| 17 tips for buying organic food
on the cheap |
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"If there are coupons offered, take them, use
them," DiMatteo says.
And don't forget to look online.
Stonyfield
Farm offers single-use e-coupons for its dairy products on its
Web site.
At Mambo
Sprouts' site, you can sign up to receive coupons by mail for Boca burgers,
calcium chocolates, broccoli sprouts, energy bars, and baking mix,
among other organic products. Downloadable e-coupons are coming soon.
Keep in mind that not all retail stores accept online
coupons. Before printing out a bunch of online coupons, you may
want to make sure you can use the e-coupons at a grocer near you.
12. Grow your
own.
If you're really serious about garden-fresh organic produce, why
not plant your own?
Seeds are available from companies such as Seeds
of Change.
And Organic
Kitchen has a big roundup of organic gardening tips.
Start small. Carrots, radishes and beets are easy
to grow.
"Start slow," Cool says. "Just do a
few things at a time."
13. Shop online.
Can't find a local source for the organic food you want? Don't give
up. Hop online. You may be able to order the organic foods that
you want online.
The GreenPeople
directory from the Organic Consumer Association is a good place
to begin your online search for affordable organic foods. A roundup
of additional organic directories is also available on the site.
And be sure to check out this list of cyber-markets
offering organic products from Organic
Kitchen.
"There are a lot of offerings online that will
send you what you want," DiMatteo says. "Shop wisely."
14. Mix and
match.
There may be no single source for the organic foods you want at
the prices you can afford. Be creative.
Join a co-op and shop at a local farmers' market.
Buy a share in a CSA program, join a buying club and shop the organic
section at a conventional supermarket.
Shop sales at a natural foods store, plant a garden
and order organic food online.
Ask your favorite organic restaurant or juice bar
where they get their food. They may direct you to their distributor
or let you piggyback off some of their orders.
15. Be flexible.
To nab the best deals on organic foods you need to be a focused,
yet flexible, shopper.
Always shop with a list but never be afraid to snap
up a good bargain when you see one. Write "three vegetables"
on your shopping list and then look around at store specials. Do
the same for proteins and grains.
Use store discount fliers when planning your weekly
menus. More mindful shopping can save you money.
Never ever buy an item that you don't need just because
it's on sale or you have a coupon.
16. Rethink
your food budget.
Free up more dollars for organic food by trimming the fat from your
conventional food budget. Add up all the dollars you spend every
month on food, including fast food meals, morning cups of coffee,
bagels and even trips to vending machines. A small change in your
eating habits could free up the money you need to buy the organic
foods that you really want.
17. Ease into
organic.
Begin the transition to organic eating with some of your favorite
foods.
"Pick a product or two that you decide you really
notice a difference in taste and that really excites you,"
DiMatteo says.
Families with young children may want to start by
buying organic baby food and dairy products.
"Whatever your kids eat the most of is where
you start," Cummins says.
If you're concerned about pesticides, you may want
to substitute organic foods for conventional foods with the highest
levels of pesticide residues. These include apples, apricots, peaches,
pears, red raspberries, strawberries, spinach, peppers, celery and
potatoes.
For a complete list, see "Fresh Choices: More
than 100 Easy Recipes for Pure Food When You Can't Buy 100% Organic"
at generationgreen.org.
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