Cheap and Organic Food

I know I've written something like this before, but just to re-iterate:

A few ways to wedge organic food into a tight grocery budget...

1. Know your priorities. There are lists all over the internet with the top pesticide-containing produce. Find them and buy organic where your money will have the most health benefits

2. Give up junk food. Seriously, as long as you have money for soda and energy drinks and Cheetos, you have money to replace a few key items with organic counterparts. Junk food may fill your stomach and appease your pallate, but in nutritional terms you may as well be swallowing styrofoam. It is a powerful addiction, so be prepared for a difficult weaning process.

3. Look in unconventional places. Our local bread outlet has Bob's Red Mill organic mixes (like for soup, pancakes, muffins, etc) for ultracheap prices. A local health food store has bulk bins where there are plenty of organic whole foods on sale for less than $2 per pound. The Grocery Outlet can be a wonderland of organic goodies like spaghetti sauce and frozen fruit.

4. Look for free sources. This can be as simple as a friend who needs an outlet for her excess zucchini, or a few fresh herbs growing in pots on your kitchen sill. Tomato plants will grow just about anywhere in the summer, and some varieties produce so much you'll be giving them away... or making homemade sundried tomatoes for those long winter months.

5. Check out mail order companies like Azure Standard and the old favorite Amazon.com. Both have certain conditions under which you can get free shipping, making them a truly awesome deal.

We know that Wild Oats and Whole Foods are super pricey, so don't let that scare you away from a healthy choice. Stay out if they don't fit your budget and find places with better choices for your family.