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It’s frustrating to hear people say they can’t afford to eat organic food. This article provides 7 helpful tips for how to eat organic on a budget!
How to eat organic on a budget
1. Search "Salvage Grocery Stores Near Me"
When I moved from Texas to Oregon at 21 years old, I became inspired to eat healthier like my new neighbors. Gone were the days of calling french fries a “vegetable.” However, living in the Northwest was more expensive than living in Texas, and organic foods usually cost more than regular groceries.
My ex-husband’s aunt told me about a little store called Grocery Outlet, and I’m so glad she did because that store stocked tons of organic goodies for super low prices! That’s because Grocery Outlet isn’t a regular grocery store. It’s a salvage store where close to expired items or overstocked items from regular grocery stores go before they land in the trash. Think Goodwill or an animal shelter – but for food. You can rescue precious pasta from premature doom!
When I moved back to Texas years later, a woman told me about a store called Town Talk where I find organic foods at half-price all the time! There are hundreds, if not thousands, of salvage grocery stores scattered across the United States!
Here’s how to find one near you:
In Google Maps, search, “salvage grocery store near me,” and you should see some options pop up for organic food shopping on a budget.
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Check out this incredible website called, Buy Salvage Food! It’s a valuable resource that allows you to click on a map and search your area. In addition, the site offers information for money-saving apps, salvage food delivery, and more!
Tips on shopping at a salvage store
- Check Expiration Dates – As I mentioned, salvage stores sell organic food on a budget for various reasons, one being that the food is either past its “best by” date, or already expired. That doesn’t always mean it is bad though! If it’s something like ketchup that has vinegar in it, (a natural preservative), then it’s probably still great. Dairy, however... Don’t gamble with dairy.
- Frozen Foods – Take advantage of the frozen foods section! I’ve saved so much money on organic, grass-fed, hormone-free meat by buying it in the frozen foods section at salvage stores. And, I’ve never had a bad experience with the product. Bread, tortillas, and, of course, ice cream, all freeze well too! Keep the foods frozen at home until you are ready to use them.
- Only Buy What You Can Eat – I learned this the hard way, having gone overboard in the past. When I organic food items with price tags that fit my budget I bought up as much as I could! Unfortunately, I’d end up throwing some away later on. Who knew I couldn’t consume 5 jars of mayonnaise within 3 months? Don’t be like me. Remember the whole point of this is to save money! Only buy what you know you can eat before the expiration date.
For more tips, check out this article on the Buy Salvage Food Website!
2. Buy Organic Food In Bulk Online
OK, I’m switching gears on you now, but hear me out. I know I said “Only buy what you can eat,” but some foods practically last forever, and buying them in bulk can help you eat organic food on a budget. For example, I bought a 3-gallon container of organic honey from Glory Bee online that lasted 3 years without losing its quality or flavor! In fact, edible honey has been excavated from Egyptian tombs!
Buying food in bulk online can help you eat organic on a budget in the following ways:
- Beat Inflation – Buying organic food in bulk is an investment that saves money by locking in the current price of food. Think about inflation. Is the cost of food constantly rising or falling? I think we all know the answer to that question! Take advantage of the current price, because it will only go up!
- Bulk Food Discounts – It’s not cheap to stock up on organic foods, but it is cheaper than buying small portions every week. That’s because bulk foods are sold at discount prices. The bigger the amount you buy, the better the deal. For example, this 11.67lb container of organic honey by Glory Bee costs only $0.37 per ounce. However, this 1-pound jar of YS Eco Bee Organic Honey costs $0.93 an ounce. Both are great options, but the Glory Bee honey is half the price, and you can reuse the bucket to store other bulk foods in!
- Save Trips To The Grocery Store – Why drive to the grocery store each week to get the same stuff you could buy in bulk once a year? Save yourself some trips. Save some gas money too.
Tips for Buying Organic Food in Bulk Online
- Only buy what you can eat in bulk! Think of items you consume regularly.
- Don’t get things that will expire soon
- Store food in temperature and humidity-controlled areas, like inside your house. DO NOT store bulk foods in a shed or garage that isn’t temperature-controlled.
- Use the right air-tight and non-toxic containers! I recommend buckets with twisting lids like these BPA-free, air-tight containers I found on Amazon.
Best Foods for Eating Organic on a Budget
Below is a list of organic foods that I always keep in bulk because they store well and can be cooked in a variety of ways! I found the best organic budget foods for you!
