How to Save Money and Why Spending It Can Be Worth It may be a better title for Tip #4. Read on…
A certified organic label tells you that fruits and veggies weren’t raised using man-made chemical pesticides, fossil fuel- or sewage-based fertilizers or genetically modified seeds.
Yes, the certified organic price tag that you see in the store is often times more expensive than the sticker on conventionally grown foods. But the real costs are not only monetary–the more you read about the real costs–to our planet and to your health–the more buying organic starts to look like a no-brainer.
Look at where you are spending money in your life to see how you can restructure budgets to allow for quality foods. It will be easier to do this the more you inform yourself. Read about the true costs of buying conventionally grown versus organic foods, by spending some time reading “The Big Crash Course” post or some of our recommendations in the YU shop.
To save money, try farmers’ markets or CSAs. Just Google “organic” and “the dirty dozen” to find helpful lists of the foods that are safer to buy without the organic seal, and which ones you should definitely spend the money on (avoid toxic residues and genetic modifications).
How else can you save money while buying organic? Make the bulk section at your local health food store your best friend. You can find organic snacks, dates, flours, grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruits inexpensively, and in custom quantities, in this section. Since our recipes use simple, whole food ingredients, the bulk section provides the basics of what you need to make many delicious YumUniverse recipes.
What else can you do?
Split orders of exotic or hard-to-find foods with friends. I do it for truly chemical-free organic nuts and certain gluten-free flours with my pals. Grow your own herbs, greens and veggies on a window sill or in your garden (see Tip #2). But most importantly, read up about why you want to reset your budget. With what you’ll learn from quality research, you’ll find ways to make organic work.
You can do this!
Hearts,
Heather