time, even if the initial cost is higher. I often source organic nuts, seeds, and dried fruits online, but don’t overlook the produce section—buying cases of bananas or persimmons can be a great deal. You can freeze certain fruits or share bulk greens with family or neighbors to maximize savings.
8. Visit Farmers Markets and Co-ops
Take advantage of local farmers’ markets or co-ops for fresher, healthier foods at lower prices. Produce is often picked just a day or two before being sold, ensuring maximum freshness.
9. Repeat Meals
Prepare a large batch of raw soup, green smoothie, or spiralized veggie pasta, and enjoy it over several days. This not only simplifies meal prep but also saves money, especially when using ingredients purchased on sale.
10. Keep It Simple
While superfoods can be fun, they’re not essential for enjoying a raw food lifestyle. Simple snacks like fresh carrots dipped in homemade almond butter or a couple of apples can be just as satisfying and nourishing.
Embracing a raw food diet can be both enjoyable and budget-friendly with these money-saving tips. So dig in and savor the benefits!
Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer, and has many side effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend grabbing our favorite plant-based cookbooks and downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
