6 Tips To Buying Organic on a Budget
If you’re like a lot of other people, two things will likely spring to mind when you hear someone talking about organic food – vegetables and cost. While that’s understandable, you should know that an organic diet isn’t necessarily limited to produce as many organic eaters enjoy meat, fish, and poultry as regular staples in their diet.
It’s not a secret that organic food generally costs more than non-organic alternatives. Organic food is more expensive because the demand for it continues to outpace the amount of farmland that’s dedicated to producing it. In addition, organic food is more costly because it’s grown without the use of conventional products like pesticides and the handling of the food is normally done under time constraints.
Just because organic food is more expensive, it doesn’t mean buying organic foodstuff has to break the bank, so to speak. It simply means you should follow some sage (sorry, we couldn’t resist!) advice when you go grocery shopping.
Buy from the Source
One of the best things you can do to keep your food costs as low as possible is to buy organic food from the source that produced it – local farmers! Whether you go to a farm that sells directly to consumers or you shop at a nearby farmer’s market, buying right from the source whenever possible is a wise idea to stay within your allotted budget.
Become a Coupon Shopper
Just like you can find coupons for non-organic foods online or in newspapers or flyers, you can find coupons for organic foods as well. Before you head out to the store, clip coupons for the organic foods you plan to buy if any are available.
Pick Up Sales Items
Grocery stores typically have rotating specials on select items. If any organic items you have an interest in are on sale, pick them up before the current special expires and their prices go back up.
Shop for In-Season Produce
Fruits and vegetables that are in season will be less expensive than produce that’s out of season. With that in mind, it makes sense to shop for in-season organic produce to keep your overall food costs at an affordable level.
Choose Frozen Over Fresh
Research shows that frozen foods have nutritional values that are comparable to the nutritional values of fresh foods. With frozen foods normally priced more favorably than their fresh brethren, it’s advisable to choose frozen organic foods rather than fresh alternatives in some cases at least.
Purchase Store Brands
When you visit organic foods places to shop for healthy foods, you may notice that they have their own private labels. Store brand products are often less expensive than name-brand alternatives so you may want to purchase products with a store brand instead of a name-brand.
Share Your Budget-Friendly Organic Shopping Tips with Organic Restaurants
Do you have more tips that can help people shop for organic food on a budget? If so, we’d love to hear what you have to say! Contact Organic Restaurants to share your budget-friendly shopping tips now.
Are you ready to enjoy a healthy meal at an organic restaurant near you? Use our directory of organic food restaurants to find a local organic eatery today.