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Healthy on a budget: buying organic
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You know that buying organic foods and staying away from added pesticides, growth hormones, and antibiotics is better for your health. Too bad buying organic puts a huge dent into your grocery bill, right? Actually, you can eat healthy and buy organic on a budget! This article will teach you what, when, and where to buy organic, and how to best use the food you purchase and maximize your dollars.
Before we start, here's a quick definition of organic:
Organic vegetables, fruits, beans, and grains are grown and produced without pesticides and with naturally made fertilizers. The animals that give us organic meat and dairy products are not adiminstered antibiotics or growth hormones of any kind. Conventional foods, on the other hand, do use pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics, though they’re not required to state that on their labels.
So how do you navigate the organic aisle and leave without your purse feeling lighter? Here are a few tips:
- Fruits and Vegetables Unless you live on an organic farm, you’d probably go broke if you had to buy all your fruits and vegetables organic. The key is knowing which fruits and veggies are the best to buy organic, and which are still safe if bought conventional. Check out The Dirty Dozen, a list of 12 foods that you really SHOULD buy organic because they are most likely to still contain some of the pesticides applied while they were grown. Strawberries, for example, are like pesticide sponges, so spend the money on organic. On the same site, check out the Clean Fifteen--these are fruits and vegetables that either are hardy enough to survive without too many pesticides or have thick skin that protects the inner flesh from the chemicals. Broccoli and avocados can both be purchased in their non-organic form without guilt! These fruits and veggies are okay to buy conventional and keep your crunchy conscience clean.
Another way to save on organic fruits and vegetables is to choose produce that is in-season. For example, organic apples are much cheaper in the fall when they are plentiful, just like organic berries are cheaper in the summertime. It can sometimes be hard to tell what’s in season, as chain grocery stores will fly in produce from all over the world, from Chile to New Zealand, so look for signs that say “grown locally” or just ask around. Farmer’s markets are great places to get what’s in-season. Also, many of the farmers that sell at markets grow their produce organically. Some may not advertise as such, as it can be expensive and time-consuming to obtain an official certification—so feel free to ask and you may be pleasantly surprised that many of your farmer’s market purchases are indeed organic.
One more option is to join a CSA--it means "Community Supported Agriculture" and you're essentially joining a farm share--you pay them at the beginning of a growing season and you have a random assortment of in-season vegetables and/or fruits delivered to your home or a specified location several times throughout the season. This is a great way to get cheaper organic produce and help support local farmers in the process.
- Meat and Dairy Here's the tricky thing--unless stated otherwise on the packaging, you can assume that all meat or dairy products that aren't labeled organic contain hormones and/or antibiotics, so it's really important to "splurge" on the organic versions. Why? Several studies show that the hormones in conventional dairy foods and meats may be contributing to girls getting their periods early which can lead to such complications as breast cancer. And because we are taking in antibiotics through the foods we eat, we can be taking in too much, which can lead to antibiotic-resistance in our bodies. So when we really do need those drugs to get us well, they won’t work because our bodies are already used to having it in our bodies.
Compare costs over brands and across shops to get the best deals on organic meat and dairy. And get creative on ways to spread the protein out over a meal. For example, buy an organic steak and after it is grilled or boiled, cut it up to put over a large salad instead of each person having their own individual steak. A cheaper, tougher cut of meat could be cooked longer with a bunch of vegetables in a slow cooker to make it fall-apart tender. Buying in bulk could also help you save money--the larger packages of organic meat will cost you less per ounce, and you can simply package them up individually to freeze for later. You could also try to eat less meat protein in general to save money. Beans, tofu, eggs, and tempeh are all much cheaper per ounce than meat, so try and cook one more vegetarian meal per week for your family and you'll be saving some dollars. As for dairy, definitely feed those kids organic dairy--especially girls because of the growth hormones. Compare across stores for the best prices on your favorite brands.
- Packaged/boxed items Is it worth the extra cost to buy organic crackers and cookies? The answer is--sometimes. You're going to have to do some extra sleuthing. Many conventional brands of pacakaged items still use trans fats (check the ingredients list for a "partially hydrogenated oil"--even if the label says "0 grams trans fats" the government allows them to put that on the label even if there's up to .4 grams per serving), high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners--none of which are great for your body or your kid's. Organic brands are unlikely to contain these ingredients (but always read the label!).
Clip, Save, Compare, Shop in bulk Overall, the best way you are going to find organic goods at cheaper prices is to do some legwork. Go to your local grocery store, your farmer's market, your Whole Foods type mega-health store, your Costco or BJs and a smaller health food store. Write down the cost of the types of foods that you normally purchase that you would like to buy organic. Bulk places like Costco often do have some organic choices like frozen mixed vegetables that you can keep on hand for quick meals, or trays of organic yogurt if you have a yogurt-loving toddler around. When you enter a store like Whole Foods, they often have a coupon book at the front of the store. Pick one up and browse through them before you shop to see if there's anything in there that you would be likely to buy and cut those coupons out right away. Some companies, like Stonyfield brand yogurt, also provide online coupons. If there's a product you know you want to buy organic, search their company name along with the word "coupon" in a search engine before you hit the stores--you may just get lucky!
It is possible to buy organic foods without going broke. It’s just a matter of figuring out which foods to choose organic and which to choose conventional.
Some say organic foods taste better, but nutritionally they have generally the same amount of nutrients and vitamins. The real benefit? You’re not polluting yourself with a lot of artificial chemicals that can make you sick and your body has to work harder to get rid of them. Read here to learn more about why pesticides are not good for our bodies (and especially our childrens!)
Give your body a break, put a little bit of investment into the food you eat now, and you’re less likely to be sick in the future (why not save on those pills and doctors visits now—while eating yummy, in-season, fresh food!)
What is your favorite way to save on organic products?
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