Any Advice on Going Organic?

[mjaclyn]

I really would like to start buying organic foods. I don't expect to clear out everything I currently have in my pantry and replace it immediately...organic foods (at least in my area) are very expensive, so I'm going to have to start slowly. I've read articles about the most important products to buy organic so I'm going to start with milk, some produce and meats. The only problem I'm having is actually FINDING a store that carries organic foods!! The closest Whole Foods Market is over an hour away and even though I LOVE it, it's WAY too expensive for me to go there every week. I've heard that some people buy organic meat in bulk directly from the source...does anyone know anything about that? I'm just so frustrated because I want my family to eat healthier but the last two weeks I've tried to shop partly organic and I've already doubled my grocery bill. I was laid off in January and haven't found another job yet and I HAVE to stick to my budget. Any advice??

[PirateLover]

Where do you live? Do you have a Wegman's anywhere nearby? They have a big organic selection.

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

Where do you live? Do you have a Wegman's anywhere nearby? They have a big organic selection.

Wegman's.....I love Wegman's. We don't have them here in Tennessee but I went to one in Erie. What a great grocery store! I wished they'd open them down here. Cheaper than a lot of our grocery stores. I stocked up on canned items and pasta to bring back. Less than half the price of what I pay here!

Other than Whole Foods or Wild Oats. I don't really know who would have a lot of organic because I can't eat organic. You might be able to find something online that will deliver. It probably won't be cheap.

[mjaclyn]

I live in NY and have never heard of Wegman's - I'll see if I can look them up online.

[PirateLover]

Yes look them up because they are all over New York state, I think there is like 50 of them.

[katzctkpt]

Organic is very expensive here. I do buy some things organic especially when I can go to the farmers market. I love fresh tasting produce.
We have Krogers and they have gone up at least 50 cents on everything over the last month. My bill has increased by about $40 and I haven't changed to much on what I buy. Just right down robbery.

[BrerGnat]

The general recommendation for people who want to "go organic" is to change your DAIRY and MEATS to organic first. These are the two most important things to change.

Next, when you've adjusted to the prices, switch your produce. As a general rule, if produce has a thick skin or skin that you usually peel off (oranges, bananas, cucumbers, onions etc), it is not necessary to go organic, as the peels protect the fruit/veggie inside and you discard them anyway. Fruits/veggies with thin skin or "porous" skin (like apples, strawberries) and ground/root produce (potatoes, carrots) should be purchased organic.

Finally, switch over your carbohydrate based foods. This is probably optional. I personally wouldn't waste money on organic grains, as grains in general do not receive many pesticides/chemical treatments.

[BrerGnat]

Where in NY do you live (the city?)

Try TRADER JOE's. They have a good selection of organic items and their prices are WAY better than Whole Foods. TJ's is one of my favorite markets.

There are several in NY:

Just go to Trader Joe's website and click on "locations" and then "east coast". There will be a list of NY locations.

[Kairi_7378]

Try TRADER JOE's. They have a good selection of organic items and their prices are WAY better than Whole Foods. TJ's is one of my favorite markets.

I have to give a thumbs' up to Trader Joe's. They have a lot of wonderful products, many of which are organic. We aren't an "organic" household per se, but I go to TJs at least once a week.

Wegman's is good, although a bit expensive. You can find a lot of interesting products there that are hard to find in other places.

[Mycubbyroo]

Going organic CAN be expensive. But you are doing a good thing for your family. My family made the switch a number of years ago. Our health has improved SO much - we are almost never sick. here's what i suggest: Definitely start out switching dairy first and meat where possible. Someone also suggested thin skinned fruits and veggies being the first produce to make a priority - that's a good place to start. Other things that are important: cut out processed and pre-prepared foods. They are often pricey and have SO many chemicals and artificial ingredients. Especially stay away from high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, and artificial flavors and colors. Get rid of sodas (regular and diet) and processed snacks. Go for whole foods - lean meats, a variety of fresh veggies and fruits, and whole grain breads, cereals, rice and pasta (our favorite is Barilla Plus - yellow box - doesn't have a funny texture). Sweeten with stevia (www.sweetleaf.com). Try Alacer Emergen-C (small packets you mix with water or juice - 1000 mg of vitamin C) - they are fizzy and my kids think they are a treat - we each have one per day and more if we are sick or exposed to something we don't want. You can get these at WalMart or Target for about $8. If you have a Super Target - they have a great selection of organic and natural foods. So does Publix grocery store - its my favorite. We drive 20 minutes to Montgomery, AL once or twice a month for their stuff and I drive up to Birmingham (an hour and 15 minutes away) to shop Whole Foods once every month or two. I understand how hard and expensive it can be to find stuff when you live in certain areas - I'm certainly there now. Shop farmers markets for produce - often locally grown is cheaper. I applaud you for making an effort to help your family become healthier. feel free to PM me if you want to talk more specifics or if you have any other questions. Good luck and good health to you!

[MissStyles]

I guess it does depend on the area. Like the above poster suggested Super Target has a ton of organic items that are a lot cheaper than at the regular grocery store. My local market (Publix) has their own brand of organic items (snacks, meats etc.) that aren't too pricey. Next time you're at the store just look around in depth. You never know what you might find! Also, just because something is organic it doesn't necessarily mean it's healthier than something that isn't. You might want to start by just reading ingredients on regular products and eliminate the unnatural/processed items. There are lots of articles online that go over what to look for. Lastly, I highly recommend Kashi brand items...their cereals, crackers, granola bars and cookies are great. I always know when I buy that brand I'm doing something good for myself. Also check out Annie's...they make great macaroni and cheese, crackers, cereals and graham bunnies too. These are all staple items in my house. Goodluck!!!!! Just keep your eyes peeled....:cool:

[wdwgrl377]

I love LOVE Trader Joe's! I never heard of it until I moved up here to NC and my mom took me there. It's really, really good! Thumbs up for TJ too! :thumbsup:

[MegaDisney]

Safeway carries ALOT of organic products.

[AZ Disney]

Costco is a great source for organic foods and very good pricing. All of their products are mixed in with regular items, so you'll have to look around a bit until you become familiar with what they carry. They continually add new items. I currently pay $7.99 for 3 half gallon containers of milk. It's also the ultra pasteurized kind, so as long as the carton is not opened the expiration date is 4-6 weeks out. Trader Joe's is a good one too and reasonably priced. Safeway is the third option but pricing is much higher. Finally, I'm not big on Wal-Mart, but I do know that they are trying to carry more organic and I have no idea on their pricing.
Good Luck, it's worth it.

[laughingplace<3]

I don't know where you are and the logic of my advice, but fresh direct delivers organic foods. I don't think it's that expensive- of course it's overpriced, it's organic, but it's not too bad compared to some other gourmet markets. I live in NYC and most people I know get fresh direct. You can go on freshdirect.com, I'm pretty sure if you live in a city they can deliver... on the homepage, just put in your zipcode and they'll tell you if they can deliver there.

[mjaclyn]

I actually just made my first visit to Trader Joe's last week and got a few things. I have to agree that their prices are MUCH better than Whole Foods, but they don't have as big a selection. As far as my local grocery stores go, each of them have a small 'Organic' or 'All Natural' section. I've been buying the Annies whole wheat and graham bunnies for my daughter as well as some organic cereal bars. Also, instead of regular soda I've been getting 'Fizzy Lizzy' or 'Izze'. Both are 100&#37; fruit juice and sparkling water with no added sugar. I like them much better than regular soda now and I don't miss the caffeine at all!

