It's no secret that organic food is the safest for your family, and although studies aren't 100 percent conclusive, it appears that buying organic will not only protect you from ingesting harmful pesticides and other chemicals, but it will ensure that you are eating the most nutritionally rich food available. The problem is, most regular grocers in the United States only offer a very small selection of organic foods, and they tend to cost significantly more than non-organic foods. According to the rules of supply and demand, the tables will turn in our favor once more people begin buying organic, but in the meantime, here are five ways you can make the switch without busting the bank:
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1. Buy into a farm share. Many small, family-owned farms participate in Community Supported Agriculture, a system that allows individuals to purchase a "share" of produce from the farm, usually on a weekly basis. Though you will find certified organic farms that offer farm shares, many farms are organic in every way but are not USDA certified because of the prohibitive cost. Since you are buying in bulk, directly from the farmer, you'll spend far less than you do at the supermarket. To find a farm share visit localharvest.org.
2. Shop the farmer's market. If there are no farm shares in your area or you can't manage the upfront cost of one, locate a farmer's market and purchase as much of your produce there as possible. Farmer's markets come in many forms: indoor, outdoor, street stalls, farm booths, etc., but all offer great savings for the same reasons mentioned above.
3. Learn the Clean 15. A great way to gradually incorporate organic foods into your diet is to learn the dirty dozen and commit to at least buying those organic. You should also learn the clean 15, that way you don't waste your precious dollars on foods that pose little to no risk to your health. Find out more here.
4. Use coupons. These days, there are a number of larger commercial farms whose products are certified organic and sold in supermarkets, and like most manufacturers, they have Web sites that feature printable coupons as well as e-coupons. Do an Internet search for "organic food coupons" and you'll find savings on everything from bagged lettuce and packaged strawberries to meat and milk.
5. Check for store brands. Some major retailers are finally jumping on the organic train and have started to offer organic store-brand products–especially dairy and grain items as well as packaged foods. As tends to be the case with generics, you'll likely find the products to be just as good as name brands at a fraction of the cost.
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