What's in Your Fridge?

Wow!! Oranges galore!

Take a look in someone's refrigerator on any given day. That will tell you what makes up the large part of their diet. What you see above is a weeks' groceries for my family of 6 in the Winter months here in Canada (lots of oranges for lovely orange juice and smoothies, avocados, apples, pomegranates, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, limes, pears, pineapple, cucumbers and more ... ). I didn't even show you our freezer. In the Winter months we buy a lot of frozen organic berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and cranberries). We use these berries for our morning smoothie. Berries are a staple in our diet. And while fresh is best, we make the exception and eat frozen berries during the Winter months when we can't get them fresh or local.

Managing Your Wallet on a High Raw Diet

It is true that fruits and vegetables (especially nuts and seeds) are very costly and make eating raw/vegan an elite lifestyle. Over the years I have figured out a way to keep our refrigerator packed with fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, without us breaking the bank. I buy local organic produce when I can to support our local farmers, but also buy in grocery stores where they can order in bulk and therefore sell to the customer at cheaper prices. I also buy into rewards programs that get you free food just for shopping at a particular grocery store. Finally, we try to eat what's in season. Eating fresh strawberries in the Winter, for example, will not only guarantee you terrible tasting berries, but they will cost 3 times the regular price. If oranges are in season, eat tons of oranges. When strawberries come back in season in the Spring, you'll appreciate them that much more and they'll be affordable. All of this makes the raw food lifestyle affordable and achievable by all.

So don't think that being raw and supporting organic farmers is impossible, even on a tight budget. It can be done. You just need to think creatively and make the prices work for you.

Don't sweat it. Just buy fruits and veggies. Peace.