organic food

Best Money Tips: How to Eat Organic on the Cheap

Amy Lu — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 20:00:11 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some great articles on how to eat organic on the cheap, clever ways to save money and time on holiday travel, and money lies that are holding you back.

Beyond Beef: Tasty, Frugal Protein

Kelly Kehoe — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:24:41 +0000

In an age of rising obesity rates and increasing health consciousness, many of us are wondering whether we have enough protein in our diets. Sources of protein are not only plentiful in several everyday food items, but most of them are also affordable. (See also: Peanut Butter: The Poor Man's Protein)

Tempeh

One of the best-known sources of protein is tempeh, a fermented food made from soybeans. A longtime staple food in Indonesia, tempeh is slowly gaining traction in the U.S. and popping up in grocery stores across the country. It’s also possible to make your own tempeh, generally a cheaper option using dried soybeans than buying premade tempeh from a store.

Eggs...From Your Own Chickens

If you’re seeking a good source of protein without paying an exorbitant amount for organic, cage-free eggs, why not raise your own chickens? There is an upfront investment (coop, chicken feed, the chickens themselves, etc.) and ongoing work involved, but having your own chickens means you know exactly how your egg-layers are treated and could offer a daily supply of fresh eggs. For more information, check out our own Linsey Knerl's article on raising backyard chickens.

Beans

Whether they’re dried and bagged or canned, beans are an excellent source of protein (and iron!) that won’t break the bank. According to the USDA, black and kidney beans have the highest protein content, followed by baked, pinto, and lima beans. Dry beans tend to be cheaper than their canned counterparts, but again, it depends on where you live and shop for groceries.

Options at Farmers Markets

Farmers markets are one of the best places to buy fresh, affordable produce. Offerings will vary from season to season, but you can often buy protein-rich produce such as soybeans and support your local economy at the same time.

Canned Tuna

Another source of protein for frugal-minded families is canned tuna. Costs vary from store to store, but online, you can buy over 3 lbs of canned tuna for as little as $12. Tuna packed in water is generally less healthy than tuna packed in olive oil, but if cost is your only concern, go with the cheaper options. However, buyer beware — according to Consumer Reports, mercury in canned tuna is still a pressing problem. Studies show higher levels of mercury in white tuna than light tuna, so be sure to keep this in mind while you’re shopping.

Whey Protein

Whey protein powder purchased in bulk can be a frugal option, and it's especially convenient for those looking to add nutritional value to meal replacement shakes. Just make sure to watch out for allergies and overdependence (balance consumption with other sources of protein).

Not-So-Frugal Sources

When discussing significant sources of protein, I couldn’t leave out organic meats such as chickens (raised without hormones) and grass-fed livestock. Unfortunately, organic meats tend to be quite pricey in comparison to their grain-fed, hormone-loaded counterparts. If quality outweighs price however, organic is the way to go with your meats.

What about you? Do you know of any other frugal sources of protein? Tell us in the comments below.

This article is from Kelly Kehoe of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Organic Groceries on a Budget

Staff — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:00:06 +0000

For years, I considered organic groceries to be out of reach and a poor use of our limited grocery monies. Now, several years into retirement and of the age where my husband and I both notice immediate physical results with every dietary change we make, I see things a bit differently. Organic groceries are now something I consider to be well worth the money. That being said, we do still have a budget to maintain.

Within that budget, I’ve managed to switch us over to the point where the majority of our food purchases are organic, at least on the items that are most critical. I’ve done this without access farmer’s markets or CSA programs. While I use those options when available, you won’t see them included in this article, because if they’re not readily available to me, I know there are others struggling with the same situation. So, how did I do it? Here are some strategies for affording organic groceries.

Stock Pantry Staples

I know most people tend to focus on the cost of transitioning to fresh produce, but to me the real money-savings are in the dry pantry staples. I covered this a bit in my recent article on bargain shopping at Whole Foods. Five dollars each for an organic beet might not be in most people’s budgets, but paying roughly two dollars a pound for organic oats, sunflower kernels, sesame seeds, and quinoa certainly is. Ditto with cornmeal. Peanuts are another area where I’ve made it a priority to make the switch to organic. The best price I’ve been able to find on organic raw peanuts is at SuperiorNutStore.com (affiliate link).

Cut the Crap

Seriously, cut the crap out of your grocery purchases. Think hard before you buy even the baked whole wheat crackers or honey-oat cereal. They may look like a healthier alternative at first glance, but comparatively you’ll get more nutrition from a bag of organic carrots. Not only can you use them for dunking and dipping, but they make an awesome dinner side and can be grated for savory muffins or decadent cakes. Also, when you look at the per pound price you are paying, cutting out even two–three boxes of prepared snack crackers and cereals can pay for several meals’ worth of other organic items.

