What If I Can’t Afford Organic


I often hear, “but I can’t afford to eat healthy.” For most of you, I call B.S. It is all about your priorities. Maybe you choose to get your nails done, or get coffee at Starbucks, you could take that money and buy higher quality food instead. By choosing to stay the same, you need to say, “My priorities don’t all for healthier eating.” Sometimes, you just need to meal plan. Then make a grocery list. This keeps extra items out of your cart. Don’t overthink your plan. If you eat cereal every morning, don’t plan a frittata. Let’s say you have your budget already trimmed, and you currently meal plan based on cheapest foods. Well, now that gets a little trickier.

I am going to share a couple of other blogs that have quality info on this topic. This one gives what is best to worst, in terms of meat, http://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/06/if-i-cant-always-afford-grass-fed-beef.html This website offers coupons at times for  different meat, http://grasslandbeef.com And then this post touches on why organic is worth the money, http://robbwolf.com/2012/05/02/food-budget-and-paleo-diet-questions-answers/ And one of my favorites is the dirty dozen and clean fifteen from the produce department, http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

“Action expresses priorities” Mohandas Gandhi

So for my trickier people, I have some Becka thoughts on it for you:

In season fresh veggies are cheapest, and if you buy a little extra you can prep and freeze them. Frozen veggies are another cheaper option. I used to think I was limited as to how I prepared frozen veggies, but I’ve started roasting them in the oven, delicious! Find a farmer’s market and buy local. Sometimes when you frequent on often enough, they will cut you an extra deal from time to time. You will probably need to buy the bulk frozen proteins to start, as you under spend on your budget, put the difference away. Look for buy one, get one sales. Find when the butcher cuts new meat and buy the discounted meat the day before. You can cook or freeze it to increase the shelf life. Use more veggies and less meat in your meals, you don’t need an 8 oz filet all to yourself. A great way to save in the long run is to purchase a 1/4 cow, or befriend  a hunter who has some extra venison. This can take some time and saving, not to mention freezer space, so just do your best in the meantime.

What tips and tricks do you have for eating healthy and organic on a budget?