An organic product is raised, grown, stored, and/or processed without the use of synthetically produced chemicals or fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, or any pesticides, growth hormones or growth regulators.
Who can afford to buy organic, you say? Well, apparently, plenty of people are trying to. According to recent market research, 73 percent of the US population consumes organic food and beverages at least some of the time. Almost all households with incomes under $50,000 are buying organic foods, as are households with incomes over $50,000.
But how can you eat healthy without going broke?
As you know, I'm a Holistic Nutritionist, and owner of Wellness Unlimited, a health and wellness consulting practice in Vancouver, BC. I recently set off on a mission: to see if a single person could eat a healthy and predominantly organic foods diet on $7 a day. That's $50 a week, or $200 a month.
When I used the term "healthy diet", it included a healthy balance of protein, starchy carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruits. It also meant low sugar, low fat, and low junk. Could it be done?
What I found when I went shopping...
Protein sources were the most expensive. But at three different stores, I discovered organic and antibiotic-free items on sale. For example, I noted Specialty Farm chicken thighs, pork loin boneless centre chops, non-medicated chicken thighs, and non-medicated pork chop rib ends.
Next, the prices on some of the high quality carbohydrate sources were impressive. Nature's Path Heritage Heirloom Cereal, Bob's Red Hill 7-Grain Cereal, Peace Cereal in Maple Pecan, Oat Honey Bread, and Lundberg Brown and White Basmati Rice were well within my budget.
Sometimes people shy away from the produce aisles, when it comes to organics, due to the perception of higher prices. I was pleased to find a wide array of affordable choices in fresh vegetables. I found imported spinach, local organic broccoli, organic romaine hearts, certified organic fresh carrots, and leaf lettuce.
Organic fruit was harder to come by, but that will likely change, once the Farmer's Markets are under way. I was able to find good prices on imported strawberries.
I went to the store with my $50 budget in hand, paper, pen, and a calculator. Sometimes I had to sacrifice one item for another of better value but, each week, I came away with a selection of items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 7 days. Some weeks, I even came away with a few snacks, such as a big bag of Old Dutch Restaurant Multigrain Tortilla Chips and San Marcos Salsa, again on sale. The probiotic yogurt with fruit juice was a fabulous find at $3.49 for the 650g tub. Born 3 eggs didn't cost much more than their non-organic counterparts, and were worth the price of $3.55 for a dozen.
Next post, we'll talk about cooking at home and packing your own lunches. This saves you an incredible amount of money, freeing up the cash for higher quality items in your grocery cart. One of my most popular blog postings was on strengthening the immune system with quality food, and we'll revisit that subject when we discuss using excellent ingredients in your slow-cooker.
Saving money and time, while enjoying high quality, are my specialties, which is why I'm known as Vancouver's Budget Gourmet...you too can learn how to eat well and lose weight, without breaking the bank!
Until next time, happy "eating healthy and organic"! Give it a try!
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