Marc Serafino
Organic food is getting more popular with the day; and there many reasons for this, including the two most obvious ones — it’s more nutritional (more healthy) and the taste is better.
However, many folks start eating organic only to abruptly stop due to higher costs of organic produce. We want to help you eat good food without breaking the bank. So here are our…
7 Money-Saving Tips for Organic Food
1. Buy smart
And by smart, we mean taking advantage of sales, coupons and discounts. Also buying in bulk helps as you get to benefit from lower per-pound prices. Remember that organic food is no longer reserved for niche stores, with wholesalers like Costco and Sam’s Club, as well as the likes of Wal-Mart and Aldi also storing organic produce. In that sense, you may want to search for coupons and special deals before visiting any particular store. In addition, you may want to check out local farmer’s market where more often than not you can great food for less.
2. Make weekly plans
Set some time aside during the weekend to organize for the week ahead. What you want to do is to come up with a precise plan what you want to eat for the next 7 days. From there, you should create a grocery list and buy only the things you will actually use. It is up to you to decide whether you want only organic dinners, or you also want to include breakfasts and lunches the mix. This won’t be easy, but you’ll get better over time. Also, you can try out a service like Platejoy to help you with this. It’s not free, but it helps, big time. Free trial is available, though.
3. Reduce waste
One of the main points of organizing yourself is to reduce waste. Simply put — with millions of people around the world not having what to eat, it is the right thing to do. So buy only the stuff that you will eat, and if there’s some food left — incorporate it into your meal plan for the next week. Or if you don’t want to eat it next week — see if you can freeze it for future use. Soups are great for this, BTW.
4. Keep it simple
It is very easy to get over yourself and start preparing fancy meals with a dozen different ingredients. While this could be fun a few times per year, in most cases you want simple meals that are prepared in 30 minutes and that have around 5 ingredients. Example: grilled chicken breasts with baked potatoes and a tossed salad get you all the nutrients you need. Or you could go for a vegetarian option to include beans instead of the meat. And use even more veggies.
5. Cook more than you need
In many cases you can cook more than you need, and the freeze the leftovers for later. This not only saves you money and makes sure you use all the ingredients, but also saves a lot of time — you have another lunch/dinner prepared in a freezer. Having a meal in a freezer could help you avoid dining out — you know there’s a quick-to-prepare dinner waiting at home. Which leads us to the next point…
6. Eat out less often
Having an organic dinner at a restaurant can easily cost a small fortune. The idea with cooking at home is to cut down on those expenses while having a well balanced diet. If you follow through on the advice outlined in this article, you will quickly learn how to prepare delicious meals at home and save money along the way. It will take some time and practice, but it’s well worth it.
7. