When it comes to planning out how to divvy up the grocery bill, we sometimes find ourselves reaching for non-organics to save a little money. But we recently learned a few great ways to save money and shop organic. Want to know how?
Thanks to a helpful article in Vegetarian Times by none other than veggie chef extraordinaire Deborah Madison, we learned a few tips about eating organics for less. Here are a few of her best tips:
- Adhere to the Dirty Dozen list (and note that it's recently been updated)
- Choose veggies that hold up well and can be used for a few different dishes, like root veggies, squash, and even kale.
- Vist the farmers' markets. Believe it or not, seasonal, organic produce at your local market is often much better priced than the grocery store. (This weekend, we saw huge summer squash for $1 a piece!)
- Learn to can, jam, and freeze. We've gone over those before, but they certainly bear repeating.
• Read More: Check out the September issue of Vegetarian Times to learn the rest!
Related Posts:
• Organics: Where Do You Draw the Line?
• The Validity of Organics
• Eating Organically on a Tight Budget: Are You Doing It?
(Image: Amber Byfield)
Find Your Style: 20 Classic to Contemporary Kitchens to Add to Your Inspiration Board
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Shaw's Original Fir...
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Another great way, if you are able to pay some money upfront, is to join a CSA. There are lots of farms that are organic, and often the shares end up being very affordable. I split a share with a friend, and we pay about $15/week for a huge bag of veggies that more often than not lasts more than a week.
If you're up for the challenge of using what you have, you don't even have to really buy any produce at the stores! I don't! Plus, there's the satisfaction of knowing the produce is local, which in it of itself requires fewer pesticides even if it's not necessarily organic.
This is great! I am short on money so I'm always trying to figure out how to eat the healthiest I can on my budget, and make meals last since I love leftovers.
yes, Im very surprised that joining a CSA isnt on the list. I put in 2hrs of farmwork a week and in return get 1/2 of one share for free! The portion of the harvest we get is more than enough for my son and I, its all organically grown, and it saves us a TON of money.
This was super helpful :-) I've saved the new Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists to my phone so I can access it in the grocery store. Yay!
Tip: Use the self check out and ring up your organic produce as conventional.
hahahha LOVE the above comment.
^_^ at Jaimemariel.
I think it all depends on exactly what your budget is, too. Sometimes I feel that these articles are directly at a population who has a steady job but CHOOSE to live a frugal lifestyle. That's wonderful, but as a young couple on a single income (at the moment), we would go into debt if I purchased all our produce organic from the grocery store or farmers market.
It pains me not be able to make environmentally sound choices, but once we're on our feet with "career" jobs instead of scraping by, paycheck to paycheck, I hope that I can pay it forward by gardening (and all of the things mentioned above).
Maybe re-nest can tailor some articles to people like me? Hanging out under the poverty line, but still eco-conscious?
Growing your own is also an option. We were paying for lettuce and other greens wrapped in plastic (or at least in huge amounts that we could not eat in time for it not to rot) all the time until we container-grew our own. None of that went to waste, and we ate and grew far more than we ever could have if we bought it in bunches.