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:
- 1 cucumber- $1.00
- 1/2 bunch of kale- $1.00
- 1 lemon $0.50
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger $0.25
- 3 whole carrots $0.50
Total for a 16oz glass of juice: $3.25.
Here’s another combo that I make regularly:
- 1 cucumber- $1.00
- 5 stalks celery $1.25
- 1 small apple $0.50
- 1/2 bunch of kale – $1.00
- 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: Should you Juice?:
Great post!! I totally agree .Juicing can be expensive, and I don’t know if it’s worth it if you have a juicer!! You can make batches of juices loaded with nutrients for half the price. And from the comfort of your own home, win win!
WOW awesome comparisons! I always opt to ‘make my own’ anything to save tons of money!
Great post! I used to have a juicer but I just felt like it was expensive to use regularly for what I’d get out of it. I’d rather just cook and eat the foods whole, haha! Or make a smoothie. I feel like I get more bang for my buck that way. But that said, the taste of a glass of fresh juice was SO good! 🙂
I am not a juicer, but I am a smoothie maker! 🙂 Thanks for breaking this all down as I always have been curious as to how much it costs to juice compared to making a smoothie. Have a great day!
I use my vitamix to make my juice. i put all of my veggies in the blender and add about 4 cups of water. I then pour everything into a nutmilk bag to strain out the pulp. It makes about 4 16oz bottles of juice. It’s so easy! I typically spend between $15-$20 on veggies. But I can make anywhere from 8-10 16oz juices. I do love homemade juice!!! It’s the best!!
Great angle, Liz! Those prepared juices are expensive and the ones you make at home are that much fresher and nutrient available, too!
I’ve always wondered how much it would cost to juice so I found this to be really interesting! It’s definitely cheaper to make it at home than it is to get one out but I’m still not sure I’m ready to commit to cleaning the machine that often.
I hear you! I think I might do a post on how to make juicing easier (and faster) because it definitely takes some practice to be able to do it quickly!
I love juicing… For me, it’s a great way to sneak in veggies that I don’t love eating on their own. I also think my fresh juices taste better than bottled.
I have a juicer but unfortunately I don’t do it as much as I should. Honestly, I hate cleaning the thing! And I don’t do juice as a meal. Like EVER. I’ve got muscles to feed! But I do like to use juices in summer mornings instead of coffee and pair it with a healthy breakfast. I love fresh juices…I just wish my juicer was easier to clean lol
This is a great breakdown. I’ve always thought about juicing but haven’t taken the plunge yet. Definitely something to think about.