All of us want access to good quality food and water for ourselves and our family. Eating nutrient-dense foods feeds energy, mood, and immune system without having to take supplements with fillers.

I remember as a kid, my grandparents had a small garden where they would grow rhubarb, watermelon, green string beans, and tomatoes. I loved going in the backyard and picking strawberries and eating them off the vine.

Cost of Organic Food Versus Conventional

One of the roadblocks to buying organic produce is the cost. A study done by Consumer Reports, on average, organic foods were 47% more expensive. Buying local saves on how long produce has to travel which means, it lasts longer. The average distance food travels from farm to consumer can range from 766 miles to 2,143 miles.

Imported produce may be cheaper, but in the long run, the quality suffers. Ever gone to the grocery store and bought a package of strawberries for it to start going bad a couple of days later?

Most of the berries that arrive at the grocery store are unripe. The only way to enjoy the fruit is to smoother them in sugar. Who wants that?

Going Organic Benefits on a Budget

Buying local food from farmers through community-supported agriculture (CSA), farmer markets, roadside stands are not only cheaper, but you get more produce than shopping for the same product at a grocery store. A good reason to reduce waste by freezing to enjoy later.

Prevent food waste

My favorite is the 3lbs bags of Wyman’s wild blueberries, strawberries, and berry mix. Great for making smoothies, adult beverages, or satisfy that sweet tooth with homemade sorbet.

This option is perfect for winter-time for those folks living in winter climates and doesn’t want to go out into blizzard conditions or for those folks who don’t feel like standing in lines at the grocery store.

Juice leftover vegetables

Take the pulp, divide it up into small batches and freeze in a silicone ice tray. Once frozen, transfer to a reusable gallon freezer bag.

Add to your weekly fruit smoothies to get 1-2 servings of vegetables in. Reuse the tray to add an extra-large ice cube to your favorite alcoholic beverage or whiskey or freeze homemade soups and sauces.

The best possible deal is buying in bulk

Farmers market and roadside stands are perfect for that. I buy my corn from a stand that is set up in the parking lot of a meat market and deli. $7 for a dozen versus $1 each is a steal. Blanch corn on the cob in boiling water for a minute, cut kernels off the cob, add kernels to a gallon freezer bag and freeze.

Meat and dairy products are usually the expensive part of the grocery bill. Substitute whole milk for powder. I know it sounds weird, but wait to judge until you taste it. My favorite is Judee’s Whole Milk Powder on Amazon because it is non-GMO and hormone-free.

Make what you need when you have that craving for some chocolate milk or an iced frappe. I also buy goat milk powder on nuts.com and alternate between the two.

Buy meat products like bison, elk, and fish from your local meat shop, freeze unused portions, and use for another meal.

Chop up kale and zucchini and freeze in a freezer bag

Add a handful of these nutrient-dense vegetables to your smoothie to get sources of Vitamins C and K, manganese, calcium, and magnesium.

Freeze herbs like dill, cilantro, and pea tendrils by chopping them up, smothering them in olive oil, and freezing them in a reusable ice cube tray to add to dinner entrees or make homemade pesto.

Support farmers by signing up for a CSA

Not only will you get ultra-fresh food, but create partnerships with your community. Who doesn’t like fresh eggs and grass-fed meats? For a listing of CSAs in your area, click here.

Buy dry foods like lentils, barley, wheat berries, and rice in bulk

Store in mason jars to prevent pests and critters from getting in. Again nuts.com is my favorite go-to for buying in bulk.

Another way to save money is to grow your own microgreens at home. Growing them in my kitchen saves me a trip to the grocery store in the winter and paying $5 twice a week for a container of microgreens at my co-op.

That comes out to $40 a month. I pay a $17-month subscription through Hamama which gets me 3 seed quilts and a plastic tray.

If you are interested in growing your own greens, click here.

Get 10% off by entering the code: SUPERGREENS at checkout.

As you dive into eating organic, you will notice that you eat less produce as your body will absorb more vitamins and minerals which means your grocery bill will be lower saving you money and peace of mind knowing where your food comes from.

If you are looking for more ways to avoid food waste, check out my post, 10 Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste to learn additional ways to save money on your weekly grocery bill.

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