Many shoppers who opt not to buy organic food note the cost as a primary factor. While it’s true that simply switching out organic foods for their non-organic versions can result in a higher grocery bill, there are steps that can be taken to make eating organic foods more affordable.
Cook from Scratch with Healthy Food
Processed food is one of the biggest budget-busters there is and organic, processed food is no exception. Buying fresh, whole ingredients and preparing foods from scratch can be a real money saver. Cooking from scratch also offers the added health benefit of knowing exactly what is in the food that is being prepared.
In order to begin cooking from scratch, consider baking cookies with organic flour, butter, and eggs rather than buying the prepared variety. Making spaghetti sauce from either canned or fresh organic tomatoes is often less expensive than buying organic jarred varieties.
Eat Less Meat
Meat – both organic and non-organic – is often the most expensive part of food budgets. While it’s not necessary to become vegetarian in order to afford organic food, most Americans would do better with a little less meat in their diets and making that change can have money saving benefits as well.
Since meat is primarily used as protein, consider substituting other organic sources of protein like peanut butter, eggs, and beans.
Look for Generic When Shopping for Organic Groceries
As organic food becomes more mainstream, more buying options are becoming available. Grocery stores and warehouse clubs are beginning to carry organic products which have only been found at health food stores and groceries up until now. Wherever organic groceries are sold, it’s also becoming more common to see generic alternatives to brand names foods. Just as with non-organic food, many generic versions of organic foods contain the same quality as their name brand competitors and can represent considerable cost savings to shoppers.
Shop in Season for Organic Food
Shopping for food in season means eating what is grown locally at a particular time of year. Buying strawberries in spring, tomatoes in summer, and squash in the fall is more economical than buying out of season produce that has to be shipped in from other parts of the country. While it's not always possible to build an entire menu or diet around in season foods, aiming to include more of them can be a great cost savings technique.
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