I don't have a lot of money to spend on food. What would you suggest?

Being low fat raw vegan on a budget is doable. Here are some tips to make it happen.

1. Make your staple foods cheap fruits, like bananas.

2. Buy in bulk in order to get case discounts. Don't be shy to inquiry at grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Research your nearest produce wholesaler, some even do free delivery! Get creative - I found a great grocery store once because I asked a local restaurant where they bought their produce

3. Shop locally and in season.

4. Find reduced, “aesthetically challenged” fruit at grocery stores and markets as they’re often on discount.

5. Don’t waste your coin on expensive low calorie fruit, like out of season fresh blueberries for example. If you are really wanting them perhaps use these foods as enhancements. For instance, flavor a banana smoothie with the blueberries instead of having a giant mono-meal bowl of them for lunch. Also don’t waste your coin on smoothiesfrom restaurants (maybe once in a while is okay). Most of the time you can make that same drink at home for a fraction of the cost. Lastly, don’t waste your coin on the pre-cut, prepackaged fruit and veg that you see in grocery store quick-grab fridges. It may seem convenient but it is just their way of squeezing your dollars and making use of their moldy fruit. No one is getting a deal walking out of Whole Foods with an twelve dollar cup of melon.

6. On that note, it can pay to be prepared for outings if you know you get peckish while out. Or simply know where you can find cheap food while out.

7. And on that note, if the question comes up, how do I know what a good deal is? The answer is, this will take a little time to figure out at the beginning of your vegan journey. My advice is to get a digital note started on your phone with a list of your staple foods. As you shop around your area make a note of how much each store is charging for those items. This will of course vary subtly but you'll get an idea of trends of produce costs for each fruit or veg, trends throughout the year and trends as to which stores are charing the most/least overall. I also recommend exploring Asian markets if you are able. My experience is that they often have food for cheap and exotic produce that is hard to find elsewhere.

8. Ask other raw vegans/vegans in your area, in person or online (like 30BaD.com or Instagram) where they get their best/cheapest stuff. Pick their brain!

9. Maybe you can’t buy 100% organic right now, that’s okay. If you’re sensitive, get educated on what produce is the most susceptible to chemicals.

10. Consider buying secondary options - including dried fruit, frozen fruit/veg, or even 100% fruit juice (and maybe you're okay with it being pasteurized).

11. Minimize eating out. Restaurant meals will likely not fill up the stomach of a raw vegan. There may be raw gourmet food on offer. I find that I end up eating at the cost of my gut - too many refined or heavy ingredients leave me feeling ill.

12. Shop online to find the best deals for particular items like your favorite superfoods, flavorings, powders, or even kitchen equipment.

13. Supplement with powders. From one person to the next we may have different deficiencies or lifestyle-based needs. If you are lacking in particular minerals it might require a salad using a whole box of mixed greens to get your dosage. These boxes can be $6-9 dollars at times! Instead, consider scooping a spoon of raw green powder in your smoothie. This would be tremendously less expensive.

I like to encourage rearranging finances so that you are able to afford the food you desire. It's helpful to really look at where your money is going and decide what is important to you. Remember, "So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health." - Materi

How can you eat raw in a cold climate? Doesn't this diet conflict with eating locally?

I'm still shocked when I get asked this question because I've never not been able to find fruit. What a gift that this modern world allows for fruit availability of all kinds, all year round, all over the world! Of course the price point of the exotic varieties is higher, so I wouldn't recommend making them a staple.

"But isn't it unnatural to not be eating locally?" Sure, but it is also "unnatural" to be living in cold climates- proven by the ubiquitous use of heaters and heavy clothing in winter months. Somehow we don't think twice about that.

"But shipping isn't environmentally friendly, right?" Certainly. However when circumstances aren't ideal, something gets compromised. When we aren't living in a climate for which we were biologically designed, we make sacrifices, for example, using energy to heat our houses. If a situation isn't "perfect," the best we can do is make conscious decisions. Sometimes this means accepting that at least one compromise will be made, and then choosing which one will best align with personal values. How will this choice affect the planet? How will it affect my health? How can I best support the planet as the healthy person that it has supported me in becoming?

This is a frequently asked question?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

This is a frequently asked question?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

This is a frequently asked question?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.