You want to purchase foods produced in an environmentally responsible way and maintain a healthy diet, but you also have a tight budget. Although it can be challenging, it is possible to focus on buying organic foods and still save money. By following a few tips and making careful buying decisions, you can eat well with the least possible expense.
Save with How You Buy
One way to save money is to purchase and eat organic produce in season, the Daily Green recommends. Foods available for purchase on the grocery store shelf while they are in season are more likely to be fresh, and have not traveled as far as foods sold out of season, and are therefore likely to be less expensive. When buying out of season, frozen food can save you money, "Cooking Light" suggests.
Consider farmers' markets as a source of locally-grown fresh produce in season, suggests registered dietitian Maureen Callahan. Farmers' markets are also often less expensive than supermarkets. However, many supermarket chains such as Safeway and Whole Foods offer their own private label organic foods with savings of up to 20 percent because they eliminate the middleman, Callahan explains. Buy foods like dry beans, flour and seeds in bulk to save on packaging costs, "Cooking Light" suggests. Look for coupons, especially online, from organic food manufacturers, the Daily Green recommends.
Save with What You Buy
If your budget is really tight, concentrate your organic food purchases on foods that carry more risk of contamination from pesticides or artificial hormones, Good Housekeeping recommends. Red meat poultry, pork, milk and produce without protective skins are more vulnerable to contamination, and the extra expense for organic foods is worthwhile, according to the The Daily Green. On the other hand, onions, pineapples and other produce with protective skins are less vulnerable to contamination, while other foods such as asparagus usually receive less artificial fertilization. You can save money buy purchasing conventionally-grown foods for these types of produce.
Eating less meat can mean significant savings, according to the Worldwatch Institute, which recommends eating one meatless meal per week. When you do eat meat, make your purchases from local producers who raise their animals by using humane standards. Besides saving money, eating lower on the food chain also exposes you to fewer potential toxins. This is especially true with seafood, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.
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