Counterspace Concerns: Blenders Vs. Juicers


Deciding which appliances to take to college can be tough. Not only do you need to stay within budget, but you also need to consider how much space will be available in your college kitchen. Although you are probably brimming with dorm room ideas, space limitations will force you to make some compromises, such as deciding between a juicer and a blender, as you can't fit both in a small space.

Why Juice?

Juicing is a great way to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables. The CDC recommends that an 18-year-old female should eat around 1.5 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables. If that amount seems overwhelming, then juicing could be an easy way for you to increase your daily veggie intake, without needing to spend time cooking.

Do You Need a Juicer?

The problem with juicers is that they take up a huge amount of counterspace. If you try to install a juicer in your shared student kitchen, your dorm-mates might not thank you for taking up all the available space. Also, juicers typically have high price points that are way outside of most college students' budgets.

If you want to juice at college, you need to look at alternatives to juicers, as that top-of-the-range, big and bulky juicing machine probably won't fit into either your budget or your dorm-mates' decorating ideas. Fortunately, there is a fantastic juicer alternative that has been hanging out on most countertops for years: the humble blender. Blenders actually have several advantages over juicers, besides just saving space.

Nutritional Benefits of Blending Vs Juicing

A high-powered blender breaks up fruits and vegetables, but it doesn't remove the fibrous pulp, like some juicers do. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, fruit pulp contains most of the healthy fiber contained in the fruit. Juicing using a blender means that you can create thick and tasty juices that contain all the healthy fiber that fruits and vegetables have to offer.

Blenders Offer Versatility

A high-powered blender is not only useful for creating tasty juices; you can also use it to create sauces, salsas, hummus, or soup. You can also make your own peanut butter by blending up peanuts. Or try out more interesting alternatives, such as almond, cashew, hazelnut or walnut butter, which are not as easy to find in grocery stores.

Budget Concerns: Blenders Vs Juicers

Cost is often front-of-mind for college students who are looking to equip their new home. In general, blenders are less expensive than juicers. Depending on the type of juices you want to make, you might need to choose a blender that costs a little more than the bargain-basement models, as tough vegetables like broccoli require a strong blending action to reduce them to a smooth pulp. However, you can get a good blender without spending a fortune. You will also get to enjoy the other benefits of a blender, such as the ability to make other delicious recipes.

During your pre-college shopping trip, the smart move is to bypass the expensive juicing machines and head straight for the blender section of the store. Find a model that you like, and one that can cope with juicing all your favorite fruits and vegetables to help you stay healthy during college.

Gloria Hart is a retired home decorator and avid blogger. She likes to inspire others by posting on the web. You can find her helpful articles on a variety of websites and blogs.


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