Cincinnati Enquirer, Polly Campbell
Published June 26, 2005
It generally costs more, but consumers are paying for the satisfaction of knowing more about what they eat.
Joanna Grome of Hyde Park, like a lot of us, would prefer to buy and eat organic as often as possible. Eating healthy is important to her, and she wants to avoid pesticides in her food. But she can't always afford it.
"I have at times shopped all organic, but when I want to save money, I cut back," Grome says. "If I shopped at Wild Oats all the time, I'd be broke."
It's true that organic food is generally more expensive than conventionally grown counterparts. It takes strong dedication to the principles of organic food to choose the $3.19 half-gallon of organic milk when regular milk is $1.85.
But more grocery shoppers are making that choice. According to the Organic Trade Association, consumer demand for organic products has grown about 20 percent a year through the 1990s and since. It's projected to be a $30.7 billion market by 2007.
In Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, the availability of organic food has grown dramatically, with the opening of Wild Oats markets in Norwood and Deerfield Township, which sell organic produce and other organic food products, and many new aisles of organics at conventional groceries, such as bigg's, Kroger and Meijer.
It's now possible, and for many, convenient to shop for an entirely organic diet.
But at a price.
"Generally, it's assumed that organic is about 20 percent more than conventional," says Matt Madison, who sells both organic and conventional produce at his Madison Produce stores in Glendale and Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine.
That's an average, and the price differential can vary greatly from item to item and season to season.
"I'll always buy organic bananas and apples," says Grome, "They aren't that different" in price.
Last week, organic apples were the lower-price choice at bigg's: 99 cents per pound, while non-organic apples were $1.29-$1.89 per pound. Organically grown baby carrots were $1.79 per pound, just a dime more than conventional carrots. Organic yogurt is not that much more than conventional: $2.99 for a 2-pound tub of Stonyfield Farm organic, versus $2.75 for Dannon.
But some items have a bigger price gap: avocados at Madison's were $2.90 for organic; $1.30 for conventional. Tomatoes were $5 per pound organic, $2 conventional.
Organic milk carries an especially big premium - costing $2.50-$4.29 per half gallon.
While buying organic is the best way to know about how your food was grown when it comes from far away, "it's really just a substitute for knowing the farmer," says Mary Ida Compton, who has put together a farmer's market now open Sundays in Hyde Park.
"Buying locally is trumping organic right now," says Madison. "People who buy organic are looking for food without pesticides, and for food that's not genetically modified." Madison says. "They can get that by buying locally."
At Findlay Market's many farmer's stands, shoppers often can ask farmers about their practices for raising produce. Many of those farmers use organic methods, but the farms simply haven't applied for official organic status from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The food is often fresher because it has not been shipped as far, and when you're buying in season, the prices are a bargain.
"Now that it's summer, I love to shop at Findlay Market," says Grome. "It's nice to talk to the farmers, to know my dollars are staying locally, and to feel connected to the people I'm buying my food from."
Smart organic shopping
Buy local. Farmer's markets, pick-your-own farms, the bounty of neighbors' gardens (or your own) may be just as "organic" as certified produce, and are certainly raised with less chemical help than conventional produce from big farms in California.
Buy seasonally. You'll pay the most outrageous prices for out-of-season organic produce that comes from far away. Enjoy each fruit or vegetable in season.
Shop around. Conventional groceries sell lots of organic products, often at competitive prices.
Buy in bulk. Organic rice, flour and beans sold in bins are much cheaper than the same products in plastic bags on the shelf.
Make your own. "I buy organic nuts and fruits and make my own trail mix ," says Joanna Grome of Hyde Park. "I make my own hummus instead of paying for those little tubs."
Buy only the most important organic items. If you're most concerned about hormones, pesticides and antibiotics, you'll want to buy naturally raised meat.
Some produce is more likely to have pesticide residues than others: peaches, strawberries, apples and bell peppers. Less likely to have pesticide residues are onions, asparagus, cauliflower and corn. (For a complete list from the Environmental Working Group, visit
www.ewg.org.)
