Organic Grocery Shopping On A Budget
I had put it off long enough, I had to go food shopping last night. It was Friday, the store was empty and it was a perfect night for a working mom to shop.
I’ve been following the Eco Chic Parents blog where Tara, inspired by KIWI’s “A Healthy Budget” in the June 2007 issue, has gone almost all “organic”. I was in turn, inspired by her to sort out my own shopping strategy.
I separated my purchases into three categories
- Absolutely must be organic
- Absolutely must be natural
- Ok, I-can-compromise (or I-have-no-other-choice)
The first “absolutely must be organic” for me is dairy products. Milk, butter, cheese, yogurt have to be dairy and I will pay any price to avoid antibiotics and growth hormones in my family’s food (Horizon DHA Milk is a must for Maylee). Eggs are included in this too (Organic Valley eggs when I can find them). Also, I search for antibiotic, hormone-free meat/poultry (e.g. ShopRite’s Reddington Farms and Wegmans’ Food You Feel Good About organic poultry).
If it can’t be organic, it has to be natural. Absolutely no artificial colors, flavors or artificial sweeteners in my pantry. There are too many great alternatives to juices (Apple & Eve), fruit snacks (FruitaBü), cookies (Mi-Del, Back to Nature, Newman’s), salty snacks (Food Should Taste Good, Snyder’s of Hanover, Hain, Back to Nature, Annie’s Bunnies) and so on, that don’t have those nasty ingredients. And, there is no need to consume artificial sweeteners for any of us. (I do not believe that anyone has ever lost weight on artificial sweeteners.) I’d rather see my child have sugar in moderation than consume these products that have been linked to autoimmune diseases and other health risks.
The third category for me is a tough one, but when I have to compromise, I look at the products that are whole grain such as cereals and pasta brands. Again, not the ideal “organic” but better than the alternative with a whole grain benefit. Also, unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find eco-paper alternatives in many supermarkets (although plentiful in Whole Foods), so that’s a compromise area.
Thankfully, supermarkets have great store brands now. Whole Foods Market, ShopRite, Safeway (O Organics) and Wegmans have fabulous organic product lines. And, the prices are typically more reasonable than branded items.
This trip’s purchases were about 75% organic and natural, and totaled $358. For three people, I hope (!!) this lasts two weeks. Tara from Eco Chic Parent spent $229.40 for two adults and a baby. She raised a good point in her blog “I do believe that when looking at ones budget it is important to take into consideration medical bills. Healthier people are know for fewer illnesses: including colds”. I agree with Tara; the extra money we spend on organic and natural will surely come out of our medical expenses.
I’ll keep you posted as I strive to lower my “organic” shopping bills. Look for KIWI’s “2008 Shopping Organic On A Budget” feature in our August 2008 issue.
–Maxine Wolf, mom to Maylee, CEO & Publisher of KIWI Magazine
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Tags: grocery shopping on a budget, organic food, organic poultry, organic shopping, working mom
February 16th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I love Safeway’s O Organic line! I, too, have been trying to shop more organically and healthfully in 2008.
February 17th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I’m not sure where you live, but Trader Joe’s has the BEST prices on organics. Fresh & Easy also has great prices but they are only on the West Coast right now.
Buying local and in bulk can be MUCH cheaper than buying packaged grocery store organics.
Thanks!
Alina Anderson
February 17th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Hi Alina,
Yes, you are so right. Trader Joe’s has great prices and great products! Thanks for the reminder. I shop there too. My wish would be that there is one place to shop with everything instead of having to go to so many different stores to shop. Maybe someday….
–Maxine
February 18th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Great post! And thanks for the blog link.
I too prefer shopping organic. I do wonder how organic brands like O Organics at Vons/Safeway really are… I plan to look into it. Just as Tyson chicken claims to be hormone free and there is a substance used in their feed that is controversial–seen as an antibiotic by some experts, not so by others (http://shawna-thoughts.blogspot.com/2007/11/tyson-foods-lies.html)
And I also have to compromise. Milk for my children is organic, we raise chickens and thus are eggs are free range and free of antibiotics and hormones (organic feed is way to expensive, although once in awhile it gets mixed in) produce is organic or home grown… meat is what kills me: very EXPENSIVE. I look for the most natural as an alternative. Laura’s Lean Beef is hormone and antibiotic free, Tyson’s chicken (although now in question) and whatever I can squeeze into the budget that is natural or organic.
Here is a good post that helps define the differences between organic and natural http://notquitecrunchyparent.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-can-i-eat-green-if-i-dont-know-what.html …hope you enjoy the reading.
February 24th, 2008 at 2:54 am
This is a great read - it’s interesting to see what others consider their “must have” organics and so on.
I agree with the Trader Joe’s and O Organics from Safeway. Another way to save, for your military readers, is to check the commissary (military grocery store). Ours has a very large selection when it comes to organic and natural products - much larger than I expected or even hoped for, since the commissaries often have a reputation of being “behind the times”. If you happen to know someone who has military shopping privileges and wants to go greener on their grocery shopping, tell them to be sure to check there first! I now buy Eggland’s Best, Horizon Organic, Organic Valley and many other products there that I’ve paid a premium for at Safeway in years past.
One last tip that may be of assistance to someone: if you use a lot of spaghetti sauce, weigh the costs of using simple organic tomato sauce (in cans) and adding your own spices or meats, versus buying big jars of organic Ragu and the like. In our case, it has come out to be less to stock up on canned tomato sauce and paste instead of buying the name-brand organic jarred “spaghetti sauce”. Might work for other families too!
Thanks for all you do, Maxine - we love your magazine. Please tell your staff they do a GREAT JOB too!
February 24th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Thanks Melonie for the kind words on the magazine. I love your spaghetti sauce suggestion. On that same shopping trip, I picked up Amy’s Pasta Sauce (which I love, by the way), but it was $6,99 a jar!! So, I bought the ShopRite for $2.49. Then, I went back and picked up the Amy’s and rationalized it for a special dinner..lol (it is still sitting in my pantry waiting for that “special dinner”). Buying the tomato sauce is a great idea. I often add spices and ground turkey to it anyway. For Maylee, the plainer, the better. I do have a friend whose husband is in the military. I’m going to see if she’ll take me shopping with her. I know the prices are great and I’m curious to see the selection. Thanks again!