Organic Food Shopping – 5 Great Ways to Save Money

I’d love to be able to buy more organic food, but it is so expensive!  Here are some simple ways to save money on organic food shopping, so you can afford to buy more.

Eat Food in Season

Food that has not been transported from far away is obviously going to be cheaper.  So by planning your meals around what is currently in season you can save money and get fresh organic food.

Prioritize

One great way to save money is to concentrate on buying organic product that are known to absorb the most chemicals. That way your money goes farther, and you have eliminated some of the worst sources of chemicals from your diet.  Here are some of the foods that make the most sense to buy organic:

• Spinach
• Potatoes
• Sweet peppers
• Celery
• Peaches
• Apples
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Nectarines
• Cherries

Similarly there are some foods which are more resistant to absorbing chemicals, so buying non-organic is not as important.  Some examples of this are:

• Asparagus
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Corn
• Onions
• Mangos
• Pineapples
• Kiwi
• Bananas
• Papayas

Grow Your Own

When you grow your own food you can determine exactly what chemicals are used. And now is the time of year to plan your garden and plant some seeds.  Even if you don’t have a lot of room you can grow vegetables in containers.  I use self watering containers like the Earthbox to grow my tomatoes and peppers and they don’t take up a lot of space. Even growing a small amount of herbs or salad greens is well worth the effort.

Shop At Farmers’ Markets

Farmer’s markets are a great way to get fruits and vegetables.  But not all farmers at the markets are organic, so be sure and ask.  Even with snow on the ground there are still farmer’s markets in my area, and they are a great way to get excellent prices and support the local economy.

Consider a CSA

A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a great way to get organic vegetables.  With this arrangement a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Usually each share is a box of vegetables, and each week during the growing season you receive a bag of seasonal produce.  As CSA’s have become more popular many now allow you to have some selection over what you receive, so you won’t end up with a bag of lots of vegetables you don’t like.  These are a great option, and well worth pursuing.

So take some time to change your habits and learn a bit more about where organic food comes from. It can make a huge difference to the environment and you will feel better about the food you are feeding your family.