A few years ago, I was over at friend’s house while she unpacked her grocery bags. I noticed that she had purchased organic cereal, produce and milk. I asked her if she thought buying organic food was worth the extra money. Then I listened closely as she explained about pesticides and wanting to feed her family the healthiest food they could afford. Her words held weight with me as she’s a scientist and had a graduate level degree in biology.

Then I read that many professional chefs feel that organic foods taste better than conventional ones. I was intrigued. Then I realized I was already eating many organic foods already and started calling myself an “accidental organic.” You see, since my husband hunts and fishes, we were eating meat and fish that didn’t contain antibiotics and growth hormones. If anything, wild game is “more organic” because they truly have total access to the outdoors. It’s just a little hard for those guys from the USDA to stick a little green, organic label to their rear ends.

For years, we had grown our own produce and didn’t use pesticides on the vegetables and berries growing in our back yard. Also, I was buying milk from a local dairy that didn’t use growth hormones on their cows. They believed in and were practicing many organic dairy methods, but couldn’t afford organic certification.

Finally, much of the gluten free products that I was buying for my mother-in-law (and later for myself) were made from items like organic rice cereal. It was easy to make a conscious effort to live more organically since we were doing so already.

So, what is “organic”?

If you make the decision to go organic, you should understand exactly what that entails. If food is labeled organic, it means that:

• animals have not been treated with antibiotics, growth hormones, or feed made from animal byproducts
• animals must have been fed organic feed for at least a year
• animals must have access to the outdoors
• food hasn’t been genetically modified or irradiated
• the fertilizer used doesn’t contain sewage sludge or synthetic ingredients
• produce hasn’t been contaminated with synthetic chemicals used as pesticides

Be a label reader!

However, did you know that the United States Department of Agriculture uses FOUR different types of organic labeling? They are:

• “100% Organic”
• “Organic” – made with 95% organic ingredients
• “Made with Organic Ingredients” – made with at least 70% organic ingredients
• “Less than 70% Organic Ingredients” – organic ingredients are denoted on the ingredient list only

Since the labels for look very similar to each other, it can be very confusing. You really have to read the ingredients and find the organic certification label  to understand what exactly you’re purchasing.

Affording organic

The Environmental Working Group developed a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides so consumers can determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can use EWG’s guide to reduce you and your family’s exposure to pesticides as much as possible. It will also help you decide what organic produce is most important to spend your money on. Download a PDF of the shopper’s guide then print it out to place in your wallet or purse so you always have it when grocery shopping.

Other tips for affording organic food are:

• Shop the sales. Check what’s on sale in the organic aisle in the produce section of your supermarket. Sometimes the organic broccoli is cheaper than the conventionally grown stuff. Also, when your favorite organic products go on sale, stock up!
• Use coupons. Organic food companies offer coupons on their website. Also, fliers and ads from your local health food or grocery store often contain coupons and let you know about sales, too. Looking for Attune Foods coupons? Sign up for Attune’s e-mail newsletter to receive money saving coupons, product information, promotions and original articles on healthy living.
• Case discounts. Many health food stores like Whole Foods offer case discounts. Find the store manager and ask!
• Grow your own. While not technically organic (you aren’t certified by the government, right?) growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to avoid pesticide exposure.
• Buy local. Farmer’s markets and fruit stands often offer organic produce at a better price than what you find at the store. Community Suppported Agriculture (CSA) shares are another way to reduce your organic produce bill. Many organic farms also sell shares in organic milk, eggs and meat.
• Learn to fish or hunt. OK, threading worms on hooks may not be your thing. Instead, befriend a hunter or fishing enthusiast. Maybe you can trade some baked goods or home brewed beer for some fresh venison or trout.

So how are you saving money on organic goods?

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