| 17 tips for buying organic food
on the cheap |
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This is also a great time to bargain at a local farmers'
market. You may be able to nudge prices down even further by buying
in bulk from a local farmer. It never hurts to ask. If they have
to move produce that day, you might get bulk orders at a discount.
You can either share your bounty with friends and
family or keep it all and freeze your leftovers.
8. In
the off-season, buy preserved foods.
When the weather turns, turn to preserved foods. In the winter,
steer clear of high-priced, in-store produce and buy canned, frozen
or dried organic fruits and vegetables instead.
"Don't be afraid to use preserved foods during
cold months," Cool says. "The prices are usually better.
The flavor is often better."
Cool, who lives in northern California, buys frozen
organic peas, corn, peaches and berries all winter long.
"I don't touch a tomato in my hand from November
to the beginning of July. I use canned. I use frozen berries all
winter," Cool says.
"Frozen peas and frozen corn in the middle of
winter are way better than what's been shipped and has no flavor."
9. Embrace
the big freeze.
Your freezer is good for more than TV dinners and frozen pizzas.
Just haggled a great deal on a whole bunch of organic fruits and
vegetables? Freeze your luscious leftovers and pull them out as
treats during the winter.
"Buy it and freeze it," DiMatteo says. "That's
a very economical way of having that produce at a reasonable price
year-round."
It's best to eat organic fruits and vegetables that
you freeze on your own within six months. For more information on
freezing, canning, and drying fruits and vegetables, check out tips
from Just
Food.org.
10. Shop sales
and house brands.
Grab store discount fliers at every opportunity. When an organic
food you like is marked down, stock up for less.
Shop the house brands. Any food with the word "organic"
on its label has to go through the same certification process regardless
of its brand name. Buying the house brand in stores such as Wild
Oats, Safeway and Whole Foods can save you money. And be sure to
check out discount organic brands such as Woodstock Farms and Gourmet
Artisan.
11. Clip coupons.
Snatch up all the coupons for organic food that you can find. Check
store fliers, the Sunday newspaper and even the inside of food packages.
Organic foods sold under such brands as Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen
and Amy's often have coupons on the inside of their packages.
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