Eat Organic on a Budget

Eating organic can add up real fast. In fact price was one of the biggest reasons it took me so long to switch over to a completely organic diet. I mean when the cost of one avocado is almost $2 it is a bit intimidating. But for my health and especially for my families health this was something I HAD to do, come hell or high water. Wading through the world of organic groceries was very hard at first. Not only did I have to worry about price but also whether or not something is truly organic I always look for the USDA organic seal (or Oregon Tilth) and if it doesn’t have it I don’t buy it.

Here are some of the best tips I have learned when buying organic on a budget.

Plan Your Meals For The Week & Set Your Budget

This is the first and most basic step to budgeting. Choose what you want to eat for the week. Think portion sizes as well, because if you think you might have leftovers then that is lunch or breakfast the next day and one less meal to buy for. This may seem challenging at first but what I do is plan on some items like potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and other produce and groceries that come in larger quantities to be used in more than one meal. For instance, I might do a potato hash for breakfast one day and then do a stew with potatoes or roasted potatoes and green beans.

I usually set my budget at around $70 per week for 3 adults and 2 toddlers. Making your money go further utilizing the SoFi budget app could also help you manage your money so it can go towards the things that matter. How do I have such a cheap budget well that leads me to my next tip…..

Couponing!

Now I know you are probably thinking to yourself. Coupons on organic groceries? “Girl you crazy!” I’m not I promise! Okay, well maybe I am a little teensy, tiny, bit crazy, but not about this. I love coupons! I’m always looking for a Shoprite special or discounts and it really does make healthy eating a lot easier. Plus, who doesn’t love to save a little money?!

One of my favorite coupons is actually a rebate from an app that you put on your phone called Ibotta (click the link to learn more and sign up). I am absolutely in love with this app it easily saves me $15 a month just on groceries. It also has some rebates for Amazon items, restaurants, craft stores, and more. It even has rebates for Whole Foods!!!! Can I just say *looooove*!? Another thing that I really like is that it has a bunch of rebates for pantry staple items that work for any brand of sliced bread, milk, shredded cheese, cereal, salad dressing, pasta, etc… and this includes organic brands!

So how does it work? You unlock the rebates by watching a short video or answering a poll or something along those lines. Then you scan the bar code of the item with your phone and take a picture of the receipt. You can also scan the bar code of an item before you buy it to make sure it matches the rebate. So be sure and go check it out!

I also order many pantry staples from Thrive Market at wholesale prices.

Thrive is a membership community that uses the power of direct buying to deliver the world’s best healthy food and natural products to our members at wholesale prices and to sponsor free Thrive memberships for low-income American families.

Thrive is kind of like an online health food Costco or Sams Club.

One of the best places I have found to save big $$ on organic groceries is at Kroger. They have a great weekly ad and usually have a good number of items from their Kroger Brand, ‘Simple Truth Organic’, for sale.

Check out Organic Deals for even more tips and help on couponing.

Buy In Bulk

Placing bulk orders may seem like a lot of money but really it saves a bunch in the long run!

I buy most of my meat in bulk check out Eat Wild to see what places around you offer bulk grass fed/pastured meat options. For my neighbors to the north (all you Canadians) Eat Wild has plenty of options for you as well. If I have any foreign readers with resources to share please let me know so I can include them on here!

I buy most of my spices and herbal teas in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs. I also get my coconut oil in bulk from here.

I also shop around and but things like quinoa, rice, flour, oats, etc… in bulk and store the excess in one of my deep freezers. Check out whole sale stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.

Buy Local and In Season

Check you area for local farmers markets and go, talk to the farmers, get to know them ask them whats in season what their favorite produce is. I have tried so many new things and fallen in love with them on the recommendation of some of my local farmers. Check out Local Harvest for places near you.

Look for CSA’s or Co-ops to join and get fresh produce every week. I am part of a Co-op for those in and around the Atlanta, Ga. area I get a box of fresh, mostly organic, mostly local produce every other week for $38 and it lasts us for 2 weeks. If you live in or around Atlanta, Ga. you might want to check it out, it is called Nature’s Garden Express you can use this code: 473fe and receive $10 off your first order.

For other places in the United States you might want to check out Bountiful Baskets they have a great organic produce basket for $25. They also usually have some great organic add on items.

Buying through my local Co-op has really sparked my creativity in the kitchen I love getting my basket every other week and figuring out what all I want to make with it’s contents. I’ve also tried a ton of new fruits and vegetables that I probably never would have before.

Grow & Make What You Can at Home

We go through a ton of tomato sauce every year so I have started growing my own tomatoes and making sauce, salsa, diced tomatoes, and more and canning them myself to last most of the year. This year I am also going to branch out into canning other fruits like apples and peaches so look out for those posts later on. I will also be canning some vegetables if I can get my hands on a good pressure canner! Maybe I’ll even go a little crazy and try a meat! Check out Simply Canning for more info on canning.

Besides tomatoes I also grow a variety of herbs like oregano, mint, basil, rosemary, and tarragon.

My goal for this year is also to get some chickens for eggs!

If you have a tight space or little to now sunshine for growing (like me) check out Square Foot Gardening or look into Container Gardening.

These are all the tips and trick I find helpful for eating organic on a budget! I’d love to know how you save money on your organic groceries!