I'm going to get organic milk starting this week but I still can't find any organic meat that I can buy and actually stay within my budget. I've been getting Tyson All Natural chicken - it's not organic, but at least there are no antibiotics in it. I don't think there is a Super Target around here, but at the regular Target I have been buying Non-Toxic cleaning supplies (Method). My DD is getting smarter every day and has figured out how to open the baby proofed cabinets. I decided to switch my cleaning products over to non-toxic just in case.

Thanks so much for all the advice. I'm going to keep trying to buy as much organic food as I can within my budget. It's getting more and more difficult to stick to ANY budget - I just spent $63 to fill up my gas tank today!! I never understood why prices spike just when the economy seems to be at it's worst.

[BrerGnat]

TJ's one downfall is that it does not carry EVERYTHING. Otherwise, that's the only place I'd shop. :thumbsup: It's one of my 3 "food stores" that I go to.

FYI, regarding meats:
-Chicken sold in the USA (under any brand name), by FDA law, CANNOT contain antibiotics or hormones. Poultry that is "organic" just means that the chickens were fed organic feed. This is hard to find, and in the grand scheme of the "organic movement", doesn't matter all that much. Chickens eat corn. Corn is not a grain that gets pesticide thrown on it. You're best off buying your chicken wherever it's CHEAPEST. Don't be misled by "no antibiotics/hormones" claims, as it's something EVERYONE can claim.

-Buying Organic beef is much more important, as cows graze on grass and they CAN be given antibiotics/hormones. This is why getting Organic dairy products (or at least milk from cows who were not given hormones/antibiotics...TJ's carries this...) is important as well.

[mjaclyn]

I feel much better about the Organic meat thing now... DH doesn't eat beef so I rarely buy it. We pretty much just eat chicken, pork and fish. It's really difficult to find organic meats around here and to buy it online is ridiculous. Every website I find charges over $10 per lb!! I did buy the organic milk and it really tastes much better than the milk I usually buy.

[merlinmagic4]

I looked at organic milk yesterday when I was shopping. It was 6.99 a gallon compared to 2.99 for the Shaws brand. I like the idea of switching, though.

Another thing you can do to avoid pesticides is to grow your own food! Plant a veggie garden!

Also, if you treat your lawn with pesticides, reconsider. Kids play on the lawn or people walk on the lawn and then into your house. If you are concerned about pesticides exposure, this is definitely one place to look.

[momof3+twins]

Milk- Horizon or Oberweiss. What you want to look at here is the hormones, and anitbiotics. You don't want that in your body. So, go with a fat free milk it has less naturally occurring hormones in it.

Meat- Go with MorningingStar or Boca. Or buy no hormones added.

Go only with the organic fruits and veggies that you read were important, Some retain pesticides more than others.

And just cut out the junk food then you won't be buying the stuff that isn't organic anyway.

Buy in bulk.

Our grocery stores have small organic sections, so check that out.

Don't eat white bread.

I think that you can help your family be alot healthier just by changing the meat and milk. I wouldn't worry too much about the as long as you go with the healthy alternatives and stay close to nature.

But, I do recommend using greenworks for cleaning, and also look for the organic soaps and shampoos. Something without parabens in them. If you switch all your cleaning and beauty products it is cheaper and it will be healthier also.
Good Luck! I know it is expensive.

[Gooftroop5]

I live in NY and have never heard of Wegman's - I'll see if I can look them up online.

Where do you live in NY. Wegmans originally started in Rochester, NY. In my area you can't drive anywhere without finding a Wegmans. Of course I'm a little more aware of them my FIL retired from Wegmans & both dh & bil worked there while in college.

I love Wegmans. I can get things there cheaper than I can even get them @ the super Wal-marts & BJ's not saying this makes them cheap it depends on what you buy. However, I don't think you will have a hard time finding one unless you live in NYC area.

I have to agree with the pricing though of organic. With summer coming you might want to consider growing some of your own vegetables. Even apartments you can grow your own cucumbers & tomatoes. Plus other things.

Farm Markets are a good place too. At least in my area the bigger ones have organic.