One complaint that Recycla hears frequently is that organic food is more expensive than conventional alternatives. Recycla agrees and is appalled that processed foods laden with preservatives, chemicals, and who-knows-what are less expensive than, say, organic apples. In her mind, healthy foods should be less expensive and junk food should be heavily taxed. She is not alone in this thinking — for a New York Times article on this subject, click here.
Here is a list of ways you can eat organic food without spending too much money:
- Grow your own food — Not always feasible, but even growing your own herbs in a pot on your windowsill will save you the cost of buying them at the store.
- Go to the farmers’ market — Many towns have them and they can be a marvelous source of inexpensive tasty veggies and fruits. One caveat: Ask the farmer if he’s organic or conventional, as not all are.
- Join a CSA — With CSA’s, you’re guaranteed fresh seasonal produce for at least half of the year. Buy-in usually occurs in January, so that the farmer can order seeds and prepare for the new season, but check for local CSA’s in your neighborhood to see if there are any shares left.
- Be picky — Focus on what foods are most important to you, such as apples or grapes, and don’t worry about the rest.
- Use coupons — Many organic companies offer coupons at their websites. Whole Foods often has coupons at their stores
- Comparison shop — Most grocery stores sell organic foods, so check to see which ones have the best prices.
- Stay away from processed foods — For example, instead of buying organic cookies, bake your own.
Recycla also found some interesting websites to share with you, including Rebecca’s Pocket, which has the mission to “eat organic on a food stamp budget. Check out this article at OrganicFoodee.
These are just the ideas that Recycla came up with. She would be interested in hearing how other people keep their food costs down while still eating organic.
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