Eating Raw?

[roadWarrior]

Does anybody simply just eat raw? Raw as in veggies, oats, nuts, fruit.&nbsp; I have this book as kind of a guide to make some really good meals. No cooking required. Some may require dehydrated products though. <br><br>Also, what is the average amount spent on food a month and what are some ways you guys have lowered your food bill?<br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Food-Comp...d=1377474548&amp;sr=1-9&amp;keywords=raw+food" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Food-Comp...d=1377474548&amp;sr=1-9&amp;keywords=raw+food</a>

 

[cygvan]

i dont eat whole meals raw but i love some raw peppers, onions, broccolli, tomatoes!!! and stuff like that. i try to eat it daily just to eat somewhat healty. doesnt matter which meal either.&nbsp; onions are easy becuase i add em to everything anyway lol. peppers too.&nbsp; fruit of course i eat fresh but i also occasionally get the dole stuff in the plastic jars.&nbsp; i love fresh lemon and lime as well as oranges. so i keep them around.<br><br>grains i have never tried raw. wasnt even aware that was possible.<br><br>nuts, i eat lots. i prefer unsalted. but often buy roasted rather than just pure raw which isnt always easy to find mixed.<br><br>as for dehydrated, i often wonder about the health effect of the survival food. the dehydrated as well as the freeze dried stuff with the long shelf life.&nbsp; im kind of keen to look for salt content so the freeze dried stuff looks to be generally lower.&nbsp; but i havent really tried it since they mainly sell everything in #10 cans and the shelf life goes poof when you open it and im not eating the same thing all month lol.&nbsp; some sell pantry sized cans that might be better in that regard but i havent given it more than a passing thought.<br><br>as far as my average budget, for one person, i used to average over $500 a month when i lived in an apartment. given the whole lifestyle change over the last two years, i have reduced it to about $300 a month. fresh red meat was reduced. mainly chicken now with occasional steak.&nbsp; pork was always just occasionally. and i stopped eating flavord sausages and bratwirst and all of that. too much salt and very expensive.<br><br>i still can do a better job with coupons but i make sure to at least shop the places that have automatic sales on their loyalty card.&nbsp; i rarely buy brand names unless they are cheaper per unit. i think that was a big help. i also dont drink as much soda. i prefer the crystal light type drink mixes and water flavored with fresh lemon and lime juice.&nbsp; i go with friends to costco (saving me a membership fee lol) to buy certain things in bulk.<br><br>i think i might be able to get it to $250 which would be ideal for me. that would free up a few more "out to dinner with friends" which i like to do. <br><br>next step is to check out farmers markets.&nbsp; i saw some awesome tomatoes this weekend (im in new jersey) but i didnt pull the trigger.&nbsp; i really like romaine lettuce and i reluctantly buy it from the supermarket. never bagged and cut though. i buy it whole and clean cut myself.<br><br>i love egg too. but fresh eggs are a pain. so they will have to wait till im homesteading and have my own chickens (cant wait!).&nbsp; i really like the liquid eggs (egg whites) for this lifestyle. especially the ones that are real eggs and not feggs.<br><br>romaine leaves are a great replacement for bread for a tuna sandwich or rollups for other things.<br><br>oh and lastly, deli meat will kill you with sodium and it is also a budget buster.&nbsp; but i still get some because its a great easy meal for this lifestyle.&nbsp; while i love salamis and hams and all of that, i really have switched to turkey mostly. the best is the fresh whole turkey thats cooked in the supermarket deli and un touched by preservatives. when they have it on sale i snap it up.&nbsp; i also look to the deli for cheeses. that can also be expensive so it pays to wait for sales and stuff.<br><br>having said all of that i realize that not everyone has the same lifestyle, even within this lifestyle.&nbsp; i have a propane stove/grill combo and i rarely use it. i have reliable power provided bby my host so i microwave alot. i was surprised at this because i could cook really traditionally with the stove/grill but it became so messy that i got lazy. also, i prefer to keep a low profile in the neighborhood so i dont cook or eat outside unless my host is also grilling or something. so i adapted mostly due to necessity and the combination of things i buy so far works for me.<br><br>

 

[TxGypsy]

I need to get back to eating more raw foods.&nbsp; It is often difficult for me to do since I normally live way out in the boonies where the pickings are a bit slim.&nbsp; When I either live near a decent sized town or have my own garden, I eat much better.&nbsp; A good goal to aim for is 50% of your diet as raw foods.&nbsp; Some people eat more than that, but you will experience some nice health results at that level.&nbsp; I seem to have a lot of trouble locating good raw nuts.&nbsp; <br><br>I'm a veganish vegetarian(no dairy), so my grocery bill is pretty low even with eating high quality foods and organic.&nbsp; Somewhere around $100-150 per month.&nbsp; I do a lot of from scratch cooking or it would be more.&nbsp; I've about kicked the eating out habit, so that figure reflects eating at home most of the time.&nbsp; It seems like every time I eat out I don't feel good, get heartburn and have an upset tummy.&nbsp; I'm guessing cross contamination from meat in the cooking process.&nbsp; <br><br>Vegans and vegetarians need to take B vitamin supplements.&nbsp; B-12 is lacking in a diet without meat.&nbsp; I will occasionally eat a meal of free swimming fish(no bottom feeders or crustaceans)....ya gotta eat something when you go to other folks houses or out to eat.&nbsp; I thought that would help offset my need for B-12.&nbsp; Nope!&nbsp; I ended up with absolutely terrible plantar fasciitis.&nbsp; I thought my foot was broken the pain was so intense.&nbsp; Turns out that a lack of B-12 can dramatically affect the tendons in your body.&nbsp; I learned my lesson.&nbsp; I take a B complex supplement twice a day.