Are there juicing must-haves? Absolutely. Here’s a list of juicing essentials that not only make the juicing possible, but fun, efficient, and enjoyable!
JUICING ESSENTIALS #1. AN AWESOME JUICER
This goes without saying, of course. After all – what’s a juicer (person) without a juicer (machine)?
An “awesome” juicer is simply a juicer that really suits your needs. Find out the 5 things you must know before buying a juicer.
As you probably already, there are several juicer types, each with their pros and cons – and finding a juicer that fits your particular needs is the main key to having an awesome time juicing!
That being said, I do have a little list of top 3 juicers that I consider to be the best juicers out there.
JUICING ESSENTIALS #2. A BLENDER
“I’m a movement by myself but I’m a force when we’re together…I’m good all by myself but baby, you, you make me better…”
I don’t usually quote rap lyrics (okay, I do), but this particular song reminds me of the relationship between juicers and blenders. I’m an avid juicer who also absolutely foams at the mouth when discussing blenders. Why? Because juicers and blenders go together like peanut butter and jelly, like Cheech and Chong, like milk and cookies, like…well, you get the point.
There are crucial differences between blenders and juicers, which make their relationship more of a collaborative one (they get on well :)) rather than a mutually exclusive one.
Blenders fill in the gaps that juicers miss and vice versa – for example, juicers are great for fibrous veggies but the best juicer for most fruits – in my humble opinion – is a blender. Want to know why? Find out here.
Plus, blenders allow you to toss in an extra bit of healthiness with various supplements (see below – #9). Not to mention that simply adding half a banana into a blender with some juiced greens is an effortless way of easing yourself into drinking even the most hardcore of green juices.
If you don’t have a blender yet – don’t worry, they don’t have to be expensive to do a great job. There are top-of-the-line blenders – i.e. the Vitamix – but if you’re just going to be blending your juices with a few fruits, a cheaper blender will do just fine.
I myself still use a Nutri Ninja which does an amazing job of blending copious amounts of fresh fruits and veggies. It’s also seriously powerful and very, very convenient to use (I drink straight out of the blending cups most days.
There are many cheaper options for blenders out there – I can’t speak of them at the moment since I haven’t tried too many of them but have a peek around Amazon to see what’s available.
Also – if you’re going to splurge on a juicer, you might be interested to know that the Hurom is a brilliant multi-tasker, performing as both a top-notch juicer machine and a blender.
JUICING ESSENTIALS #3. A FOOD CO-OP
A food co-op is simply a collectively-owned grocery store. Some are only open to members and others are open to the public, but even the open stores offer discounts only to members of the co-op.
Joining a food co-op is a great way to buy locally-grown, organic produce at discount prices – a necessity for any serious juicer. There are food co-ops in virtually every corner of the globe, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find one. If you need help getting started, Life Hackers has a great article on how to find (and join) a food co-op.
If a food co-op is not for you, there are other equally smart options: Shop at farmer’s markets, order organic produce online, or even grow your own (see #10)!
Find out more tips on saving money while juicing!
JUICING ESSENTIALS #4. TOP JUICING BOOKS
Preferably, a go-to book full of delicious, healthy juice recipes.
‘Cause once you’ve exhausted your favorite few juice recipes, you’re going to be longing for some variety. It’s always a good idea to keep a few juicing books for times when you’re just not feeling creatively inspired or even curious enough to make a new concoction for yourself.
Check out the best juicing books.
The great thing about a great juicing book is that they draw upon a wider variety of produce in general, so you’ll always be trying something new. Not to mention the information that’s provided about each ingredient that goes into the juice – a really useful element to have if you have a specific health goal in mind.
Here are our top 3 book picks:
Boasts over 400 juice recipes organized by key ingredients, by nutrients provided, and even by health benefits. Full of stunning pictures. A must-have.
Along with 350 juice recipes, this super juicing book also comes with detailed, useful information about a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Of all the juices out there, green juicing is hands down the most popular. And this book provides a simple, beautifully illustrated guide to juicing a variety of greens – some recipes don’t even require a juicer.
JUICING ESSENTIALS #5. CLEANERS
The first step in healthy juicing is making sure your produce is clean and free of bacteria, pesticides, and dirt.
Various fruits and vegetables have different compositions, which also means different washing styles. Here’s a quick guide to thoroughly clean your produce!
