4 Tips to Eat Organic on a Budget

When we talked a bit about reducing food-related waste, one commenter mentioned that her main frustration was over produce packaging, especially organic produce. She also mentioned that she’s a student and receives state support, so the grocery store feels like her only option when it comes to food shopping, because prices at the organic grocery shops are too high.

I can definitely sympathize with a tight food budget, and I’m sure this commenter and I are not alone. Money is tight for a lot of people, and when that happens healthy food seems like one of the first things to go. These are a few tips that have helped me keep our pantry stocked with organic foods, even when times are tough.

Find a Local CSA

Community supported agriculture programs sometimes have a high price up front, but when you break it down you’re paying far less each week for organic produce. Some CSAs will even allow you to work on the farm in exchange for a reduced fee. Local Harvest is a great place to start, if you don’t know how to find a CSA in your area.

Visit the Farmer’s Market

You can also find farmers markets on Local Harvest, and this is another great way to score cheap, unpackaged organic produce. In fact, more and more farmers markets are accepting food stamps, making local, organic produce more accessible.

When you buy directly from a farmer, you’re cutting out all of those costs associated with shipping the produce and running a grocery store, and the prices for those veggies will reflect that. You can also try popping in close to the end of the day. The selection won’t be as good, but many times farmers will drop prices at the end of the day to get rid of remaining stock.

>>Next: Going beyond the grocery store.

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by ianmalcm

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Winn A.

2:59PM PDT on May 12, 2013

Thanks

May 12
send a green star

Kate F.

12:12PM PDT on May 12, 2013

In 1987, for 8 months, I went on an all fruit diet. At first it was very expensive because I kept eating more and more of the fruit. About three months into it I found myself spending less on food and oddly enough less on everything.. By six months I was spending half of my all-around budget of what I have been spending prior to starting the diet. It wasn't that fruit was getting less expensive, it was just that I did not need as much of the fruit and I knew what I wanted to buy. Also, I seem to need less of most everything – such as toothpaste, dish soap, deodorant, laundry soap, etc.

Though I was able to pull it off, I really wish that prices for organic foods and healthier foods would go down – while prices for chips and sodas would go up. I believe that the healthier our country is, the more we will be able to get to the goals we as a people want to reach. LOWER THE PRICES ON HEALTHIER FOODS.

Patricia H.

3:36AM PDT on May 12, 2013

thanks for sharing

Val M.

3:05AM PDT on May 12, 2013

Danuta W.

12:45AM PDT on May 12, 2013

Thanks for the article

Lisa G.

12:45PM PST on Mar 1, 2013