Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Is Raw Too Expensive?


Our grocery bill has almost doubled since we switched over to Raw Foods, and it wasn't low to begin with. Part of the reason for the increase was that I stocked up on a lot of staples--agave nectar, Raw honey, coconut oil, Raw cacao, raw nuts--and these items can be expensive, especially if you don't know where to shop. Of course, you don't actually need most of them to go Raw, but I took the approach of making our meals very indulgent. It eased our transition.


Now we're bringing the grocery bill down. We receive a basket of organic produce from South Coast Farms each week, for the very reasonable price of about $35 per 30-pound basket. We shop at the local farmer's market. We buy prepared Raw dishes, then figure out how to recreate them at home for a fraction of the price. We eat simpler meals.

Does living off plant parts seem cost prohibitive? Check out this link I found through the Daily Raw Inspiration. LocalHarvest helps you find organic grocers, farmers' markets, CSA programs, and farms in your area. I found a couple of nearby resources that I hadn't known existed.
Yes, it costs somewhat more to eat Real food. I could feed my family a lot more cheaply if we ate from boxes at every meal. But you can make it work--even on a budget--if you learn to work your resources. This month's grocery bill will be more reasonable.

4 comments:

Disa said...

Eating raw can definitely get expensive, especially in transition. I began to splurge on LaraBars and Kombucha to keep me raw at work. I think I am following a similar path to you,learning to substitute ingredients in the extravagant recipes from Rawvolution and especially Raw Food Real World. Also, thank the lord for CSA. The produce is amazing, and the surprise of getting something new in your basket every week or so. Not to mention knowing that you are supporting local agriculture. I use to cringe at the thought of buying a $30 jar of Maca or Spirulina. Now I know that a little goes a long way and rejoice in the fact that I am responsible for my health. I take pleasure in buying these things now and hold onto a vision of never having to step into a doctor's office! To me, no matter how much you are paying it all pays off!

Candice Davis said...

Well Disa, I can only say, "Amen!" I don't think we're the only ones in this place, so maybe prices will go down as we create more demand. And I agree: some "superfoods" are worth a few extra bucks. Make 'em last!

Keely said...

Here is a link that you may want to check out that talks about the cost factor of being raw. I hope this is helpful!!!

Raw Diva Keely

Candice Davis said...

Thanks, Keely, for the link!