Eating organic can be expensive. There’s a reason why Whole Foods, best known for its wide array of organic comestibles, is often referred to as “Whole Paycheck.”
Here are some tips to help you out.
Pick and choose
Not all organic foods are created equal.Typically, foods with thin skins (or skins that you eat) are better off organic.It might cost a little more to buy organic produce but better safe than sorry.Do your research before you shop and decide what foods you absolutely have to buy organic. The Environmental Working Group’s Shoppers guide is a great place to start.
Carefully portion meat
Meat is at the top of my priority list when it comes to buying organic. Organic certification from the Soil Association not only certifies that the meat is organic but that it is high welfare. Meat is expensive, buy less and make vegetables the center of attention. When you do buy meat buy cheaper cuts like shoulder and belly, they take longer cooking but are often tastier than the prime cuts.
So bust out that kitchen scale and portion, portion, portion. Remember that meat will lose some weight in the cooking process (and to account for any bones). Instead of giving each family member an entire 8-ounce chicken breast, portion into two servings.
Skip health food stores
More and more mainstream grocery stores are offering tons of organic options. Places like Costco offer great selections on organic meats, and although you’ll be buying in bulk, you can always portion out what you need and freeze the rest.
Don’t make a second trip to go to a specialty store to get a specific ingredient–look for it at your local supermarket. And another thing: really question whether or not you’ll use that organic buckwheat flour for more than one recipe.
Cook from scratch
Convenience foods are more expensive than cooking raw ingredients from scratch as long as you look after your ingredients and use them sparingly. I like to cook extra portions of food that I can eat for lunch the next day or freeze for use in the future.
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