5 Tips for Affordable Juicing

Who doesn’t love fresh-pressed juice? The smell, the taste, the feeling of refreshment — it truly is wonderful. So, it’s no wonder why the juicing-for-health trend has really taken off. I mean, delicious juice and improved energy levels and mood? Sounds great! Despite that, there are still a lot of skeptics out there; people concerned about the financial costs of such magic elixirs and people who worry it won’t be “worth” it. I was once in the latter group. I wanted to try juicing, but didn’t think I could afford it on a student’s budget. I’m here to tell you that it is possible to reap the health benefits from juicing without spending a lot on produce. Below are five ways you can start affording to juice today:

1. Consider Water Content

The water content of your produce plays a big role in how much juice is actually made. For instance, a handful of kale presses into maybe a few teaspoons, but a juiced cucumber can fill almost an entire glass on its own. You want to have a lot of high water content items going through the juicer to create volume. This means less you use less produce overall. Remember that cucumbers, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, watermelon, and tomatoes are your best picks to save money with this method.

2. Add Water

Save money by adding some fresh water to your juice before drinking. Half the time, the fresh-pressed juice is so concentrated that the added water is welcomed, while the other half of the time, it goes completely undetected. I typically double the volume of healthy liquids I consume this way. You can cut your juicing costs in half by this method alone.

3. Look for Discounts

They are sometimes hidden, but nearly every produce department and market have discounted produce sections. Often times, they are tucked away by the employee’s entrance to the back of the store. Take a good look through these spaces each time you shop. Most of the time, produce ends up being discounted for minor bruising or abnormal appearances that have no impact after being juiced. Check out the discounts!

4. Grow Herbs

Herbs are an important part of any healthy juicing plan. They add high doses of essential micronutrients in just small doses. However, buying fresh herbs at the store gets costly, and I never can seem to finish a bunch of this or that before it begins decomposing. Save yourself the trouble and money by growing even a small herb pot and clipping fresh leaves when you desire them for your juice. I recommend beginning with mint — it grows like a weed, is easy to care for, and is amazing when it comes to calming digestive upsets.

5. Plan Your Juices

Planning your juices for the next few days or week will ensure you are only buying what you need and will use. Only purchase the ingredients necessary for proven juice recipes at this stage — experimenting can be costly! Check out these three cold-press juice recipes to get you started, and learn the best flavor combos of green juice to try for your sweet tooth.

Besides all these ways to make juicing more affordable, remember the juicer you have will play a role too. Try to opt for a juicer that advertises higher outputs of juice than its competitors. That way, you’re getting more for your money from the very beginning. OK, ready to start yet?

Image source: A Quick Guide for the Newbie Juicer