One of the most common concerns that juicing skeptics worry about, is that trying to “get healthy” with juice is going to cost way too much. The truth is that juicing can be expensive – particularly since you need a huge amount of some ingredients just to get a tiny bit of juice. However, if you know how to shop, and what to look for, juicing can become more affordable.
At the end of the day, it’s all about being careful with your juicing habits. If you follow some of the tips that we’ll cover below, you’ll be able to access all of the amazing benefits of fresh fruit and vegetable juice – from losing weight to getting an instant nutritional boost. Most of the time, with a little preparation, you can ensure that your average glass of juice doesn’t cost you any more than what you might pay for a bottle of something filled with sugar at your local gas station.
So how can you make juicing more realistic for your lifestyle?
Let’s take a look.
1. Buy Ingredients that Last
Waste is one of the most expensive aspects of juicing. We buy bags full of produce from our local supermarket, only to come home and find that we simply don’t have enough time to drink something fresh every day. Produce that’s quick to perish can be thrown away in these situations – representing a lost investment.
Fortunately, carrots, lemons, ginger, romaine, apples, celery, and more can all last for a very long time in your refrigerator – and they’re also some of the best juicing recipes you can use. Buying ingredients that last mean that you won’t have to worry about things spoiling, and you won’t need to rush to the store every day to buy the items you need for that evening’s juice.
2. Use More Vegetables than Fruits
Fruits are delicious and full of fantastic vitamins that are good for you – but they’re also incredibly expensive to juice. For people who are juicing on a budget, it’s often a good idea to simply eat the fruit that you want to include in your diet, and juice vegetables instead.
Not only do vegetables give you far more juice for your buck, they’re also low in sugar, so you can make sure that you don’t give yourself too much of a natural sugar boost with each drink. If you’re concerned about blood sugar levels or weight loss, this could mean that vegetable juicing is the perfect way to improve your health without any downsides.
3. Only Make a Little at a Time
One of the most common misconceptions in the juicing world is that you need to make a large portion of whatever you’re going to drink every time. However, you don’t have to drink ten ounces of juice each day. While it’s easier to make plenty of juice in one go, it can also cost more, and may not give you a significant amount of extra benefits.
Even a shot of nutritional juice can be enough to rev up your metabolism, give your immune system the boost it needs, and ensure that you’re prepared to fight off illness, so try not to get carried away when it comes to making your daily juice. Four ounces a day could be enough to change your life.
4. Juice with What’s on Sale
Just as you might do when you’re trying to save money on regular fruits and vegetables, buying your fresh produce when they’re on sale is a great way to save cash. Try to make notes on when your local produce department is likely to put items on sale so you can rush down and get the best bargains as often as possible (perhaps once a week).
Most of the time, grocery stores will sell vegetables that are over-ripe for a much lower price, but you can make the most of this for your juicing craze. Remember that over-ripe vegetables offer the strongest taste, and give you the same nutritional value!
5. Use Ingredients that are Rich in Water
Finally, another helpful idea is to make the most of the vegetables and fruits that you do use. You’re probably not going to get much juice from a head of kale, but you’ll sure get plenty of cucumbers, lemons, apples, watermelon, romaine, and zucchini.
If you mix vegetables and fruits that are high in water content with those that only give a small amount of liquid, you’ll maximize your nutritional intake and ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck with every delicious glass of healthy home-made juice.
