Making Organic Affordable

Written By Kevin Vania |
Checkout aisle six at a local organic pantry, a middle-aged woman and her husband unload groceries from their shopping cart onto the moving belt. The cashier rings up each item and the courtesy clerk finishes bagging their groceries into ten brown paper bags. Numbers crop up in a list on the cash register’s display and the cost of their bi-weekly grocery visit comes to a total in bold: $507.67. While some natural-organic consumers can afford to shop this way, it certainly is not ideal for those of us shopping on a budget.

Shopping organic on a budget isn’t always easy. It takes time to familiarize yourself with certain organic products, and the places you can find them locally. Here are some tips on how to get started:

-Don’t limit yourself to popular natural foods stores and organic pantries. Shop around and figure out where you’re comfortable spending your hard earned money. Conventional grocery stores often have relatively cheap and expansive selections of organics.

-Plan your meals and don’t over-shop. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. generates more than 34 million tons of food waste each year. Generating food waste has significant economic and environmental consequences, so make a list of ingredients you’ll need and try to avoid impulse buys. Websites like www.lovefoodhatewaste.com can even help you calculate proper portions.

-Save food, save money! Store your food so that it stays fresh, and learn recipes for leftover meals.

-Shop seasonally. Learn which fruits and vegetables are harvested during certain times of the year. In the fall, think root vegetables: potatoes, carrots, zucchinis, squash and corn. If strawberries are out of season, opt for frozen strawberries. If tomatoes are out of season, go with canned.

-Make connections with a local farmer and become involved. For a nominal fee toward a membership/part ownership, food Co-ops offer organics and other natural products, direct from local growers, at discount prices. There are many other programs you can get involved in and become familiar with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Check online for sites that list your local farmers and CSA programs: www.nevadagrown.com

-Buy organic if it doesn’t have a peel. Many fruits and vegetables are full of pesticides and other dangerous chemicals, even after they are washed. However, there are some fruits and vegetables that are safe to substitute organic for conventional, in order to save you some extra cash. Generally, produce with a peel, rind, husk or protective outer layer is less likely to be affected by pesticides and harsh chemical fertilizers. Here are some examples:

Oftentimes, produce that is grown organically isn’t labeled organic on the shelves because the application and inspection process to get it certified by a National Organic Program (NOP) accredited agent can be expensive. Farmers can even have their organic certified label revoked if organic produce simply comes into contact with a conventional produce.

*Skip the organic peanut butter and just go with conventional brands that are low in sugar and free of hydrogenated oils.

-Buy organic meats and animal byproducts. Livestock raised on conventional farms are often given antibiotics and recombinant growth hormones. These become present in the conventional beef, pork, and poultry we eat, along with the eggs, milk, and cheese that we get from these animals. Farmed fish are also a red flag as contaminants can be found in the food they are fed; buy wild-caught fish instead. Organic meats are almost twice as expensive as conventional meats, but the health benefits outweigh the cost.

-Purchase bulk items. Some stores have larger selections than others, but most contain essential foods that have high nutrient densities, like oats, whole grains, beans, nuts, rice, and snacks like trail mix and dried fruits.

-Don’t buy bottled water. It’s expensive and the bottling process is harmful to the environment. Buy yourself a tap filter and a reusable water bottle to take with you on the go. A Brita Faucet Filter shouldn’t run more than $30 anywhere, think of it as a simple investment that will save you hundreds of dollars in the future.

-Shop sale items. This might be stating the obvious, but everyday sale items are usually good buys because most stores have already shopped around locally for you to make sure they are giving you the best price around.

-Shop store brands for packaged foods. They’re cheaper and have the same great taste and nutritional value as big name brands (I.e. Whole Foods has their “365” brand).

-Don’t buy prepared foods. It’s cheaper and healthier to buy the ingredients needed to prepare them yourself.

-Browse coupons and use them! Coupons for natural and organic products are easy to find online, and many stores include them in their print newsletters and catalogues.

Personal Care

-Do some research and avoid dangerous chemicals that can slowly harm your body over time. Personal care products contain large volumes of chemicals, natural and synthetic. Some companies use ingredients that may cause cancer or that are associated with developmental problems. Many cosmetics ingredients penetrate the skin, and people ingest those used on lips and hands and inhale sprays and powders.

Again, shop around. Conventional stores like Target and CVS in fact have good organic personal care, bath and shower, health and skin care, and cosmetic products at affordable prices that are often less than half the cost of similar products found in popular natural health stores.

However, organic or “natural” products sometimes still contain the harmful ingredients we try to avoid. Just because a product label says “all natural” doesn’t mean it is safe. Even plant-based ingredients can be harmful to your body. That’s why it’s important to familiarize yourself with some of the major toxins found in personal care products. Here are a few:

• DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamiine) & TEA (triethanolamine): Hormone-disrupting chemicals, can form cancer-causing nitrates. Americans exposed 10-20 times per day with shampoos, shaving creams and bubble baths.

• Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40): drying, irritating solvent; strips skin’s moisture and immune barrier, makes you vulnerable to bacteria and viruses. Found in shellac, antifreeze and personal care products. Promotes brown spots and premature aging.

• Fragrances: Can contain up to four thousand ingredients (including animal urine), many toxic or carcinogenic. Causes headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing, vomiting, and skin irritation.

Parabens: Act as preservatives; are present in moisturizers and deodorants. Chemicals in cosmetics can pass through the skin, into the bloodstream and internal organs.

Sulfates: All types of body care products may contain sulfates that have been shown to be highly irritating to the skin and have also been linked to toxicity of the biological systems of the body including cardiovascular (heart), digestive tract and the respiratory system.

-Make your own cleaning products. Baking soda, vinegar, borax, and other common natural household products are good homemade substitutions to expensive certified organic cleaners, laundry detergents and soaps. Many of the ingredients you already own can be used in combination to clean a variety of things:

• Multi-purpose cleaner: Mix a few drops of natural soap, 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender essential oil. You can spray this on all surfaces, like cutting boards, counters, toilets and walls.
• Remove indoor air pollutants: Houseplants such as chrysanthemums, English ivy, spider plants, and Boston ferns naturally freshen the air.
• Prevent mold and mildew from becoming a growing problem in the bathroom by keeping a spray bottle filled with 1 cup water and 1 drop tea tree oil handy, for zapping stains.
• Disinfect and deodorize the toilet bowl in a flash. Sprinkle the sides with baking soda, let sit for a few minutes, then drizzle with vinegar. Scrub with a toilet brush and flush.
• Take out tough stains from whites by dabbing spots with a mixture of one part borax and six parts water.

As you can see, there are numerous ways to make shopping organic affordable. Shopping within your budget is attainable. It takes sensible thought and consideration to know what you really need. Following these tips and suggestions will help you get there faster.

References:

1. http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/organics/food/fd-basic.htm

2. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-to-buy-or-not-to-buy-organic

3. http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

4. Healthy Beginnings “Terrible Toxins” pamphlet

5. WOW Cleaning Services: www.wowcleaningreno.com