What if you Can’t Afford to Eat Organic?

Back in 2014, we made some adjustments to our health

Not only did one of us have some medical challenges, we just ALL needed to eat better. 

We changed the way we shopped. We changed the way we ate. We realized we couldn’t take a 100% or nothing approach, so for us, 80/20 worked great – we read labels, did self study and watched documentaries. We learned how to take a blind eye to some of the things that we thought were GREAT that weren’t.

Most of all:  We learned to be very selective about what we read, as we realized that most of the government studies were funded by big corporations looking out for their bottom dollar, and thus were nothing but news to satisfy what mainstream America wanted to hear:

GMO’s are safe! (who are they kidding?)

…. Convenience foods are not bad for you!  

….Frosted Flakes are GREAT for you!

……Everything is just fine in moderation!  

(And the list could go on!)

Amidst this shift, one thing is certain: people are under the misconception that to eat better, you have to shop at Whole Foods. Thankfully, that’s just NOT true.  

Everyone can afford organic food – it’s a matter of prioritizing your purchases and taking action.  Here are a few ways you can afford to eat better, even IF you are on a budget.

This for That

Use the EWG’s list to determine which items are the Dirty Dozen – buy those items organic. If you can’t afford to buy everything Organic at least focus on the top 12 that have the most pesticide residue

The Environmental Working Group analyzed 2014 pesticide data from the US Department of Agriculture. The test revealed some pretty harsh data –

• A single sample of strawberries had 17 different pesticides.
• On average, a strawberry tests positive for almost 6 different pesticides. Yikes.
• A single grape sample contained 15 pesticides.
• By weight, the average potato had MORE pesticides than any other produce. 
• 98% of peaches, nectarines, apples AND strawberry samples tested had at least one pesticide residue.

Find out what IS on sale, that’s within the Clean 15 list, that you CAN afford. Buy those items that week.

Kids want grapes and they aren’t on sale? Then bypass that for a week, and buy something else. Your kids are resilient, they will cope just fine.

Instead of throwing $20 towards Nabisco, Oreos, Kellogg’s Cereal, Lunchables and Go-Gurts, use that $20 to buy produce, and whole grain oats…

Invest in Eggs

Eggs are a nutrient powerhouse – they are relatively versatile to incorporate into meals.  Pastured Eggs purchased from a local farmer are far greater in nutrition than those sold in grocery stores – provided the chickens are eating vegetarian feed or food from roaming on the pasture; but if you aren’t near a local farmer to buy pastured eggs, then Organic eggs in store are your next best purchase – at just $3 a dozen.

Make your Own Yogurt

Ditch the processed yogurts and Go-Gurts in store and make your own yogurt ~ it’s cheaper and more economical. Invest in an Instant Pot to help you do that. Yogurt in store is largely added sugars and highly processed – your body will thank you for learning how to make it on your own.

Even better, if you can find a farmer with Raw Milk in your area, you can use that to make your own yogurt, too!

Buy Butter

Costco has KerryGold and Organic Butter both as a regular item. It tastes better, cooks better and is better for you than buying margarine. 

Make Bone Broth

Bone Broth is relatively easy to make in an Instant Pot – in 2 hours or less you can have 6 pints from one Organic chicken. Not only that, it’s amazing for your gut too!

One Item for Another

Learn how to be more self sufficient and DIY instead of “Buy in Store” – you’ll be surprised how much money you save and how easy it really is.

• Grow your own Garden.
• Ditch the store breads and make your own bread at home.
• Make your own crackers and avoid buying big name boxed brands.
• Ditch the kids cereal and go with Organic Steel Cut Oats – prepare them the night ahead so they are ready to eat in the morning to save you time as the kids head off to school.
• Make your own cleaners and avoid buying store products.
• The list goes on and on!
• The bottom line: Make your purchases count. Buy whole foods – cheese, eggs, fruits & veggies, bulk beans and even bulk rice. Buying those items can be JUST as inexpensive as buying packaged, processed items.

Think it’s not affordable? It is – but it might mean that you need to redirect your desire to buy convenience for wholesome.  Put the processed food back on the shelf, and re-direct your purchase to whole, real foods.

Our Tips

Here are some of the things that helped us the most:

• First, shop your organic fruits & veggies. Then see what is left in your budget for those necessary {healthy} pantry staples… look to Amazon for those deals and eliminate a trip to the store.
• Shop in Bulk at Costco for Pantry Staples – their prices on Organic Pantry Items are amazing.
• Start making your food from scratch – get back in the kitchen and learn how to cook.
• Look beyond processed milk at the grocery store and think twice about purchasing Soy, or even Almond – Raw Milk is GREAT for those who are lactose intolerant, and have digestive issues – it’s full of enzymes and vitamins that other milks do not have since they are highly processed or merely water laden with sugar.  
• Check your options in the way of a Farmers Market or CSA –support your local farmer and eliminate a trip to the grocery store with a family bag of produce each week.
• Grow a garden or, if you are short on space, use container plants on the porch.

Work hard to make small changes to allow you to transition into larger ones over time.