Let's be clear: I am a single mom. Time and money are precious and beautiful to me - and not to be squandered!
From the people I have talked to over the years, the general consensus is that 'raw food is too expensive/time consuming'. I wonder how many people have actually 'tried' it, but I do my best to suspend my judgement after that thought. It does appeal to logic that it 'could' be that way. However, anyone who eats anything spends some amount of time on it, whether they hit the drive through or the grocery store. Some sort of preparation is involved in some way, shape or form, and money changes hands.
I have been 100% raw, a flailing pizza junkie, a pregnant woman on the Eat-Pray-Love Diet, etc. I have been on many different sides and I can tell you that, personally, I spent A LOT more money on food when I wasn't eating a lot of Raw Food.
I can come up with many hypotheses about why this is: 1) I need to eat more because my body doesn't get as many nutrients when I'm eating cooked and processed food. 2) There are additives in my food that make me hungry. 3) When I am not being 'a raw foodie', I am typically eating more for pleasure, than for sustenance, which changes the way I eat, and how much I eat. 4) cooked food is awesome, and I can't stop eating cheese, anything fried, etc. 5) I eat more because I am taking in less water with my diet and not supplementing by drinking more water, thus activating my weakened thirst receptors - which are then so stifled that my body tells me it's hungry!
Anyway, regardless of all that madness and reasoning - all of which is unnecessary, I have found a way to eat raw food and not blow my budget. Here's what my food prep schedule for the week OFTEN - not always - looks like:
Sunday: Prep a salad dressing and some sort of pate/cheese
Shred: Carrots and Cabbage in food processor
Cut top and bottom of bell pepper and remove seeds
Shop: Buy broccoli, zucchini, onion and some fruit for smoothies, 1# spring mix from Sam's =3.99 (yes, it's organic), 1# organic spinach from Sam's = $3.99. Both of these items can be purchased at Dillons for $5.99 each.
Then, each day, I'll have a green smoothie for breakfast - after drinking 1 quart of water right when I wake up. For lunch, I'll use a combination of veggies on my salad, the dressing and a scoop of the cheese/pate. I'll do the same for dinner, unless I eat out or make dinner at a friend's.
I could easily make a batch of raw crackers, or a soup, or even a dessert if I wanted to, say, around the middle of the week if I felt like it. Usually, it's one of the three, not all of them! Some weeks, I get together with friends, and we'll make something and split it, along with the cost of ingredients (think: raw white chocolate cheesecake, etc)
Anyway, it works for me!
"But, I need more variety." You say. Well, then it's going to cost you more! This is what works for me. Maybe you could have a smoothie for breakfast, a salad for lunch and then a regular dinner! It's just a suggestion, find what works for you! And of course, I'm happy to be a resource for you all the way!
Tonight, I'm making the Farmer's Cheese from Cafe Gratitude's "I AM Grateful" book. Last week, it was almond hummus and a fig balsamic vinaigrette. See a pattern here? I don't know what kind of dressing I want this week....Something herby and garlicky sounds fantastic to complement that cheese!
Love,
A
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