Billeater: Five Money Saving Tips for Organic Food Shopping

Most of us would love to have a fridge bursting with healthy, organic produce, meat, eggs, and dairy. But for many, it seems like an unaffordable luxury. But eating healthfully shouldn't be reserved for the wealthy. Everyone deserves nutritious food, free of hormones and pesticides, grown on sustainable farms. The difficulty arises with the higher cost of producing organic foods.

Here are some shopping tips to use when buying organic food.

The 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule is a basic tenet of business that says 80% of your profits will come from 20% of your customers. For organics, you can translate it to mean that 80% of your family's best nutrition will come from 20% of your purchases. If you cannot afford to buy all organic groceries, consider the foods that your family eats most often before deciding which organic items to purchase. If your family drinks a gallon of milk a week, but only goes through 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, purchase the organic milk before the mayonnaise.

Go Local

Shopping in season and buying locally grown produce are great ways to get organic fruits and vegetables more affordably. Participating in a Community-Support Agriculture (CSA) program is also a great way to purchase organic fruits and vegetables. CSAs allow members to purchase shares of a farm and share in the farm's output. Farmer's markets are a wonderful way to get locally, grown organic fruit and produce, often very affordably, and much cheaper than at the grocery store.

Grow Your Own

Starting your own garden or joining a co-op garden is a wonderful way to get fresh, organic produce. Its' also a fun family activity for children. Participating in their own garden may encourage kids to try vegetables and they fruit they wouldn't normally eat. Seeds are very affordable and even thought the upkeep of a garden is hard work, it's economically sound when you grow crops that are expensive from the grocery store.

Shop Around

Don't assume bigger is always better. The local supermarket chain may have more produce, but their organic items are often overpriced. Health food stores that specialize in organic and natural foods can usually offer them more cheaply than at the big chain stores. Then again, many chain stores have begun offering generic brands of organic produce. You should compare prices to see where you can get the best deal.

Things to Remember About Organic Food

Organic dairy items have the same shelf life as non-organic items, but often taste better. Organic breads and pastries do not have preservatives and go bad much faster than their non-organic counterparts. Remember to eat these items quickly, and only buy what you need. If you buy in bulk, use your freezer.

If you can successfully incorporate more organic foods into your household, the effort will be rewarded. Not only is it healthier for your family, organically grown food just tastes better. This will increase your chances of getting even the fussiest eater to try new foods and eat his vegetables.

Jessica Bosari writes for the money-saving site, Billeater.com. The site is devoted to helping people reduce expenses, save money and find great deals. Pay Billeater a visit for more money-saving tips!