It’s Wellness Monday and if there’s one bandwagon that I’ve always wanted to jump on but just couldn’t seem to talk myself in to doing, it’s the juicing bandwagon.
But times, they’re a changin’ and I was ready to consider giving this healthy way of life a go. But before I made the final decision, there were two main concerns that I needed to look in to. First, the expense. And second, the reality of just how time consuming this whole juicing thing can be. I’ve got enough on plate and the last thing I want in my life is something that’s going to add one more time consuming endeavor to my ever growing platter.
Well, in case you’ve ever asked yourself the same questions, I’ll share with you what I found out.
1. The most costly and up front expense is going to be the juicer itself. There are many different kinds of juicers and they each have their own sets of pros and cons. For newbies like us, it’s smart to spend a little bit of time researching our options. Target has some great options that range in price from around $125 and up into the high $400’s.
Once you decide on a juicer and get it home, your next expense will be the actual fruits and veggies that you’ll be using. Of course, organic is best and one of the easiest and least expensive ways to purchase at least some of your juicing items are from your local farmer’s market. Buying locally helps ensure that you’re buying the best produce that is in season and fresh and local is always the best option. But be sure when you purchase your items, you don’t make the mistake seen in the photo below:
The majority of the juices above are fruit, but to cut down on sugar and increase the nutritional factor, make sure 80% of each drink comes from the veggie world.
2. While you are making your grocery list, keep simplicity in mind. Especially at first. Don’t get too carried away with making fancy drinks that require five or six different ingredients. Start simple with juice combos of carrot, apple, ginger, kale, spinach, strawberries and other easily found produce. This will keep the cost down and decrease the amount of time it takes to juice each day. Remember, for each different item, you’ve got to wash it, and cut it up small enough to fit in your juicer (one thing to consider when choosing a juicer. How small or large is the feeder?)
You can also save a lot of time by prepping for a few days at a time. Clean, cut and place the produce in freezer bags. When you’re ready to juice, simply pull out a bag and throw it in. Freezing doesn’t give you the ultimate amount of nutrition but for those of us that are very busy, it might be worth it to save some time.
So, after doing my research, I think I’m going to give this juicing thing a go! I’m ready to have more energy and Lord knows I need it! What about you? Are you a juicer? If so, share your favorite recipes with me!
I have a juicer and I love it though I’m not consistent with it. So I use a greens powder drink daily that gives me all my vitamins and minerals and energy. it detoxes and balances my ph level so i feel good about at least making up for my good intentions. and when I juice, i will just throw the powder in there so i get the veggies too. my favorite juicing is always the fruit as it is hard for me to do the veggies in the juicer. but sometimes, you have to do what you know is good for you anyway. great post.