- Honey – Comes with container!
- Dried Beans – Comes with container!
- Lentils
- Noodles – Organic Ramen Noodles! Click here to learn “How to Make Ramen from Scratch!“
- Oats
- Rice – Click here to learn “How to Make Sticky Rice With Jasmine Rice!”
- Dried Fruit
3. Shop Around
If you want to eat organic on a budget, it pays to shop around. My husband and I frequent stores like Aldi, Albertsons, Natural Grocers, Sprouts, HEB, Whole Foods, and more. The deals are always spread out around town. Be strategic about when and how you hit the grocery stores to save time and gas.
4. Take Your Own Grocery Bags
Take your own bags to grocery stores, because some stores will give you a discount for doing so! Also, some stores even charge for plastic, non-reusable bags. Save money and save the planet!
If you have a hard time remembering to take bags to the store, simply put some in your car. That way, you can’t forget.
You can buy canvas grocery bags, but the whole point of this post was to save money. I’ve never bought reusable grocery bags. Totes have always worked their way into my life for free as random gifts.
5. Cook More Often
I don’t eat out unless I’m on vacation or unless I’m on a fancy date with my husband. I consider those my cheat meals because it’s almost impossible to find organic restaurants!
I can’t count how many times I’ve heard people say, “I can’t afford organic food.” But then I see those same people eating overpriced fast food meals. Yes, fast food is expensive compared to a home-cooked organic meal. It’s only an illusion that fast food is cheap.
If you want to eat organic on a budget, cook more. Make food for the whole week. Hell, make food for the whole month and freeze some. Cooking is a hassle. Streamline the process by cooking in bulk and freezing some for later. No taste or nutrition is lost in the freezing process. Some foods will lose their texture after being frozen, but some examples of foods that freeze well are smoothies, chili, cornbread, casseroles, pasta, pancake batter, beans, lentils, and soups!
6. Stop Wasting Food
It breaks my heart to see people shovel their leftover food into the trash can without a second thought. Don’t do that! You work hard for your money. You work hard in the kitchen. Throwing food away should be something you work hard to avoid.
If you were raised this way, break the habit. If your kids were raised this way, break the habit. That’s money going in the trash, and it’s not OK.
Tips to Stop Wasting Food
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Don’t Overbuy Produce – Only buy what you can cook before it goes bad. For me, this is one or two fresh veggies a week, with the usual spinach for daily salads of course
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Buy Frozen Foods – Frozen berries are the ONLY berries I buy because they are cheaper and not subject to molding like fresh berries are. They are so affordable and thaw quickly. I add them to salads, yogurt, and smoothies.
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Buy Foods With a Long Shelf Life – Apples and cabbage are excellent examples! Also spinach salad mix vs the mixed greens salad mix. For some reason, spinach leaves are less subject to wilting than mixed greens.
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Store Produce in the Refrigerator – This sounds like a no-brainer, but I’ve accidentally left yellow bananas on my counter before and was shocked to see them overripen too quickly! If a fruit or vegetable is ripe, store it in the refrigerator!
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Prioritize What You Eat – Eat things based on what will go bad first. Pick the fruit and veggies that are starting to show signs of deterioration. Eat them first. Don’t just grab whatever is closest! Make a habit of scanning the refrigerator daily or weekly. Don’t let things expire!
Eat Thawed Items Quickly – If you thaw something, cook it quickly. Don’t forget about it!
Don’t Overcook Unless You Plan to Freeze the Food
Don’t Overload Your Plate Unless You Plan to Save the Leftovers
7. Make Organic Food a Priority
I’ve eaten an all-organic diet for almost 15 years, making it a priority during the hardest financial times of my life, like when I was homeless for a couple of months after my divorce for example. I was only making about $10 an hour and the divorce was so sudden that I didn’t have money saved to rent my own place right away. I may have been homeless, but I was healthy.
Recently, a coworker of mine told me he can’t afford organic food, but he chain smokes cigarettes and guzzles sodas constantly. Neither of those things are cheap! If you truly want to make organic food a priority in your life you might be able to find ways to shuffle other expenses around. I’m not saying this is always the case! But, dig deep. Think about it. Maybe there are some things you can change within your finances that will allow you to afford organic food.
Thanks for Reading
You’ve given all this thought to your organic diet, but what about the water you drink? Clean, pure water is crucial to your overall health. I ran some tests at the lab that I work at to see if chlorine would evaporate out of tap water. See the results here!
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