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

1. Absolutely must be organic
2. Absolutely must be natural
3. 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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