“Do you only buy organic foods?”
In a perfect world my answer would be yes because I see the value in buying organic, but at this point I’m not able to afford only organic food. I know many of you feel the same way so I wanted to share a few tips I’ve learned over the years for how to buy organic foods on a budget.
Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) comes out with a list of the most and least pesticide contaminated fruits and veggies. The produce is tested after they are prepared to be eaten – thoroughly washed and peeled when needed. The EWG re-evaluates these lists every year so be sure to stay up to date! Essentially they are the ‘dirtiest’ and ‘cleanest’ produce in the market. When shopping for produce I try to at least by items from the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list as organic.
Dirty Dozen +:
Clean 15:
Did you know that store brands are more often than not the exact same product as the name brand? Just in a different packaging! Fun fact for you. I often reach for store brands when grocery shopping but especially when buying organic. Store brand organic lines are often cheaper than name brand organic.
Coupons still exist and more often than not, stores will have apps or accept e-coupons as well. Many grocers have weekly sales that are announced in their print ads, online e-newsletters, or apps. You can also visit your favorite brands’ websites for coupons. I always check Organic Valley and Stonyfield Organic for coupons before purchasing their items!
It takes a little time and organization to search for deals but worth it if you’re working with a tight budget!
All three are great ways to buy organic at a more reasonable price.
Places like Costco and Home Goods often have really good deals on organic foods. There’s also Thrive Market, which is an online natural grocer that’s similar to Costco. You pay a membership fee and are able to get a ton of organic foods at a big discount.
Overall being aware of prices and shopping when things are on sale works wonders. At this point I buy certain organic foods at Whole Foods, some at Costco, and some at Trader Joe’s or Kroger because I know they’re cheapest at each of those stores! It takes a few weeks of being mindful of prices in the grocery store, but you’ll find your rhythm.
Now I’m passing the mic to you! Do you have any tips I forgot about?
Leave a Comment
Amazon is also GREAT for bulk organic items. I’ve gotten cereal, granola, EVOO, granola bars, oatmeal, etc on there – all for prices that are STEALS compared to stores.
Great tips! Ive just recently discovered the wonders of coupons for organics:)
If you buy Organic from Whole Foods, this video is quite interesting! Actually, it’s pretty interesting even if you don’t 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ31Ljd9T_Y
I will definitely be linking to this post in one of my upcoming posts this week! Such great, simple points! love it!
I love these tips!