Rethink Your Pizza Sauce

If you make your own pizza sauce with organic canned tomato products, this might not be an issue for you. While it’s not a huge time commitment to do so, in the interest of full disclosure I’ll admit things have gotten just crazy enough on my home front lately that I’ve opted for a more convenient option. When searching for organic pizza sauce however, the best price I could find was nearly four dollars for a small can. For nearly half that price I can get a large jar of organic marinara to use for spaghetti night. It’s no big deal to save enough for pizza sauce or a couple of toasted eggplant subs.

Use Your Yard Larder

Even if you don’t have the time or inclination to garden, there are numerous items in your yard or nearby forest worthy of serious attention. Consider the following:

With only these four ideas, you can make gourmet risotto, organic fat-free muffins and other baked goods, have frozen blueberries on hand for antioxidant smoothies or year round pie baking, and steam organic greens as a free side dish after an afternoon of trout fishing.

Minimize Meat and Dairy Purchases

By reducing your use of meat and dairy by even a moderate degree, monies are made available for upgrading to organic versions of such things as butter, cream, chicken and beef. Here some suggestions for saving money on meat purchases to get you started, and ideas for oven-toasted vegan sandwiches even meat lovers will enjoy.

Redefine Wine Vinegar

With the price of organic wine vinegar (when I can even find it) approaching the cost of a bottle of wine, I figure I might as well enjoy...well, wine. Here’s an organic red wine we drink quite frequently. It’s affordable, and I’ve used it for marinades and such when wine vinegar is called for.

Consider Nutritional Density

By choosing organic groceries that have a higher nutrient value, my system has adjusted to craving smaller amounts. Additionally, many of these foods have a good deal of fiber, making them more filling as well. I’m not saying there isn’t an adjustment period. In fact, there have been a few times in the last month when I over purchased due to the fact that my brain was still shopping as though I was tossing lower density foods in the cart. Don’t get me wrong, many of those foods are still healthy and worth buying. It’s just that including the more nutrient dense foods as the main focus of our grocery shopping runs has made for reduced consumption over all.

Homemade Dry Mixes and Baked Goods

By including dry ingredient pantry staples such as flour and cocoa as I suggested above, you can create your own at-home organic bakery. Here are a few resources to get you started.

With this short list of dry mix recipes alone, you can launch into organic dinner sides, lunch box treats, or even some of these simple meals based on tortillas. Also consider that many of your other recipes for family favorites can easily be made organic by substituting affordable dry ingredients from your pantry.

Celebrate the Cheap Stuff

While many types of organic groceries are outrageously expensive, many are not. Also, as Wise Bread’s own Carrie Kirby has already advised, when buying organic produce, not every item has to be organic. So pick your produce and other items with precision, and do as much as you can with those items that are super cheap. Some suggestions?

See how those bargain staples can really go the distance if you put your mind to it? For extra inspiration, check out my personal Survival Mode Produce List. It’s what we use at this house when our budget needs extra attention on any given month.

Warehouse Stores

As any of my long-time readers are already aware, I’m a huge fan of buying in bulk. Warehouse stores provide enormous savings opportunities on organic carrots, spinach, butter, soy and rice milks, frozen vegetables, salsa and more. For example, here are nine things that are worth buying at Costco.

Grocery Stores

While not every grocery chain has jumped on the organic groceries bandwagon, some have. Two in particular that come to mind are Hannaford and Target. Target has their own line of organic butter, blue corn chips and more, as well as a reasonable selection of well-priced organic apples, other produce and meats. The Sweet Bay grocery chain in my area is also apparently owned or has some sort of affiliation with Hannaford, because I see their entire line of generic items (including organics) carried in house. They have been featuring these items since we moved to Florida. It’s here that we regularly purchase organic tofu, spaghetti and the occasional bag of organic Spanish potatoes. There are also superior values to be found at Trader Joe’s, if you happen to have one in your area.

Egg Substitutions

By using egg substitutions in baking, you can channel saved funds towards organic egg purchases for use in main menus. Here are some money-saving suggestions for eggs to help get the ball rolling.

Be Traditional

What do I mean? Basically, I’m saying to use the same bargain shopping strategies you’ve had in place for years and put them to use as you begin to transition to organic groceries. Baking from scratch, shopping the perimeter, scoping out coupons and scouring sale fliers all work just as well for organic food purchases as they do for conventional ones.

There you have it, Wise Bread readers. Thirteen shopping tips that we use in our own home to purchase organic groceries on a regular basis. What are your favorite tips for making organic groceries affordable?

All food photos in this article are courtesy of TrekHound.com.

This article is from Staff of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Stock a Natural Food Pantry for Less

Sarah Winfrey — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:01 +0000

Most people are under the impression that, while eating natural is healthier, it's also more expensive. And I'll grant that, sometimes, this is true. However, part of eating naturally is having natural food on hand, and this is where you can save money.

