Equipment

There are so many different opinions about what to buy when you are transitioning to a raw food lifestyle.  Some people say that all they had was a blender when they got started and it worked wonders for them. Others speculate that they may have had an easier time adjusting to raw foods if they had brought items like a dehydrator up front so they could make more raw snacks (such as dried fruits, crackers and chips). Where do you fall into the mix? Not sure? While at the present moment we do not endorse one particular brand over another, we can certainly provide you with tips on your buying process for various items.

Let’s say that your washing machine is broken. Darn! Now you are in the market to purchase a new one. What do you do first? There is a lot to think about, including the cost of a new washing machine and whether or not it has a warranty. Not into washing? Okay, let’s say you’re in the market for a big screen TV, and you want the best picture quality for the right price because you host movie nights in your home. Look at buying equipment for your new raw food journey in the same light. Be a smart, educated consumer. Do your homework. Don’t buy something just because it is very inexpensive, double check the quality on that item to make sure it can stand the test of time.

Here are a list of items you should consider purchasing as a raw food beginner. You don’t have to buy all at once and you don’t have to buy everything (if a certain item doesn’t seem like something you’ll need yet, trust your instincts). Here goes…..

Small Kitchen Tools:

• Handheld Juicer for fruits such as lemons, limes and oranges. They are inexpensive and can be found in your local stores. Lemons are used quite often in smoothies and to add a zing to some raw dishes. This would be worth your investment.
• Grader (use what they call a cheese grader if you already have one). Perfect for shaving bits of ginger root or other items as an added ingredient into the raw dishes you will be preparing. Grading ginger definitely adds a little pep to any smoothie
• Spiral Slicer is perfect for making “pasta” with vegetables and adding a little something extra to your raw dishes. Some of the spiral slicers you see online are very expensive and look like maybe they should be for an industrial kitchen instead of your little counter top. Don’t let that discourage you. Read the product reviews and find one in your price range that will work for you.
• Cutting Board/Knives/Bowls/Containers. These are items you may already have, but in case you don’t we thought we would mention them. You’ll be doing a lot of chopping, mixing, and saving some for later, so these items are a must to have on hand in your kitchen.

Larger Appliances:

Just as a note, for all of these appliances, you should consider quality of product, sizing (will it even fit on your counter?), warranty, ease of use and cleaning (there’s no sense in buying a product that your reluctant to use because it takes forever to clean). While there are some good deals online for some of the items listed below, it also pays to walk into a store and physically see, touch and hold the item (you don’t have to purchase it from there).

• Blender. If you have one of these, you can offer the world when it comes to raw foods. Blenders are the heart of a lot of easy raw recipes, and are especially fabulous for the many smoothie creations you will try. High speed blenders will offer even more opportunities with the options of making nut milk and raw ice creams. How do you know which blender is right for you? A blender is something you definitely want to purchase at a high quality. Why? Because most raw food enthusiasts use their blender at least once a day! You want a product with a warranty and durability for frequent use. If you already have a blender, our rule is if it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it. As more of us are watching our spending, this is something you may want to consider holding off on if you already have one that can at least get the job done for smoothies. You are free to purchase one later as you become more experienced with raw foods and want to try new things.
• Food Processor or it can be a mini food processor if you are just one person. Trying to make salsa in a blender will pretty much leave you with puree. Having a food processor on hand to slice and dice various fruits and veggies will make it a lot easier to make certain raw recipes. It also allows you to make raw hummus and other dips/spreads with ease. Food processors range in size, so think about how often you might use it and how much you will put in it before purchasing.
• Juicer. Juicing is something heavily used in several cleanses and detox programs. Nothing beats being able to make fresh fruit and vegetable juice at home (it tops concentrated store brought juice any day!). But there are so many! Which one? Even with the adds and commercials for juicers, most of them only show you the product from the front. Check out the sizing specs on these products, because the spout and shoot that catches the pulp makes some of these products so large they’ll bully your other appliances around and take over your counter space! This is another great item to see if you can find it in a store. If it’s an online only or television special, take down the measurements, then take out your handy dandy tape-measure or ruler and put the numbers to the test. We bet you only want to buy one juicer and not have to worry about another one for a while, so this is one item that we strongly recommend you do your research on, do comparison shopping, and definitely read consumer reviews.
• Dehydrator. This is if you think you’ll be making raw snacks such as crackers, chips, and dehydrated fruits. If you are not considering those and you are already on a budget, you may not need to be looking into a dehydrator right now. If you like to keep it simple and are always on the go, you also probably don’t need a dehydrator right now. But if you are in the market, this is another item we think you should buy with emphasis on quality and longevity. If you are preparing food for one person or not planning to make goodies often, you may not need a dehydrator with several trays, a smaller. more compact option would work for you. But if you intend to be a whiz in the kitchen and the next raw chef star, pick one that can handle everything you’re putting in.

With all these items, a little research can go a long way! Do your homework and be 100% satisfied and comfortable with what you purchase.

One Response to “Equipment”

1. Surviving the Cold in the Raw « Raw Food Nation says:

   October 20, 2009 at 3:09 am

   [...] or not to purchase one, now might be a good time to strongly consider it. We have an article here on what to look for in a dehydrator (along with other raw equipment). Dehydrators are great taking [...]