How to Go Organic on a Tight Budget

If you think it’s important to eat food that hasn’t been treated with pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, then you’ll want to buy organic products when you visit your local grocery store. That seems easy enough until you compare prices between organic and non-organic food and you find that organic food costs almost 50% more.

All is not lost, though. You can eat organic on a tight budget. Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

Pick and Choose

The fact of the matter is that you can buy some things that aren’t organic and still go a long way to cut chemicals out of your diet.

The Environmental Working Group identifies what it calls the “dirty dozen.” Those are foods that are best bought as organic. They include peaches, nectarines, apples, snap peas, strawberries, celery, grapes, spinach, bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and potatoes. They usually have the highest levels of pesticide residue in their non-organic counterparts.

On the other hand, the group identifies the “clean fifteen.” They include avocados, grapefruit, sweet corn, pineapple, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, kiwi, eggplant, cantaloupe, frozen peas, and sweet potatoes. Those products tend to have lower pesticide levels.

Shop Grocery Store Brands

It’s often the case that the grocery store you shop at will have its own line of organic produce. You can save money by buying organic products offered under the store’s brand as opposed to buying some of the more expensive alternatives. Target, Walmart, and ALDI are all known to have their own lines of organic food.

Use Coupons

If you and your significant other become coupon clippers, you can save money on organic food. You’ll find that there are coupons offered for organic products just as there are coupons offered for almost everything else.

Also, be sure to check the weekly circular for your local grocery store. Sometimes, you’ll find that organic items are on sale. You might need a loyalty card to take advantage of those types of savings, though.

Use the Bulk Bins

Some stores, such as Whole Foods, offer “bulk bins” where you can load up on organic products by bringing your own containers or using their simple plastic bags. Because the store isn’t spending additional money on packaging, you benefit from the savings.

One of the best uses of the bulk bin is to save big on spices like cumin, oregano, turmeric, and cinnamon.

Look Online

Technology can be your very best friend when it comes to saving money on organic products. Search around online for products that you can have mailed to your house. You’ll enjoy the benefits of organic food without even stepping out of your house to buy it.

There’s a trade-off, though. The shipping costs might eat into your savings. Still, if you order a lot of organic products, you might find that the shipping cost is worth it. In some cases, the vendor might waive the shipping fee.

Shopping for organic products will increase your grocery bill more than the price of milk. Fortunately, there are ways to save money on all-natural products with smart shopping habits.