** Keep in mind that for maximum cleanliness from pesticides and harmful GMOs, it’s best to buy organic. If you can’t buy all organic, check out this list for the fruits and vegetables that you should buy organic (the ones highest in pesticides) and just buy these organic.
JUICING ESSENTIALS #6. KITCHEN HELPERS
Ever wish you could hire a team of elves to chop and cut, peel and pare, slice and dice your produce? Well, this little group of helpers is as close as you can get to elves (so far :))
Strawberries
This strawberry stem remover by Chef’n is the cutest little kitchen accessory that will cut your strawberry-stem removing work by half the time (at least). Get it on Amazon!
Pineapples
This is a handy little pineapple cutter lets you peel, core, and slice your pineapples in one go. It is amazing and an absolute must-have addition to your kitchen, whether you juice or not. Get it on Amazon!
Apples
The downside to apples is the peeling (if non-organic), coring, and slicing – hugely time consuming. This handy little crank peels, cores, and slices your apples for you. Simply brilliant. Get it on Amazon.
JUICING ESSENTIALS #7. STORING SUPPLIES
Juicing requires heaps of produce and it’s usually cheaper to get it in bulk and easier to clean and prepare all of them in one-go so you can have it ready throughout the week.
It’s just that a lot of produce doesn’t store so well…
If you’re planning to be juicing on a regular basis – and using all the produce that regular juicing demands – plan to invest in some containers that’ll help your produce last longer and stay fresher. These are the best…
FOR LEAFY GREENS
FOR BERRIES
JUICING ESSENTIALS #8. JUICE-ON-THE GO TOOLS
It just makes sense sometimes to make a big batch of juice and store it for on-the-go drinking. If you’re a juicer who’s often out and about and want to take your juices with you, check out this post for a step-by-step guide on how to store fresh juice!
Supplies you’ll need are some canning jars and possibly a cooler bag if you’re planning to juice on the go!
JARS WITH LIDS
Sturdy and with nice, tight lids that seal tight enough to prevent oxidation.
COOLER BAG
Light-weight, very affordable and roomy enough to comfortably hold at least a day’s worth of juice.
JUICING ESSENTIALS #9. EXTRA DOSE OF HEALTHINESS
Fresh juice already has tons of nutritional goodies…but what if you could add a little extra oomph to your juice recipes? You know, just little add-ons that come with benefits like improved digestion, increased metabolism and even hormonal balance.
You can add a lot of these supplements directly into your juices, but the awesome thing about having a blender (see Juicing Must-Have #2) is that you can make a super-healthy juice concoction and then pop it in the blender (or just blend straight in the cup) to add extra doses of healthy goodness.
Apple cider vinegar for weight loss, heart health & lower blood sugar!
Chia seeds for its omega 3 fatty acids & to prolong hydration!
MSM for better immunity, energy & to heal sore, painful joints!
I personally love doing this for breakfast blends and I’ll add in heaps of stuff within minutes – perfect for when I’m running low on time. Check out the best things to add to your juice-smoothies!
JUICING ESSENTIALS #10. GROW YOUR OWN JUICING SUPPLIES
Whoever said money doesn’t grow on trees never grew sprouts and various leafy greens. These veggies are a juicing staple – seriously, one of the best things you can juice – and they are incredibly easy to grow.
If you’ve become accustomed to buying these items from a grocery store, get ready to invest a few minutes into a future where you have ample greens (and herbs), fresh and free, and direct from your kitchen!
MICROGREENS
Grow your own microgreens right on your windowsill – the pot’s as pretty as it’s functional.
GREENS
This cute and very functional veggie growing kit lets you grow your own Kale, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Mizuna), Raddish, and Amaranth.
HERBS
This awesome smartpot basically grows strawberries and herbs all by itself – just plug it in and watch it grow!
Don’t be frightened off just ’cause you have no gardening or farming experience. These greens pretty much grow on their own. Learn how to grow more green veggies here.
Well.. I miss the last one… I live in the town and no green areas for me here… damn!
Yea, towns and cities are convenient but most are sadly lacking in the color green. Have you thought about a windowsill garden or just sprouting your own sprouts? Even easier than this is letting some sweet potato leaves grow wild – they multiply like bunnies, or hamsters, or what-have-you and it’s an easy way to get some cheap – actually, free – chlorophyll in your juices. You can find a post here: https://justjuice.org/2012/save-some-green-by-growing-your-own/