A friend of mine recently asked me how to eat organic without spending a ton of money and I figured it would make for some great content to share with all of you, too! So without further adieu, here are 5 ways you can eat organic (or darn close to it) without breaking the bank:

1. Focus on the “Dirty Dozen.” Every year EWG comes out with a “dirty dozen” list of produce with the highest amount of pesticide residues, which are therefore more important to buy organic. For 2017, that list included: strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, celery, grapes, pears, cherries, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and potatoes.
2. Thin skin or thick? On a related note, the next tip I tell my clients to use when deciding what produce to buy organic and what to buy conventional is to think about whether the skin of the fruit or vegetable is thick or thin. If it is thin, most likely you will want to buy organic. If the skin is thick, the pesticides are less likely to infiltrate the fruit & vegetable and will probably be okay with buying conventional.
3. Buy in-season organic produce. Next, and this will help your pocketbook a lot, is to buy in-season organic produce. Fruits & vegetables are cheapest when they are in-season and in abundance. I just pinned a list of what’s in-season by month over on my Pinterest account if you want to use those resources!
4. Shop in bulk. My next tip is to shop in bulk. This will cost a little bit more on the front end, but will definitely save you money in the long run! Costco is one of the largest sellers of organic foods, and a favorite place of mine to shop because I can buy organic food for much cheaper. Additionally, you may also want to consider buying a half or quarter cow from a local farmer. My husband and I bought a quarter cow about two years ago, and we are just finishing the last of the meat now. We will definitely be doing it again!
5. Buy locally. Head to the farmer’s market & ask the farmers what pesticides they use (if any). Although not all farmers in your area are certified organic, this can tell you a lot about how your food is grown and can make you a smarter consumer!

xoxo,

Zoe Lauryn

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