While having processed food on hand for snacks and recipes will cost you more (because you pay for the preparation), having natural ingredients is often cheaper simply because they aren't prepared. Read on for tips on what these cheaper items are, where to get the best deals, and why you might want to find them.

There are three places that I've found great deals on natural staples.

Bulk bins at local natural food stores

While much of what you'll find in these stores is more expensive than the regular supermarket, the bulk bins often offer good deals.

Big box stores

Big box stores also offer great deals on large quantities of ingredients that are more popular. If you'll use all the food before it goes bad, shopping like this can save you a lot of money.

Regular supermarkets and grocery stores

Many regular supermarkets and grocery stores have started offering unprocessed, natural foods. Look for them in large bags that cost less than similar processed food. You may have to look at the top and the bottom of the shelves to find these, as they'll want to sell you the more expensive food.

Here are some tips on how to buy and use some of the staples.

Legumes

Dried Beans

Because they're dried, a pound of these beans will feed quite a few people for one meal, or provide quite a few meals for just a few people. Beans pack quite the punch when it comes to fiber and protein, and some of them have a lot of iron, too. Be sure to keep a few kinds of beans on hand, as some of them have different nutritional offerings. In addition, different beans have different tastes and textures, so you'll want to keep more than one type on hand.

Lentils and Split Peas

Used in everything from soups to curries and great as fillers even in things like pasta sauce, these are definitely worth keeping on hand. While they might seem small and insignificant, lentils and split peas both contain a lot of protein, as well as being well up there on the soluble fiber scale. Small they might be, but they pack a nutritional punch that's worth more than their weight in gold.

Grains

Wild and Brown Rice

Brown rice is a great substitute for white rice. It doesn't have that same sticky texture, but its slightly sweet, nutty taste and the little bit of crunch it provides will only add to your rice dishes.

Wild rice, while not actually rice, can pretty much function as such when you need it to. In addition to the nutritional benefits it offers, like being high in protein, folic acid and B vitamins, it also adds a fragrance and a splash of color contrast to any dish you use it in.

Barley

Barley is a seriously underutilized grain. Pearled barley will cook faster, as it has the outer casing of the barley softened slightly. It won't lose that much nutritionally, though, so if you need something that cooks quickly, this is the grain for you. On the other hand, slow cooked whole barley has a crunch that nothing else can quite replicate. Barley is great in soups and pilafs, or wherever you might normally use rice. It functions well as a thickener, and also tends to absorb the flavors around it.

Oats

You can get oats in all sorts of varieties, though the old-fashioned rolled ones will cost you the least. They're great by themselves, as a hot breakfast cereal, but also function well to add texture to breads, cookies, even cakes and brownies. Oat flour is also available, though it will usually cost you more than regular flour. It can be used in a variety of recipes.

Others

Nuts

Make sure not to buy more nuts than you need, because they go rancid fairly quickly. Each kind of nut is slightly different, so it's worth keeping several on hand, or even a mixture. They can be eaten alone, added to soups and salads, toasted, even put on ice cream. The healthy fat they contain can go far both towards filling you up and helping you eat healthy.

This article was included in the Make It From Scratch Carnival.

This article is from Sarah Winfrey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Supermarket Angst Part III: How to Buy Better Poultry

Carrie Kirby — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:40:50 +0000

As I wrote in previous installments of my Supermarket Angst series, I've been using extra money in our grocery budget to improve the quality of the food I buy my family. Buying organic for produce with the highest danger of pesticide contamination was an easy choice, but I've found it difficult to know what's worth the extra money when buying animal products -- eggs and dairy products, for instance.

Today I'm tackling one of the most baffling buying categories, for me -- poultry. Unlike beef, where I know I want hormone- and antibiotic-free, I'm unclear on whether chickens and turkeys are given hormones and antibiotics to begin with. I've seen labels like "natural" and even "Amish" and "Kosher" on chicken -- do those mean it's healthier? And what about turkey? I don't think I've ever seen special labels on that, although I have heard about people spending big box on organic turkeys at Thanksgiving.

First of all, let's look at the most expensive category: organic poultry. Birds sold as organic must eat organic feed, which should in theory reduce the chance of pesticides building up in the meat that we eat. But according to a 2004 Business Week story, pesticides in meat is a much smaller health concern than pesticides on produce:

"While 47% of the produce sampled by the USDA in 2002 had detectable pesticide residues, only 16% of grains and 15% of meat tested did. Most of the residues found in meat (almost always in the fat) were from long-banned chemicals like DDT, which remain in the environment and is not a problem organic farming methods can solve."

That passage was enough to convince me not to worry about pesticides in my poultry. But is getting hormone-free birds another reason to buy organic? According to the United States Department of Agriculture's food labeling FAQ, no.

"Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim "no hormones added" cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says 'Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.'"

However, the USDA does allow poultry producers to use the phrase “antibiotic-free.” As with beef and milk, antibiotic overuse in raising fowl is more of a public health concern than a worry for the consumer of the resulting food. The routine use of antibiotics when raising livestock, it is feared, can contribute to the creation of superbugs resistant to current antibiotic drugs.

After reading the USDA's sheet, I would feel comfortable skipping “organic” birds in favor of those labeled “antibiotic free.” Of course, at many stores you'd be lucky to find one or the other, so you might end up buying organic just to be sure you're not feeding the antibiotic problem.

What about “natural” or “all-natural” chickens? Can I count on those to be healthier than other birds? According to the USDA, all “natural” means is that it doesn't have added color or other artificial ingredients. Yegads, the idea of farmer's injecting their dead birds with color isn't even a problem I'd contemplated. But no, I'd say a bird labeled "natural" isn't worth much or any extra money.

Then of course, just like with eggs, there is the issue of how one's chicken dinner was treated while it was alive. This is mostly a matter of deciding between caged versus cage-free versus free-range birds, but it is possible to go beyond those labels, which I'll address in a minute. I wasn't even sure if the crowded cage conditions I'd heard about for laying hens also went on in the meat chicken industry. But this paper, found on PETA's Web site, makes the life of a broiler chicken sound even more miserable than that of a laying hen. The paper also touches on the miserable working conditions in the poultry industry, which are documented in plenty of places.

The short answer is yes, meat chickens are typically raised crowded into cages, and so buying something labeled “cage-free” or “free-range” would be a plus. But as with eggs, the meaning of these terms is pretty limited and by no means ensure that the bird you're eating had a good or even bearable life.

In fact, the unsettling reading from the link above has the effect – as I'm sure many things found on the PETA Web site do – of making one wonder if it's possible to eat meat at all without being complicit in the mistreatment of both animals and workers. After all, even a chicken labeled “free-range” may well suffer a slow painful trip through the slaughterhouse. I've never seen a “cruelty-free” label on a frozen chicken.

Of course, you might say that eating meat CAN'T be cruelty free because you have to kill the animal in order to eat it. But personally, I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian, and I'm not interested in becoming one. I'd just prefer if the animals I eat suffer as little as possible in the process of being turned into my dinner.

Ideally, I'd like to buy chickens who lived in a place like Polyface Farms, which I read about in Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Polyface moves its chickens from one patch of pasture to another throughout the summer, using portable pens to ensure they always have access to their favorite greens (clover, apparently) and lots of juicy bugs, not to mention space to move and fresh air. But finding a supplier whose environment meets those standards takes more research than reading labels in Super Target (where I typically buy my antibiotic-free chicken on sale), and yes, it will cost me more too.

This site lists some farmers in all states that pasture their poultry like Polyface does. Apparently I could order whole chickens that have had pretty good lives, and are antibiotic-free, from one of these places for around $2.75 a pound. That's not bad when you compare it to the price of beef, of course, although a whole chicken contains a bunch of bones, skin and fat that we won't be eating. I could even order a meat share from a Community Supported Agriculture farm that would take care of all my egg, meat and poultry worries at the cost of around $5 a pound – that's my guess of the average cost of what they provide, which would probably be less for the chicken and more for the beef.

Considering that I often find beef and poultry at Super Target that meets SOME environmental, cruelty and health standards for $2-3 a pound, am I willing to sign up for a CSA where I'd pay around twice as much?

I'm seriously considering it. On top of ending my supermarket angst in one fell swoop, the idea of having my meat and egg shopping done for me every other week is a time-saving bonus.

The one thing I haven't had the chance to address here is turkey. Are turkeys caged and given antibiotics? Is there such a thing as a free-range or organic turkey?

I found one good article defining terms that label turkeys -- it basically says that yes, all the same terms that apply to chickens mean the same thing when applied to turkeys. The same limitations apply, too – a package of ground turkey labeled “free range” may have come from a bird allowed very limited access to an outdoor porch or pen while still enduring very crowded or otherwise unfavorable conditions.

So, as you might guess, the more I read about animal treatment on conventional farms, the more motivated I am to buy more-expensive products in dairy, eggs AND meats. Can my family maintain our $80-a-week grocery budget while getting all particular on animal products like this?

I'm not sure, but I think it may be possible. One tactic will involve limiting the meat in our diets. We currently eat meat about five times a week. If I order a $20-per-week meat CSA share, it will provide us with enough meat to eat about three times a week, judging from the list here. Add a vegetable CSA share for around $28 a week, and, at least through the Midwest growing season, I'd have the basics taken care of with around $30 to spend at the grocery store each week on milk, fruits and grains/packaged foods.

This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: