How to Eat Organic Food on a Budget - Green Oklahoma (2024)

Eating organic food doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. These are great tips for eating healthy, organic food on a budget without too much work.

Eating organic food is better for us and the planet. Organic food is grown without harmful pesticides andusually is better for the environment. Some studies have shown some organic food to have higher nutritional value as well.

Cost is often what stands in people’s way when they want to eat more organic food. While organic food doesn’t always cost more it often does.While the increased cost may be worth it not everyone is in a place where they can add the added cost to their budget.

As organic food has become more popular the cost is down and there are more ways to save. Now more people can afford to add organic food to their budget.

Why is Organic Food More Expensive?

Organic food is often more expensive for a number of reasons including-

• Decreased use of man-made chemicals often means more labor is needed to grow the food.
• The demand for organic food is growing faster than organic farms are. Around 58% of Americans say they prefer organic but only around 1 percent of farms worldwide are organic.
• Crop rotation. Crops are rotated to keep the soil healthy and that can mean less profit from the land.
• Higher costs for fertilizer and other products. Instead of using some of the cheaper man-made products on crops more expensive options like compost and animal manure are used.
• Organic certification. Getting USDA certified for organic food is a long and expensive process.
• Fair wages. While not all organic food is produced with fair wages it is more common and can increase the cost of the products.

These are just a few things that go into why organic food is more expensive. There are things you can do the reduce this cost and still make the switch to more organic food.

How to Eat Organic Food on a Budget

• Eat at home more often. This will help you save overall because eating out can be very expensive. This is also better for your health. One thing that can help you eat at home more often is meal planning. Try this free guide to meal planning or if you’d rather have it done for you, check out Eat At Home meal plans. They even have a no flour/no sugar plan.
• Buy grains in bulk. Stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts have a great selection of bulk foods. Be sure to also check your local grocery stores for bulk products.
• Eat less meat. Meat can be costly and most of us eat too much of it. You don’t have to go vegetarian try adding more meatless meals to your diet. One great way to do this is, Meatless Monday.
• Learnwhat is most important to buy organically. Check out the Dirty Dozen to find the most important produce to buy organically.
• Eat seasonally. Produce is cheaper when it’s in-season so learn to eat in-season produce. Frozen fruits and veggies are an excellent choice when your area’s food is out of season.
• Be careful not to waste food. Americans waste around 27 percent of the food available for consumption. Making sure you aren’t throwing away food will help you save. Meal planning can also help reduce food waste.
• Grow your own food. You don’t have to have farmland to grow your own food. Even a few pots with some favorite produce can help you save.
• Check out local CSAs, farmer’s markets, and co-ops. You can often get better prices by going straight to the source.
• Buy less packaged food. Packaged food almost always costs more than making it yourself. This also helps cut down on waste.
• Use coupons. There are a fair number of coupons out there for organic food. The best place to find them is often through the store’s app.
• Use apps to save money. There are some great apps that you can submit your receipt to and earn cash back. It’s a great way to save a little extra money.
• Shop Online. Use online services like Thrive Market and Amazon Prime Pantry to find good deals on organic food.

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