How Much Does it Cost to Juice?
I bought a juicer a couple of years ago and while I don’t juice every day, I try to pull it out regularly. I’m not going to debate whether or not juicing is the right thing for you (you can read all about that in this post) because I just want to focus on how much it costs to juice. Juicing is trendy but love it or hate it, let’s see what it does to your bank account.
How much do pre-made juices cost?
Store bought juice can run you upwards of $9 a bottle, depending on the brand.
I’ve tried Daily Greens, Suja, Lumi, and a couple of local brands from here in Richmond. Here’s a quick run down of prices for 16oz of a “green” juice based on what I’ve seen here in Richmond. Typically these are the most expensive because they have the most costly ingredients in them. You can get cheaper juices if you’re just getting orange juice, apple juice, or a smaller bottle.
- Lumi– 7.99
- Suja– 7.99
- Daily Greens– 7.99
- Whole Foods Juice Bar– $7.00
- Blueprint– $7.99
They’re all great for convenience but it’s hard for me to justify spending more on a bottle of juice than I do on a whole meal. So for me, I usually juice at home. I bought the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer (<–affiliate link) from Amazon a few months ago so I’ve been testing it out. I really like it because it wasn’t super expensive and it works well for me. You can get it for around $50. So the juicer itself is an initial investment but what about the ingredients?
How much does it take to make juice at home?
Here’s an example juice recipe with the average prices:
- Â Â 1 cucumber- $1.00
- Â Â 1/2 bunch of kale- $1.00
- Â Â 1 lemon $0.50
- Â Â 1 tbsp fresh ginger $0.25
- Â Â 3 whole carrots $0.50
Total for a 16oz glass of juice: $3.25.
Here’s another combo that I make regularly:
- Â Â 1 cucumber- $1.00
- Â Â 5 stalks celery $1.25
- Â Â 1 small apple $0.50
- Â Â 1/2 bunch of kale – $1.00
- Â Â 1 lime- $.50
Total for a 16oz glass of juice: $4.25
The trick is to combine ingredients that will give you lots of health benefits and still fill up your glass. For example, Kale is great for you, but it’ll take an entire bunch of kale to get a couple ounces of juice whereas a cucumber might be a little less “potent” but will give you about 1/2 cup of juice. I try to combine juicy ingredients with less juicy ingredients in order to fill my glass without breaking the bank. Fruits and veggies that will give you lots of juice are things like cucumbers, celery, apples, lemons, and oranges. Things like kale, spinach, or broccoli won’t give you as much, so it’s best to combine those with juicier ingredients. For me, I know the combinations of fruits and vegetables that I like will cost around $3-$4 in order to make a large glass. That might still sound like a lot but I typically use produce that I know I won’t necessarily be able to use before it goes bad. I love having kale in the fridge to make salads but sometimes I can’t use up a whole bunch in time. For me, juicing has become pretty cost effective because I rarely load up on produce for the sake of juicing. That said, on busy days, if I’m craving a little juice, I’ll usually just grab one on the go! Lately, my life has been a little bit busier and juicing at home definitely takes a lot more time.
If you’re still on the fence about juicing check out this post:Â Should you Juice?:
I really need to dust of my juicer, but find it just a faff to clean after using it. The vegetables can be expensive, but if you shop wisely it can work out well.
For me juicing comes down to time and process. I have a juicer that I have used only a handful of times because I just find the whole thing messy and time consuming to pull out, use and then clean (no dishwasher!). I also prefer to eat vs. drink my veggies/fruits because I find that fills me up faster.
ahh yes, the costs of veggies. It’s overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Love the break down and tips! now i need to dust off my juicer!
My parents have a juice and juice almost every day! I need to get on board.
Liz,
I got a blender for smoothies when my kids were little (and picky and I was worried about veggies) so I guess I kinda missed the whole juicing thing. I rarely think to add cucumbers to my smoothies, even when I don’t know what to do with one from the farm share–but the idea that I can get a boost of veggie liquid out of the cuke instead of adding additional water really appeals.
Thanks for both the breakdown and the combo ideas!
Thank you for doing this! It is super useful to me. I have really debated juicing for myself personally. While I would like to do it on occasion, I worried that the cost was really kind of crazy. This gives me a lot of perspective on the financial commitment. I always love it when somebody takes the time to break things down and lay them out. Thanks!
For $2.50/day you can take Juice Plus. 17 fruits and vegetables (it’s whole food encapsulated). No mess, convenient and 32 clinical studies from over 22 years of customers. Proven to strengthen the immune system, cardiovascular and inflammation. I’ve been diagnosed with PKD Kidney disease with multiple cysts on each kidney. Over 3 years of taking Juice Plus consistently, my cysts have shrinks and the doctors are stumped! I’m a living example that JP+ helps bridge the gap! Worth a look up. Email me at [email protected]
Hey Trish, I actually take juice plus capsules but I don’t think of it as a replacement for real fruits and vegetables.
Interesting break down! We’ve all wondered ;). Happy Friday, Liz!!
Wow! Such an informative post!! Thanks for sharing! …and juicing is REALLY pricey! Like it totally adds up! I don’t actually juice because I prefer to eat my veggies! But I’m sure if I got into it and loved it… it’d be worth the cost! Thanks for the info! 🙂 Hope that you have a great weekend!!
I love this! I definitely think investing in a juicer is worth it if you’re planning on using it regularly. I also think it depends if you buy organic or not (organic would def cost more!). Great info and Happy Friday!