Help I struggle with this...

**bridge** · 07-12-2005, 01:22 PM

Does anyone else struggle with this??????

I really want to shop & eat Organic, but when I compare the cost of the items, I really struggle (ex. oranges Reg $1.99 Org. $5.99)

Does anyone else have a struggle with this???

I want to be frugal and organic but it seems to conflict

What do you do???

**Kimberlina** · 07-12-2005, 01:27 PM

I definitely do. I cannot afford to eat all organic, unfortunately. My family would starve because the prices here are so high, not to mention that there isn't a very large selection.

I do buy some things organic, though. My soy products, for example, are generally organic because they are about the same price either way- most of the soy products I find are organic.

And on the very rare occasion that I buy dairy milk for DD, I make sure it is from BGH-free cows. I also try to buy her organic yogurt.

I make sure I wash really, really, realy well. Unfortunately, I know there are changes in the produce itself from the pesticide, but I am doing the best I can with the amount of money I have. If I went back to work full time, maybe I could buy more organic, but I would rather spend the timewith DD and wash, wash, wash. (And grow what I can organically.)

**QuilterMom** · 07-12-2005, 01:32 PM

We buy as much as we can organic, but aren't 100% because of costs. We are fortunate in that we have a chain health food store here that frequently has good sales and a grocery store here that has a decent sized organics section that runs sales AND puts out a monthly magazine with mfg. coupons (plus I can get quarterly mfg. coupon booklets at the health food store). I know if we lived elsewhere it would be a huge struggle for us and that we are very lucky to have available what we do.

I try to go by the list of produce that's highest in pesticides and buy those things organic for sure - anything else gets scrubbed well with Ivory soap. I also don't feel comfortable buying dairy or meats that aren't organic. That's just me though (based on research in a lot of areas).

**Michele Annette** · 07-12-2005, 02:33 PM

I wish we could eat all organic as well, but we just can't afford it! I do however always by organic milk, eggs, cheese, tea, honey, maple syrup, peanut butter. I also buy from farm stands that say that they grow their produce with organic methods. Most small growers in the area are too small to be "certified" organic. As long as they use organic practices then that is fine with me. I get most of my veggies from farm stands in the Summer months.

**forestdale** · 07-12-2005, 03:23 PM

I buy organic as often as I can and I grow my own, organically. I never eat meat but when I buy for my family, I only ever buy organic, or at least, hormone/antibiotic-free chicken. I always buy organic potatoes, mainly because the mainstream ones are all sprayed just before harvesting - this is a world-wide practise.

Bridge, my advice is to research how the things you eat are grown. Then buy organic those things that really bug you. Like the chicken and potatoes bug me. Also, farmers markets are a great place to shop. Often their produce isn't certified organic but it is organic.

We have three organic supermarkets and one organic butcher near my home, so our choice is quite good and the prices are fairly competitive. We eat about 70% organic food here. Organic goods will always be more expensive as it's more labour intensive to grow them.

You're doing thje right thing buying organic and every little bit helps.

**canadian gardener** · 07-12-2005, 04:23 PM

I do what I can, where I can and don't sweat the bits I can't.

In a word, nope, I can't afford most organic but

I can afford certain things like the prewashed organic baby greens at Costco, those are priced affordably.

Other things I am careful to wash. Washing will remove most pesticide residues, others come off with peeling. They may not have as much vitamins and minerals as the organic produce, BUT I can make up for that by eating more of them.

Think of it this way, eating a handful of produce a day, versus 4 or 5 handfuls. The anti cancer benefits of 5 to 10 svgs of produce a day, are based on the regular not organic produce. If you can't afford 5 to 10 svgs a day of produce organically grown, you are far far better to try and hit the 5 to 10 svgs in regular produce and reduce your risks from the pesticide by washing and peeling.

And thirdly grow what you can at home. Or buy from people whose growing habits you know and trust.

Lastly while stores are getting better about having a selection of organic stuff, it's sometimes difficult to find what you want or need for a particular recipe or menu.

It's all about porportion. If you do what you can, and let go the perfectionist ideal of all organic, then at least you are buying some things organically, and supporting the farmers that way.

When people think in "all or nothing" terms they tend to see one choice or the other as "good" or "BAD". Unfortunately some of the rhetoric gets pretty heated so people who really can't afford all organic (and I'm one) are being pressured that if they don't buy organic, that they are to blame for the high prices (the thinking is if we all bought organic it would bring the price down which may be right, but we can't all afford it)

That idea that people have priorities and really can afford organic food if they only try harder is based on some pretty sweeping assumptions. One being that people have choice. Yes they do, but not always as much as others think.

For example fund raisers always use the can of pop a day message to guilt people into giving. Presumption being that we can all afford a can of pop a day.

A can a day is out of my budget. But some people assume that it's just a matter of choosing your priorities and it will all fall into place. They assume everyone can afford a can of pop a day. But not everyone can.

The goal of eating all organic is difficult if your priority is eating healthfully AND paying the rent. Thank goodness for those who can, they are helping to make organic food available for all.

BUT
Some really really can't afford organic produce and it would be nice if we approached food buying from a more balanced view.

One that takes into account realistic budgets and availability.

With food we tend to demonize it. Carbs are bad, carbs are good, and things like trans fats, organic food, diets etc get caught up in this quest for perfect.

Perfect is NOT A GOOD GOAL.

It's ok if the kids have junk food once in a while. Just not a steady diet.

It's ok if you buy some organic where you can, and eat non organic where you have too.

It's ok to wash or peel to remove pesticides, and it's better to be eating lots of produce to prevent cancer and heart disease than a tiny negligible amount because it has to be organic and that is all you can afford.

that's my take.

**bridge** · 07-12-2005, 05:00 PM

Thanks Margery, That is just what I needed to hear!!

I have been "stressing" over this and It is silly, you really helped it make sense to me!!

**Rowanberry** · 07-12-2005, 05:16 PM

I grow my own and buy as much organic as I can but i agree that sometimes that is impossibel due to budget and price. I ahve chickens too that give me nice organic eggs. `sometimes it says organic but you have to read the labels and if `i cannot do organic I try and buy fair trade to help the farmers in ~Africa etc. in the end you have to do the best you can according to your values and your budget.....it will be more than some are doing.

**britbunny** · 07-13-2005, 05:50 AM

We do not buy all organic food either. We went through a spell of getting a veg box delivery but they stopped coming for some reason.

Anyway, I agree that it's better to eat a lot of produce than a small amount of organic stuff. We buy all organic dairy products (we have just given up eating meat altogether). This is because we are concerned about the animal welfare aspect of it.

As I have said before we try to adhere to the LOAF principle which is to buy Local, Organic, Animal friendly and/or Fairtrade. I think like other aspects of frugality you have to do the best with what you have at any moment in time.

**QuilterMom** · 07-18-2005, 11:03 AM

Bridge - If you know anyone that lives in an area that has a Publix grocery store, they could get for you the monthly GreenWise magazines the store puts out (free). They have a variety of mfg.'s coupons in them each month (some for organic basics like milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc. and some for snack/prepackaged organics). www.publix.com

Also, if you have a Wild Oats store near you, they put out quarterly coupon booklets from Mambo Sprouts that are all mfg. coupons on a wide variety of items. www.wildoats.com

Mambo Sprouts also sends out a quarterly mailer in certain areas of the USA. http://www.mambosprouts.com/