Organic Food On A Budget (VIDEO)

Think eating organic food means having to sacrifice your budget? It doesn't have to be that way. SmartMoney.com's Senior Consumer Reporter Kelli Grant has some tips on how to eat organically without stressing about money, from prioritizing your organic choices to buying in season.

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Comments

[MindfulMomma]

05:05 PM on 02/24/2010

Hey there! One of these friendly commenters mentioned me as a resource for organic & natural coupons....so I just wrote a new post with all my favorite coupon sources!!
http://mindfulmomma.typepad.com/mindful_momma/2010/02/where-to-find-natural-organic-coupons.html

[Woggles]

04:52 AM on 02/24/2010

This is funny.

Prior to 1900, all food was "organic".

[BannedNBoston]

04:09 PM on 02/23/2010

Nothing like a freezer stuffed with local organic vegies.

In NH VT & ME we are being chemtrailed twice a week.
Send your pictures too nhchemtrails AT yahoo DOT com

[ScreenName05]

03:43 PM on 02/23/2010

Give me a break. Our Coops cost way more than the organic at the Safeway. Go out and actually price some of this stuff before you buy into the hype. It is expensive and usually the produce is smaller per item. It is the label you are paying for not the product - shop smart, and avoid the organic section until someone figures out how to take the marketing hype out of the price.

If you really want to be organic then grow your own.

[Punkynsnow]

06:40 PM on 02/23/2010

I guess it depends on where you live. I'm fortunate, here in the Tampa Bay area there are a lot of options, including weekly farmers markets. The local Natural Foods market often has some very good prices on organic produce. Recently I purchased organic avocados that were less expensive that the conventionally grown ones from the regular supermarkets. And they sell many dry organic items in bulk, making them a good value. If you watch out for sales you can eat a lot more organic food without breaking the budget.

Certain items are worth buying organic even if they are more costly. There are so many pesticides in conventionally grown apples and potatoes that it really is worth spending a couple more bucks to know you aren't ingesting carcinogens.

[codydamon]

12:29 PM on 02/23/2010

Great Video. Love to see creative ways to eat organic without breaking the bank.

[Deli]

01:06 PM on 02/23/2010

Check out "The Best Day Ever" (thebestdayever.com), a web site by David Wolfe, raw foodist and nutrition expert. It is just .99 cents for the first month and you can quit before month two, or you might find the $27 a month worth it. I am. What a wealth of info on superfoods and a ton of educational videos by Truth Caulkins and Daniel Vitalis (which you can also search for on YouTube.) They go into detail on Chinese mushroom tonics, detail superfoods, etc. that have amazing powerful effects. Excellent instructors, and you can tell by their personalities they are 100 genuine and dedicated to helping people.

[fcsakes]

11:43 AM on 02/23/2010

The Environmental Working Group puts out a handy magnet/card with a list of 12 produce items that you should be buying organically (because they sop up pesticides) and 15 produce items that are low in pesticides (presumably if the organic variety is just TOO expensive). It's nice to buy as local as possible but sometimes it isn't. Shipping foodstuff from Chile, China and hither, thither and yon seems absurd. The produce does not hold up well, it tastes awful, and it has been subjected to who knows what kinds of chemicals. I don't trust it and I don't want it.

I would like to line up all the jerks responsible for NAFTA, the WTO and any other free trade b.s. and cauterize them where it would hurt the most.

[keifa]

11:07 AM on 02/23/2010

There are many coupon sites dedicated to organic and natural foods!

Check out:

Organic Deals Mom at
http://organicdeals.blogspot.com/

Natural Food List at
http://www.naturalfoodlist.com/

Mindful Mama at
http://mindfulmomma.typepad.com/mindful_momma/

or Amazon under their Organic and Natural Foods section for discounts and sales.

[Promise]

01:14 AM on 02/24/2010

Thanks for the helpful links. I never would have thought to look at Amazon for food.

[KEATSnSKYESMOM]

10:56 AM on 02/23/2010

Unfortunately I live in Virginia and there is nothing in season over (at least that I can tell from Whole Foods). All the produce comes from California. I do feel good about supporting their economy but wish I could buy local produce in the winter here.

[keifa]

11:12 AM on 02/23/2010

Well, California is still better than half-way around the world, which is often the case for produce!

[hayness]

12:50 PM on 02/23/2010

My link disappeared. It should have said Check localharvest.org for farmers/CSAs in your area.

[hayness]

12:49 PM on 02/23/2010

That's kind of the point. In winter in some areas you don't get much for fresh fruit and vegetables. :( What you get are the fruits and vegetables that store well - apples, squash, potatoes, etc.

You can try growing your own in a greenhouse, or you may find local farmers who do.

Sustainability is all about seasonality.

Check

[Promise]

01:18 AM on 02/24/2010

Eating what grows in season is better for your health too. Root vegetables are available all winter long and are delicious when prepared well. You don't need summer vegetables and greens in cold weather.

[tdh]

10:29 AM on 02/23/2010

Once you start paying attention to what you eat and make organic and other wise choices, you find you don't eat as much because you are not as hungry because you are actually getting nutrients from the food you eat. So, in the long run you save money or at least break even.

[barkingcat]

10:55 AM on 02/23/2010

I concur.

Better nutrition, better-quality food, eating less -- your body will thank you.

[edejan]

01:18 PM on 02/23/2010

This is so true and I never would have believed it before I started paying attention and changed my eating/buying habits. I've been "fat" all my life and have dropped 20 lbs. without even knowing it by changing to organic and whole unadulterated foods. Who knew???

[Punkynsnow]

02:50 PM on 02/23/2010

Whole grains make you feel fuller so you eat less, and the fiber in them and fresh fruits and vegetables keep your digestion healthier which also contributes to a healthier weight. Another benefit of natural foods is that they are much higher in nutritional content than conventionally grown produce.

I started eating natural foods when I was 19, and I had my first organic garden when I was 22. I'm now 58 and I don't have to be on any medications. My weight, heart, blood pressure, etc. are all very good, and I attribute it to a lifetime of healthy eating.

I'm so glad you've discovered how great natural organic food is!