Lots of people complain about the high price of eating organically, and I can’t say I blame them. I, too, pay high prices for eating organically, but don’t complain. Instead, I have to question some of the products we’re being sold as “organic”, such as toaster pastries, breakfast cereal, candy, cookies, pasta, spices, oils, and fish products. Some of these products are worse than advertising campaigns—they may as well be packages of snake oil.
If we truly have a desire to eat better, shouldn’t we first examine what it is we’re eating in the FIRST place? I mean, come on—since when are toaster pastries good for you, organic or not? Who really needs to eat pasta anyway? Don’t even get me started on breakfast cereals and frozen dinners. And those pre-cut salad bags and pre-peeled baby carrots…please!
Then, there’s what I consider the organic-NOT category of foods: olive oil, walnut oil, spices, and fish products. Oil is oil, and most oils come from the same places, whether organic or not. Fish (especially foreign ones) are also from the same waters, caught in the same nets—what makes one fish organic and another not, besides the label and the price? Without being on the boat when the fish were caught, there is no absolute proof. As far as I can tell, spice is spice, and most aren’t sprayed with pesticides anyway, but I understand that some may have a gluten issue.
Sam’s Club sells Horizon brand organic milk (2%), so there’s a cheaper place for buying milk. Organic farms sell their produce (the kind you have to chop up on your own) direct to the public through farmer’s markets, so there’s another way to get it cheaper. A third way is to purchase in case lots from large retailers who will accommodate case orders. Buying by the case can yield quite substantial savings per item when compared to off-the-shelf prices. Perhaps Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market will do this.
I had the opportunity to join a group that orders organic foods by the case, and I figured out that I save about $1.00 per item on average when bought by case lots compared to individual shelf prices. One item I indulge in, frozen pizza crusts, costs about $3.00 less per package when I buy by the case. I buy these because of the sodium content (nearly zero), wheat-free and gluten-free ingredients—my husband and I can both eat them. I care about both our health and the ability to share foods, so I make my own pizzas using these crusts. Call me lazy for not getting all wrapped up in rolling out dough…or just call me counter space-deprived, which is closer to the truth.
I am keenly aware of the alarmingly small number of sodium-free, low-sodium, and wheat-and-gluten-free products available on the grocery store shelves, and they’re invariably products that we have no use for. Organic stores, however, have a vast array of products (however unintentional) that fit a low- or no-sodium diet, as well as a gluten- and wheat-free one. At this point, it doesn’t even matter to me that they’re organic—I’m just grateful for the ingredients and sodium content! Now I’m glad I have more choices, and can reduce the cost per item by shopping for them differently--this will add up to large savings per year.
Every dollar I spend on organics and groceries we can both eat is a dollar I don’t spend on hypertension drugs for hubby, allergy meds or ER visits for me, or frequent doctor visits for either one of us. This is why I don’t complain about the cost of what I buy—food is my medicine. Going to the organic store is cheaper than going to the doctor!
My best advice for lowering the cost of buying organic food:
1. stick to “super foods” or real foods like meats, eggs, produce, and nuts
2. shorten the shopping list—cut out the nonessentials and organic-NOT foods
3. find common denominators that suit the whole family’s dietary restrictions
4. buy in bulk or join (or start) a buying club
5. don’t be afraid to compare health food store prices with other grocery or warehouse stores, or even nearby farmer’s markets that may also sell organic items.
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2 comments:
Joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) is another good source for produce. We don't have one close now, but used to before we moved. Teh one we joined was organic, I am not positive they all are though. Here is a link for more info.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/
Our local farmer's market used to offer a CSA through one of its vendors, but that vendor went out of business. It was the only CSA in this area, too, which made it really bad.
All we're left with here is a haphazardly woven set of health food stores and a couple of farmer's markets--neither is readily accessible by seniors or bike riders.
One market DID recently pull its head out and managed to set up a "senior's day" with the church next door providing transportation on Tuesdays. Otherwise, its Saturdays with the car.
To answer your question: no, not all CSAs are organic. The one we had here wasn't. The USDA website isn't up to date--our CSA never got listed in spite of being submitted three times by me. Hell, it took a year to get our farmer's market on the list!
I persuaded a local organic merchant to open a stall in our market, and over time, her prices became too high for me--I went elsewhere. An organic buying club offered produce as much as $1.00 cheaper per item, so I joined.
Of course, the ultimate cheap produce will always be what you can grow yourself.
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