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Going Organic
Does anyone here eat 100% organically (or at least in the 90 - 100%, at least at home) not including dinners out, vacations, etc?
I'm making an effort to get as organic as our budget allows. We budget about $120-150 per week for groceries which includes diapers and formula and so far I'm about to 50% with our food. The things I've been waiting to go organic on are things like milk (since DH is the only one that drinks it, I'm waiting until Hunter turns 1 and starts drinking it), eggs, cereals, etc. All our veggies, fruit, and meat are organic/free range for the meat.
Anyways, just looking for tips on how to save money while doing it? I think that we might purchase a few whole chickens to freeze in the deep freezer. I wish I was a gardener and could grow my own veggies but my green thumb is majorly lacking. My FIL is our gardener and he gives us summer veggies when he has them which will help this summer!
Re: Going Organic
I try to buy organic when I can, but I'm not exactly strict about it. I could do better. I think it tastes better. J would eat it if it wasn't mainly in combination with "nuts and twigs" food.
I am growing topsy-turvy tomatos and strawberries. The tomatos are in organic soil...but then I ran out and couldn't find more at home depot.
We live in a very green town, so it's pretty easy to eat organically here. We eat primarily organic with the exception of the "Clean 15". To save money, we have shares in two CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture). One which is primarily fruit, the other is primarily veggies. Since our insurance has a health benefit that partially reimburses you for having a gym membership or CSA, our CSA ends up being about 1/2 price. My parents have the same insurance company as we do so my Mom is the technical share owner of the veggie one while I'm the technical share owner of the fruit one. Each is really too much produce for one family so we split them. Our organic milk comes straight from the dairy and my in-law's buy 1/2 a cow each year in different cuts. We don't eat enough beef or meat in general to justify buying our own. Chicken we aim for hormone/antibiotic/factory farm free. The term range free is pretty misleading, often times it literally means just without a wire cage, but caged in by the thousands of others in the same tiny space.
Our Hy-Vee has a HUGE organic section which is 10% off each Thursday, which actually really helps.
Snack foods/cereal we buy at Target, which tends to be cheaper than any of the grocery stores. Most snack foods are Earth's Best which I can usually find coupons for.
Oh, and a lot of produce that you'll find at the farmer's market is actually organic, but lacks the certification. Just ask if there produce is grown without the use of chemical pesticides & fertilizers, you'll save money there too!
I eat primarily organic, especially for fresh produce. It's what I try to buy when I can...and if I can't I try to hold off on buying a particular item until a later date. I find what I can at our local grocery store and Trader Joe's. On occasion I'll treat myself and shop at Whole Foods. DH and I also try to visit local farmer's markets when we can. You might already do this, but it helps to shift your diet to eating produce that's in season...you're more likely to get local produce and/or organic at a better price.
I agree with Aria- I think organic foods taste so much better. I just had some organic strawberries last week, and they were hands down the best strawberries I've ever had in my life.
I'm not a big stickler for organic, but having grown up in central CA in a farming community makes me a total produce snob. I usually go home to visit once a month or so and make it a point to bring a lot of produce back with me.
When home, I shop a lot at one local grocery store because most of their produce is organic just by policy. I also love our local farmers markets. There is one nearby on Friday mornings and they always have an amazing selection. I don't really save a lot of money but I do get amazing fresh produce.
I'd check into farmers markets if you can. Theres one on Wed in the town where I get my hair done, so I always get my hair cut on Wed. I figure a way to hit up a farmers market at least once every 2 weeks when I can.