Eating Organic on a Budget

Are you looking for simple ways for eating organic on a budget? Below you will find 8 tips that will help you achieve this goal of eating organic on a budget as well as provide other resources that you check out.

Eating Organic for Less

Guest Blogger: Gail Wright at Home

Most people are aware of the benefits of eating organic foods.

They have been proven to contain a higher percentage of nutrients, have no pesticide residue, generally taste better and have positive benefits on the environment and the people who farm them.

So why aren't more people eating organic?

Most people feel it's too expensive. In reality, you can eat a mostly organic diet by employing smart shopping tactics and planning ahead. Here are a few tips and resources that I have found to help make eating organic healthy and affordable.

• Prioritize the items that you feel would benefit you and your family the most. Dairy products, produce and meat may take precedence while you may decide that it is not necessary to spend the extra money on a bottle of organic ketchup. I could never eat anything but regular old Heinz ketchup. This is where you can make choices.
• Buy in season and be flexible. Purchase what is in season and you can save big on your organic produce purchases. This time of year, enjoy warm, squash soups, fresh broccoli, crisp apples, and beautiful eggplant. In the summer, the harvest is more bountiful and fresh fruit salad is easy to come by.
• Find your local farmer's market. This is THE BEST source for in-season, fresh produce that if not certified organic, may still be pesticide free since it does not travel far. Their produce is much cheaper and fresher than what you will find in the grocery store. It is also great to support local businesses and farmers. Look in your local newspaper or go to Local Harvest to find a farmers market near your home.
• Be on the lookout for coupons. Five years ago, you never saw coupons for organic products, but now you can find them everywhere, even in the Sunday paper. Many natural products have coupons right on the package to be redeemed at checkout.Visit company websites. Many offer coupons and or incentives to try their products.
• Keep an eye out for sales. Organic products go on sale just like anything else and sometimes they are even cheaper than the conventional brands. It just takes a little more time to comparison shop. Your best deal is to be flexible and stock up when something you like goes on sale.
• Buy Bulk. This is one area that many people ignore and can save you quite a bit of money. I don't mean buying 25 lbs of sugar or 48 cans of soup. You can purchase nearly all of your grains, pastas, dried fruits, nuts, and flours in bulk. You can purchase ¼ lb or 5 lbs - the difference is that you are not paying for packaging. Your local grocery store and natural foods stores have bulk isles where you simply fill a bag, write the price on the twist tie and they'll weigh it at the register. You can buy organic brown rice for $.99 lb or fresh, shelled almonds for about $4.99 lb. Re-use the plastic bags and you'll help preserve the environment and natural resources too.
• Rethink your food budget. Free up more dollars for organic food by trimming the fat from your conventional food budget. I would rather spend a little more on really good, organic, free range chicken and cut back on other things that I really don't need, like more cookies!
• Grow your own. If you're really serious about garden-fresh organic produce, why not plant your own? Seeds are available from companies such as Seeds of Change and Organic Kitchen. Start small. Peppers, radishes, onions, and tomatoes are easy to grow.

 More Ways to Save Money:

Creating a Budget10 Summer Savings TipsWays to Save Money on VacationsIf you enjoyed this article on eating organic on a budget then read more articles from Gail Wright at Home click Savvy Decor and 50 Ways to Transform your Home for Less than $100.Also, make sure you checkout the Frugal Fanatic Facebook page and follow us on Pinterest for even more DIY projects, recipes, saving money tips and more.Please share some of your tips for eating organic on a budget in the comments below!