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From:	Christopher Paulin (68.9.30.54)
Subject:	Re: Off and on RV started today LFRV
Date:	February 4, 2012 at 8:48 pm PST

In Reply to: Re: Off and on RV started today LFRV posted by Sadie on February 4, 2012 at 7:05 pm:

Answers and Tips

Buy fruits by the case:

I buy my fruit in bulk, i.e., I buy by the case (by the cardboard box). Because of this, I only buy a few types of fruit per week, as you saw in my purchase record, which is actually from last Tuesday's purchase (01/31/2012). I buy from a co-op, so I can split cases with the co-op owner. If you buy from a grocery store, such as Whole Foods, they have cases in the back, or you can order them. Order before the pickup day so that you know that they have what you want in stock. Whole Foods will give you a 10% discount if you buy by the case.

Buy once a week:

Make sure that you buy while you have ripe fruit because your recently purchased fruit may need some days to ripen. I buy once a week, ordering on Mondays and picking up on Tuesdays, and I have ripe fruit from last week while I purchase for this week. If you buy enough, food carries over from last week.

Fruit:

I use bananas as a staple because they are high in calories. The other fruits can be changed throughout the year. When I say fruits, I mean things that usually have seeds, including tomatoes and cucumbers. My purchase record for this week was just an example. Here are some examples of fruits:

* bananas
* tomatoes
* medjool dates
* bell peppers
* blueberries, strawberries, and other berries
* persimmons
* apples
* pears
* oranges and tangerines
* grapes
* melons like cantaloupe, watermelon
* mangoes
* strawberries
* cucumbers
* nectarines
* cherries

Greens:

Greens are leaves like romaine lettuce and celery. The heads of lettuce that I get are large with big leaves.

My purchase formula:

When I make my purchase, this is what I'm thinking. "Get at least a head of greens per day for the week, currently slightly more. The rest is fruit. Buy a few types of fruits." That's my formula for the week. The variety comes over the year, not day to day.

Calories:

I don't count calories, so I don't know. I would go by hunger. I find this to be tricky for myself. Am I really hungry now? I tend to overeat. I can experiment by undereating and see what happens. Listen to your body. You won't starve because you'll eat when hungry, just like you'll sleep when tired.

Amount of food:

The amount of food, as you saw in my food record, is large compared to a cooked-food diet. That is why it is best to purchase your fruits by the case. Also, if you have a family of four, you may purchase over 7 x 4 = 28 heads of lettuce per week, and that can be purchased in bulk too. That's too much for one person. After a while, this becomes so normal that you don't think about it. It becomes routine. You buy the same number of cases and think about which fruit you want this coming week. I have a large refrigerator with only my fruits and greens.

Preparation:

I use only a wooden cutting board and a wooden-handled knife. Any cutting board and knife will work. I cut and eat. This will save your family time. Eating takes longer than preparation because there is a larger volume to eat.

Ripening:

I bring my boxes home on Tuesdays. Unripe fruit stays in the boxes at room temperature. Ripe fruit that can go bad and greens go in the refrigerator. When the unripe fruit ripens, I put it in the refrigerator if it will go bad. I have been leaving my tomatoes at room temperature, except if I see it starting to go bad. Once in a while, I check my room temperature fruit to see if it is ripe and if it need refrigeration.

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