One of the first things that you learn about juicing is that it can be costly. Juicing requires purchasing organic fruits and vegetables in large quantities. In these tough economic times most of us aren’t in a position to see a sudden increase in our grocery bill. That begs the question, “Are there juice recipes for juicers that are both economical and healthy? ” Happily, the answer is “yes! “
One of the first things that you may be tempted to do to save money on your juicing bill is to sign up for a farmer’s co-op 100ml ejuice. This method for acquiring your produce is not always a bad idea but it can turn into additional cost. Just because the produce comes directly from farmers does not mean that the produce will be cheaper. In fact, it may actually cost more than what you would pay at the supermarket. Do your homework by asking a lot of questions before committing to a farmer’s co-op arrangement.
Also, with a farmer’s co-op you may find yourself very limited in the fruit and vegetable choices available to you. This can be very troublesome for juicing since specific items are necessary for your health success. Of course, the other concern is that you are getting organic produce which cannot always be guaranteed when purchasing from a co-op. Similar concerns should be addressed when pursuing a community buyer’s club.
The most important juicing concern is striving to maintain the absolute best health benefits. When producing juicing recipes you should never sacrifice quality. The higher the quality of the produce the greater the likelihood of you seeing the healthy results you desire. True, juicing may end up costing more than what you previously had been spending on groceries, but you will get it all back, and more, from incredible savings on medical bills.
You will be happy to know that there are some non-organic fruits and vegetables that are safe for juicing. They are safe because they have considerably lower exposure to dangerous pesticides.
Before giving you the list of safe fruits and vegetables let’s first look at a list of what we will call the “only-organic” list: Apples, bell peppers, carrots, celery, cherries, imported grapes, kale, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, and strawberries. Unfortunately there are several items on the “only-organic” list that are staples for juicing, namely apples and carrots.
Purchasing produce from a “non-organic” grocery list can save your money: Onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapples, mango, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant. Of course, avocados and bananas, although incredibly good for you, are not used in juicing because they can clog up your juicer. However, pineapples, mango, kiwi, cabbage, and broccoli are excellent choices for juicing and are included in many recipes.
These lists have been compiled by an organization known at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) which is a non-profit environmental watchdog research organization. They maintain that you can lower your exposure to pesticide from produce by as much as 90 percent by following the aforementioned guidelines.
Effective juicing requires good organization, especially in the way you shop. Make your produce purchases from the safe list at a major discount chain store. Exclusively purchase “organic-only” produce from vendors that offer a good variety from which to choose. Shopping this way will save you a little each month. I spend a lot more time planning than I ever used to. Many months ago, we had a “round table” discussion as a family where each family member let me know what some of their favorite meals are. I wrote them all down.
After that, I wrote down the most common types of meat/protein staple foods that are served in our family meals, along with a list of meal ideas from my family under each type of meat. For example, under “ground bison” I have their favorite meals like Southwest bison lettuce wraps, tacos, chili, soup, burgers, cabbage rolls, stuffed peppers, etc. I do the same for chicken breast, venison, sausage, eggs and so on.
I also made index cards for each of the 3 stores I most commonly shop at and the items I typically purchase at those stores. I keep these lists handy as I’m planning so i know where I’ll be purchasing the groceries I need, and where I’m likely to get the best price.
Before heading out for my ‘major’ shopping trip of the week. I sit down with our family’s schedule for the week – I see which nights we’re going to be out later for work, teaching a seminar, playing sports or attending various events, and I pick either a quick dinner option for that night (big salad, soup, quesadillas, etc. ) or I choose a slow cooker option that i can start much earlier in the day. The nights that I’ll be home earlier, I plan on the meals that require a bit more prep time.
Occasionally, there’s a special type of lunch being served at the kids’ school. I make sure I have healthier ingredients on hand so that we can make a healthier version of this meal ahead of time to take to school. For example, this week is the monthly pizza day at school. At school the ‘conventional’ pizza is served along with carrots & ranch dip, a brownie and a juice box.
Instead, we start with a pre-made organic, whole grain or gluten free crust, add organic sauce and whole, raw cheese, and our own toppings. They get carrots, but no (conventional) ranch – usually I’ll pack some hummus, or we’ll make our own ranch, or I’ll purchase a brand with no high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients. We don’t do the conventional juice or juice drinks. Once in awhile I’ll pack diluted organic juice, or maybe a container of an organic, low-sugar brand that i trust. No brownie. I’ll usually just pack some fresh fruit instead or some homemade sweet.
