How To Shop Organic Produce on a Budget

by Editor on March 31, 2010

The appeal of organic food is undeniable: according to research, organic food contains no chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and food additives.

Food grown without pesticides and antibiotics is healthier to eat and contains more nutrients than conventionally grown food. It is also a big plus, that the methods used to produce organic food are healthier for the environment and that organic farms provide humane conditions to animals.

Nevertheless, one large concern with going organic is the cost. As healthy and appealing as organic produce is, it is expensive. But cost is a relative term. During the decision making process it is important to consider the alternative – when it comes to food there are two kinds of costs: short term and long-term.

Short term cost is monetary; i.e. how much it will cost your family to buy organic produce per week. Long term cost is the health of loved ones. First prioritize what is important, then allocate your family dollars in the right direction.

Here are the tips to switch to organic produce without making a dent in a family budget:

What?

Ideally I would like to shop 100% organic produce for my family. Realistically, it doesn’t mirror the world we live in, where organic food is not always available and the shelves of the food markets are filled with conventional produce. In situations when organic food is pricey or not available, I turn to “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” list from the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticide.

This guide is developed by Environmental Working Group (EWG) and lists fruits and veggies pesticide content.

According to EWG, “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables have high pesticides count, i.e. “Dirty”, thus buy organic:

Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Lettuce, Grapes (imported), Pears, Spinach, Potatoes.

The “Clean 15”, have low pesticides count, i.e. “Clean” and are safer to purchase conventional (if and when organic alternative is not available or too pricey):

Onions, Avocado, Sweet Corn (frozen), Pineapples, Mango, Sweet Peas (frozen), Asparagus, Kiwi, Bananas, Cabbage, Broccoli, Eggplant, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Watermelon.

The numbers game: According to the EWG, when the only options available is conventionally grown produce , you can still lower your pesticide exposure 90% by choosing less contaminated fruits and veggies that appear on the “Clean 15” list. This strategy should expose you to less than 2 pesticides per day vs. about 14 if you choose items from the “Dirty Dozen” list.

The list is handy to bring to the store with you, download in the Simple Resources section.

Photo by ~MVI~

How?

1. Know what you need – plan a menu or a specific dish before you go to the store. Planning in advance will help estimate the items and quantity that you will need. I don’t mean that you have to plan for every item and every ingredient you hope to make during the week, but making a list of items needed to make 2 to 3 dishes moves you in the right and economical direction.

Once, while on a trip through Europe, I watched a woman purchase half of an onion at a local market. She simply said that half an onion is all she needs for the recipe she was making that day. Isn’t this a great way to live?!

2. Buy less- Buy only what you will use. This goes hand in hand with the above point. We are by-products of our culture, and since America is known for over consumption, we are bound to buy a few extra things “just in case” and in hope of making something sometime later. In my experience, “later” has a very abstract timeline.

Before reaching the register, check your cart to see if there is at least one item that you can do without. Then eliminate ruthlessly. Move away from the “more” mentality and buy less, then allocate your saved dollars to take your household organic.

3. Use Coupons – organic food has such stigma of being pricey that many just to the assumption that they cannot afford it. It may be surprising, but there are numerous coupons available for organic produce.

The best place to find organic food coupons is the manufacturer’s website. These coupons can be printed or mailed via regular mail. If checking for new coupons is not your game, sign up for a newsletter to receive alerts.

Here are a few top resources print “organic” coupons.

4. Buy on sale/special – stores frequently run sales and specials on organic food, for the same reasons they run sales on conventional produce: either because the store purchased large quantities, gets a great wholesale deal, or because the item is close proximity to its “ripe” day.

For example, while Whole Foods products are generally expensive, even this organic wholly grail, always lists current sales and specials inside their newsletter: “Whole Deal”.

For best deals, stack coupons and combine them with store’s sales and specials.

5. Buy in season – seasonal items are generally priced lower than out-of-season items.

6. Buy In Bulk – most stores sell items in bulk if inquired, and prices for larger quantity are lower that individually priced items. Stores like Whole Foods also sell by case, stop by their Customer Service for details.

Stores such as Costco, only sell in bulk and the price already reflects savings (I’ve purchased 10 lb organic carrots bags at Costco for under $4. Which are excellent for making fresh juice).

Buy items that have “life longevity”– such as potatoes, onions, or celery – and will last a few weeks – (but only if these are the staple items that you will use in the next few weeks).

Stock up on fruits and veggies to make homemade sauces and jams for future use. Organic tomatoes make excellent pasta sauce and summer berries transform into delicious jams.

Or freeze cooked and uncooked produce for future use.

7. Shop around - browse organics isles in a few local stores and familiarize yourself with prices in each store. Frequently, the prices will differ, and if you are willing to shop in a few stores you will get a better deal.

Be weary, however, of driving to three stores just for one or two cheaper items, since it will most likely add up in gas cost and counteract the savings you are getting in produce. I usually try to pick up the items that I know are less expensive in a specific store, while I am making a trip to that store for other things.

Photo by graygoosie

Where?

8. Check out organic sections in your local supermarket- it used to be that organic food could only be found in specialty stores like Whole Foods or Andronicos. But with wide popularity of organic produce, now organic options can be found in almost every produce stores and chain supermarkets such as: Safeway and Wallbaums. It may just be a small section, but it is there.

I frequently find that the prices for fruits and vegetables are the same or less than non-organic options, perhaps this is either because the supermarkets have stronger negotiation power or because not as many people buy organics in the supermarket.

Most stores sell generic organic branded specifically for their store, and it is significantly cheaper than famous organic brands. For example, Whole Foods sells organic under their brand: 365 Organic. Safeway has “O” brand. Generic store brands are cheaper than branded organic food, not because of quality, but because stores don’t spend on advertising generic brands.

9. Shop Warehouses – moving in the direction of consumer demand, stores like Costco and Sam’s Club now carry organics. The quality is superb and prices are generally lower than comparable products in smaller stores. I’ve purchased organic chicken and beef from Costco at a lower price than non-organic chicken and beef at Trader Joe’s (and definitely at much lower price than Whole Foods.)

10. Shop farmers market – as a rule farmer markets are expensive, however there are deals to be had. Also, unlike chain stores, the price can be negotiated at a farmer’s market.

Additional bonus: shopping at the farmer market produces local agriculture.

11. Order directly from farms – ordering organic produce directly from farms is a great alternative to buying in stores. Depending on where you are located the food can be delivered directly to your home or to a drop-off location nearby. Here is a great site to begin research.