Options Are Growing For Organic Consumers

Grand Rapid Press
Published July 10, 2007

If you think eating organic on a budget means making do with a handful of grapes or rationing portions from a single hormone-free chicken, starve not. With these five shopping tips, you can stock your shelves with pesticide-free, free-range goodies -- and still have money for those coveted hemp shoes. Troll the aisles of price-busting warehouses and discount stores. These retailers, including stores such as Costco, are carrying more and more organic items. If you don't have the storage space for bulk items, split the 25-pound bag of rice with a friend. Download coupons. Web sites of your favorite organic brands may have printable coupons. Check out Stonyfield Farm (stonyfield.com), Organic Valley (organicvalley.coop) and the Web sites of your usual markets for in-store discounts. Bargain down Negotiate at farmers markets. Ask if you can buy the dented tomatoes, wilted basil, bruised apples and other rejected produce for a reduced price. Once you puree the tomatoes into gazpacho, the once-flawed become flawless. Order online. It keeps you from buying too much and items you don't need, says Michelle Kennedy, who writes about organic eating for her online newsletter, Real Living (find it at mishakennedy.com). Plus, Web sites often offer free shipping. Kennedy's favorite online outlets are Netgrocer.com, Barbara's Bakery (barbarasbakery.com) for bulk cereal, and Amazon.com, which has expanded its organic offerings. Think through your purchases. Do all the foods you buy need to be organic? The Environmental Working Group, (202) 667-6982 or ewg.org, a Washington-based watchdog organization, lists the fruits and vegetables that are least susceptible to pesticide contamination and those most vulnerable, such as bell peppers and potatoes. Download its free guide at foodnews.org.