Part 2- Raw food shopping on a TIGHT budget!

Well, I got a great haul at the farmer's market this morning, so I've got a few more pics and ideas on saving a ton of money while eating a nutrient dense diet.

Oranges are a great source of both minerals and vitamins, as well as calories for energy. I get these delicious local Valencias weekly, and I pay just $12.00 for 25 pounds! These bags will soon switch from Valencia to Navel, but all oranges are a steady source of nutrients through the winter in a lot of different areas. They make a great staple, so check your local growers for a good deal. My local grocery stores do NOT sell these at a reasonable price. They are usually at least $1.00 a pound, while I pay only half that for tree ripened local oranges that taste like agave nectar when juiced and don't have that strong tart aftertaste.

Tip #2: Farmer's Markets DO have better fruit for cheap! My market, which is TINY compared to some in larger cities, has a fruit stand that sells discount fruit bags. They bag up fruit that is ripe or ugly with small imperfections but otherwise totally delicious, and sell them for $3.00 for a 6 pound bag. That is an AMAZING savings! I got 6 pounds of white peaches and 6 pounds of pluots for $6.00 TOTAL.

I also frequently buy my persimmons this way. I get tons of them from a family member, but if you'll remember, I am cray cray for persimmons and eat them as much as possible during their depressingly short season. Oftentimes the super soft, ready to eat Fuyus don't sell well, and one stand in particular will start selling those in discount bags.

So, it's not just grocery stores that sometimes sell their ripe fruit at a steep discount, but local farmer's, as well. Like I said in part one, this is what I've found in my area, although no one advertises these sorts of deals. You'll have to get out there and look, ask around, and sometimes just get lucky. But once you build your reliable sources, you'll be swimming in food AND have plenty of money left over for a fun trip to a local raw food restaurant, which I had the pleasure of doing last week. Look forward to more cheap raw food deals, a visit to The Green Boheme in Sacramento, and the announcement of the winner of the Morning Star Apothecary 100th post giveaway! If you want to enter there's still time!