How to Eat Organic on a Budget

Anyone trying to eat organic knows about the sticker shock. I’ll never forget looking at a handful of blueberries at Harris Teeter with a price of $5. They were out of season, but it was still shocking.

The good news is, there are many ways to make eating organic more affordable and I have assembled a list of over 50 ideas for you!

How to Eat Organic on a Budget – Over 50 Tips!

Choose Your Battles!

You can save approximately 40-50% by buying conventionally grown, non-organic produce when third party lab testing provides a reasonable assurance that the risk of pesticide traces is low. The Wellness Repair Food Facts page details what foods should always be organic and what other foods don’t necessarily need to be.
The most important food to buy organic is meat and dairy because the pesticides accumulate at much higher concentrations in animal adipose tissue.
The cheapest animal protein comes from eggs, chicken, turkey and fish. Organic greek yogurt is okay for those not sensitive to dairy but look out for high sugar. Organic cane sugar is still sugar.
Supplement with some organic powdered protein. Powdered protein is convenient because it doesn’t spoil and can be prepared quickly by mixing in water, organic raw milk (if not intolerant) or into a smoothie. Make sure whey protein is whey concentrate (not isolate) and also from grass fed cows.

Pesticides accumulate at much higher concentrations in meat fat than in produce. Click To Tweet

Take Advantage of Seasons and Sales

Buy fresh produce when it is in season, on sale or both.
Try new fresh fruits and vegetables you’ve never eaten before and google for recipes.
Stock up on non-perishable items when you find them on sale. Buy in bulk.
Staple foods for your area or country are usually cheaper than imported items.

Plan, Organize and Limit

One of the best things you can do that I have found to work over and over is to get to know the people that work in the grocery store. Let them know you are there to find organic products and the specific ones you prefer. There’s a reason organic options are starting to invade the grocery stores now. Consumers are asking for them. Be kindly vocal. Competition among stores means lower prices!
Plan out your meals ahead for the coming week according to what is on sale and according to the coupons you have.
Set a budget and track your spending on groceries. It’s EASY to overspend if you don’t track spending. I use a free app (and web site) called Mint. Mint automatically keeps track of my bank and credit card balances + shows what I have spent on groceries.
Write a grocery list and stick to it. You’ll spend less if you’re not tempted by items that catch your eye as you walk by.
Keep meals simple with minimal ingredients. Simple meals are healthy meals.
Make it yourself. You can make excellent chocolate squares, granola, smoothies and sweet potato chips for less than buying.
Cook your meals instead of going to restaurants. You’ll free up a lot of money for healthier food.
The store brand of packaged items is often the least expensive and usually the quality is just as good as name brand.
Always remember that if you are not satisfied, most grocery stores offer a money back guarantee. Remember this if your organic arugula goes brown the day after you buy it.
Since meat is the most expensive macronutrient, don’t eat more than you need. The proper amount is usually one gram per pound of body weight per day. Most people don’t eat enough protein and are robbing themselves of hormone balance, feeling full, looking toned and burning fat more easily. Don’t skimp out on or overdue protein!
Get a crockpot and use it. This is more indirect. The idea is if you take advantage of a convenience when cooking at home, you are less likely to go to a restaurant. You can also crock more than you need for one meal and freeze the leftovers.
Cut junk food out completely and replace with healthy foods like nuts, fruit, veggies and hummus.
Drink water. Purify water at home instead of buying bottled water. EWG has a page to help you decide what kind of purification system would be best for you.
Eat more veggies. The extra fiber will help you feel full and eat less. If you eat less, you’ll spend less.
Skip food that is packaged for convenience. It usually costs more.
Skip coffee shops and make your own coffee at home.
Change your thinking. Spend extra at the grocery store but less at the doctor’s office and pharmacy.
Buy a whole organic chicken for less per pound. You can use the carcass to make your own broth so nothing is wasted.

Bulk is Your Friend

Cook in bulk and then store the food in the refrigerator of freezer. It will save you money and also help you eat healthier all week long.
Take advantage of BOGO (buy one get one) sales. This works best when the item is a staple in your home.
Always buy packaged staples on sale.
Buy unpackaged foods from bulk dispensers.
Bring measuring cups with you to the grocery store if you are buying from bulk containers. That way you can get exactly the amount you need for a specific recipe and you won’t be paying for extra.
Buy smaller organic spice packets or jars, old spices lose their medicinal qualities so it is smarter to buy in smaller quantities.
Buy a side of beef and freeze the portions you don’t use.
Join a buying club with family and friends.

Fill Your Freezer

Frozen produce is usually cheaper than fresh and will last approximately 8-12 months in the freezer. Also, modern flash freezing allows the produce to retain nutrients so no appreciable loss there. I find frozen fruit doesn’t taste as good, but at least you don’t end up throwing it away because it went bad. Buying frozen is an excellent strategy to get nutrient dense food on a budget!
Freeze leftovers in glass jars. I typically grill enough chicken for a week of lunches each weekend and freeze some in glass jars for later in the week. Hint: A pint sized jar holds 8oz of chicken breast. I cut it into chunks with kitchen shears.
Buy fresh produce and freeze to preserve until needed. This is also a great way to have produce out of season.
Double recipes and freeze leftovers.

Use the Internet

Take advantage of points and coupons! Earth Fare has their Get Deals App – I signed up for their “Tomato Bank” rewards program via the website, or you can also sign up directly from the app. Whole Foods has a Rewards program. It’s not available everywhere but you can get on a list to be notified when available near you. I created my rewards account directly from the Whole Foods Market Rewards Pilot app. Costco and Sams Club have credit cards that will let you earn cash back.
Sign up for grocery store email lists so you are notified of items on sale.
Follow your favorite stores on social media for special deals and coupons.
Get Coupons from an organic coupon site. I have recently found Mambo Sprouts, Organic Deals and Organic Deals and Steals.
Most stores will take each others coupons, so take ALL your coupons with you. It never hurts to ask, right?
Amazon allows you to have items shipped straight to your door. Saving on gas counts too.
Green PolkaDot Box delivers organic and non-GMO food to your door. It is a membership site like Sams and Costco.
VitaCost is a low cost website that has a wide variety of organic and healthy foods + vitamins.
There’s a great app called Next Door that helps you communicate with people who live near you. You can offer food that is about to spoil to neighbors so it isn’t wasted.
And don’t forget about Ebay!

Buy Local

Go to local farmers markets. Prices can be cheaper when the food doesn’t have to be shipped in.
Be the last person to leave the farmer’s market. Farmers will likely cut their prices at the end of the day, so they do not have to take their produce back to the farm.
Plant a garden,
Grow food inside your home year-round. Here are tips from the Organic Consumers Association. Also, check out this Urban Farming Toolkit and Growing Lessons Learned from the 100 Days of Real Food website.
Plant an herb pot in your kitchen.
Give home-grown food as gifts instead of spending money on other items.
Buy a “produce box” full of locally sourced and organic food.
Get a couple of chickens and hatch your own eggs. Check homeowners association rules first if applicable.

If you know someone who is struggling with the price of organic food, please share this post with them. And if you have an idea to add, please leave a comment below to share with everyone.

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Thanks for reading!
Jeff