HOW TO EAT HEALTHY FOOD ON A BUDGET

I was fortunate enough to grow up eating mostly organic food. My parents were kind of health nuts, so when I became an adult the healthy habits were fairly ingrained in me. However, purchasing organic food sometimes felt like it was out of my budget, especially in my 20s and early 30s.

Often, I hear a lot of people say that eating healthy is not realistic for them because it is too expensive. While eating organic food, or just healthy food in general, can definitely be more expensive, it does not have to be.

With a little extra effort and creative resources you CAN figure out how to eat healthy and organic food even on a budget.

Over the years, I have learned a lot of tips and tricks on how to eat healthy on a budget. Hopefully they are helpful to you! But let’s start with the basics…

HOW TO EAT ORGANIC ON A BUDGET VIDEO

WHAT IS ORGANIC FOOD?

Organic just means that the food has been grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals and pesticides. Organically grown foods also are free of genetically modified organisms…commonly known as GMO’s.

For a food to have the USDA organic stamp of approval, it must meet a list of standards and guidelines set out by the USDA. You can read more about those standards here. Keep in mind that many small, local farmers and gardeners may also grow organic foods but not carry the USDA stamp.

Do you have to buy everything organically?

No, you don’t have to!  You can prioritize what is most important to you to purchase organically.

For example, I use the “Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen” list when I am buying fresh fruits and veggies. This list helps me prioritize what to purchase organically when I am buying produce.

Which leads me to my first tip on shopping for organic food on a budget…

10 TOP TIPS: HOW TO EAT ORGANIC ON A BUDGET

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1.KNOW YOUR ORGANIC PRODUCE

The clean 15 and dirty dozen list is a list of foods that is put together by the Environmental Working Group . It ranks produce according to the amount of pesticides that they have on them.

Fruits and veggies on the “Clean 15” list have less pesticides on them and so these are the items that I will purchase non-organically when I need to. Anything that is on the “Dirty Dozen” list however, I will only buy organic.

The higher on the list the more the pesticides. So I am very careful to avoid the ones at the top of the list, unless they are organic.

I created an ebook of this post that includes a printable version of the “Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen” list so that you can print it out and keep it in your purse or wallet so that you always have it when you’re shopping.

If buying organic produce isn’t in your budget try to stick to the foods found on the Clean 15 list instead!

Also, keep in mind that you can often times get locally grown food at a farmers stand or the farmers market that is grown without pesticides or chemicals of any sort. It may not be labeled organic, because local gardeners and small farmers can’t always afford the certification fees it takes for an organic label.

If you ask, they are always happy to tell you how they grow their produce and if they use chemicals or not.

2.  EAT SEASONALLY FOR CHEAP ORGANIC FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

This is a BIG one for saving money!

Buy in Season

Buying a watermelon in the middle of the winter is going to cost a whole lot more compared to if you were to buy it when it was in season in the summer time.

Another example is  cranberries. They may cost more in the summer than if you were to buy them right after Thanksgiving when they all go on sale.

During the summer you can often find things like zucchini and summer squash for next to nothing. Neighbors will often try to give us their surplus of zucchini during the summer, and I gladly take it!

Compare Prices on Seasonal Items

Be sure to shop around and see which stores have the best prices. I know which stores have the best price and I also know which things I can get a better deal on online. It can take a little extra time to go to different stores but trust me when I say it is well worth the effort if you are trying to eat healthy.

Stock Up on Organic Produce

When I find a good deal on something that’s in season, I stock up! And by stock up I mean I buy every single one in the store and I take it home and freeze or dry it so that I have them all throughout the year.

Which leads me to tip 3…

3. BUY ORGANIC PRODUCE IN BULK, FREEZE AND PRESERVE

I am always looking for good deals. Whether that means finding a big sale on organic frozen corn at Trader Joe’s, or getting a big box of locally grown apples from a local orchard, I am always looking for the best bang for my buck.

Buying a large amount of food might feel overwhelming if it’s not something you’re used to doing, but when you learn how easy it is to throw right fruit in the freezer or slice up some veggies and put them in the dehydrator you’ll be excited about buying in bulk!

Because I find cheaper foods at several different grocery stores, I like to stock up when I go.  I buy as much as I can and throw it in the deep freezer.

4. GET TO KNOW YOUR LOCAL FARMERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES

Buying food locally is a great way to find healthy food at a discount. Depending on where you live there may be other local farmers or even gardeners that you can get to know who will give you good deals on things when you purchase large amounts.

For example, we will usually order a freezer full of locally grown organic chickens once a year and we go to the farm and pick them all up at once. You can also often find good quality local milk, cheese, and butter.

Often times you can find a big box of ripe fruits or vegetables that are about to go bad and the farmer will sell it to you for next to nothing. This is not a problem, because ripe produce is more nutrient dense and is the best time to throw it in the freezer! You can use it for recipes or smoothies later on.

5. JOIN A FOOD COOP

If you can find a local food co-op to join, I really recommend that you do so! Ordering from a food co-op once month is something that can save you a lot of money, especially if you have a large family.

I order all of our dry goods like beans, grains, flour, nuts, seeds and dried fruit through a food co-op that delivers monthly to our area. By ordering a 25 pound bag of brown rice I can save almost twice what I would if I bought the same rice in small packages at the store.

6. ORDER CHEAP ORGANIC FOOD ONLINE

There are some products I can just get cheaper when I order them online. We all know about Amazon Prime, but I also enjoy ordering from Thrive Market. I have a coupon for 25% off your first order if you would like to try them out. They have a wide variety of organic foods and lots of gluten-free and Paleo friendly options.

7. GROW YOUR OWN

While this isn’t a practical option for everybody, if you are able to and live in an area where you can plant a garden then that is the best way to eat organically on a budget.

If you have a small yard or even live in an apartment, there are still ways you can grow a lot of your own food doing small container gardening.

One of my favorite ways of doing container gardening is to use the Garden Tower from the Garden Tower Project. It’s an amazing way to garden in a small space.

Do you have any tips for eating organically and a budget? I would love to hear them! Share them in the comments below!