Shopping for Organics: 5 Ways to Save

1. Coupons, Coupons, Coupons According to Consumer Reports, the average American spends nearly $5,000 a year on groceries. With the organic sector showing the largest amount of growth in the food industry presently, coupons for organic foods are also becoming more common. Online coupons from your favorite organic food makers are another viable option to save some green.

2. Do Buy Store Brand Items If you’re still drawn to the more popular big natural and organic stores because they offer items that are not as readily found in the typical supermarket (such as exotic-tasting soups and funny-sounding figs), look for private-label items. They’re cheaper and taste just as good if not better than those products that have been marketed and packaged up the wazoo.

3. Do Buy Whole Unprocessed Foods The more processed or refined food is, the less nutritional value and fiber it will have. If you just have to have that cinnamon honey whole-wheat graham cracker that’s been doubly wrapped, look for either packaging that’s biodegradable or recyclable packages such as glass, aluminum and PET (polyethylene terephthalate — the embossed number “1” indicator that you commonly see) whenever you can. Also, check out foods in the bulk aisle and buy enough so that you can enjoy them for the next couple of weeks.

4. Don’t Grocery Shop Alone Shopping with a friend allows for the possibility of sharing of costs on bigger items — not to mention the sharing of gas it might have taken to get to and from the grocery store. If you have a membership at a no-frills warehouse store, split large packages of food up with your buddy. You don’t really need a whole 12-pack of 10 pounds each canned organic tomatoes now, do you?

5. Do Buy Produce from Your Grocery Store That Are on the Dirty Dozen List, Just Make Them Organic The “dirty dozen” are the most highly contaminated foods with pesticides and chemicals — even after washing and peeling. This list includes peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. Buy their organic version whenever possible.

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