Buying organic food can be a healthy choice for people and the planet. It can also be more expensive. But you actually don't have to break the bank to eat organic. There are some easy ways to save.
For starters, one great money saving tip is to look for store brand organics. For example, the Whole Food’s brand organic apple sauce is about half the price of name brand organic apple sauce.
Check prices carefully because organic can sometimes be cheaper. For instance, a one-kilogram package of organic hummus at Costco is almost a dollar less than a non-organic brand there.
“If going completely organic is putting too big a dent in your budget, know that for some fruits and vegetables, conventionally grown is comparable in terms of pesticide risk to organic,” said Trisha Calvo.
One example is avocados. Consumer Reports has previously found non-organic avocados from Mexico, Chile and Peru have a low pesticide risk. The same goes with conventionally grown U.S. broccoli.
But produce like strawberries top the Environmental Working Group's dirty dozen list, with a higher pesticide risk. Spinach, nectarines, bell peppers and potatoes are also on the list, so buying those items organic may be worth the extra money.
You can also check out frozen organic veggies. When you compare their prices to fresh, you could be pleasantly surprised.
Washing your produce can also help with pesticide risk. It can’t guarantee that you’ll get rid of all pesticide residues, though a good scrubbing can get rid of some. Keep in mind, though, some produce absorbs the pesticides and those can’t be washed away.
