How to Afford Organic

Can we afford organic? Yes! I've managed to stay in my budget, just by choosing carefully.

Eric Burkett discusses the challenge of buying organic in this economy, in his article today. While we might be switching over to less expensive organic foods, we're still looking for organic. But how does one switch to less expensive foods? What foods give us the most bang for the buck?

If you consider the energy value (calories) of any given food, you realize that some foods are far costlier, pound for pound. Fruits and veggies contain more water, whereas whole grains and beans multiply in weight many times over, once cooked. That's where your value is: Organic whole grains and beans are sold at a reasonable price, considering that you pay for the dry weight, but net a greater yield from them once they're cooked.

We aren't quite to Irish Potato Famine status, but when finances are tightening, we can appreciate the frugality (even a forced frugality) of buying true staples. An organic zucchini or peach or red pepper might add color and interest to a meal, but won't quite qualify when their value and cost is weighed. I load up on organic potatoes, winter squashes, onions and carrots during my monthly stops to my favorite health food store; they're always the cheapest of the produce picks, they last well, and I get a lot of mileage out of them, adding them in various forms to a number of meals.

I also stock up on organic beans, grains, and nuts, which form the base of most of our meals. Typically, anything that's been processed at all (including boxed cereals) will be pricier than their whole food cousins. So we eat oatmeal every day! Ah, but we add a variety of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds, to keep it interesting. Buying organic is a privilege, and buying organic on a budget is wise; we end up eating more foods that are minimally processed, and that's a good thing!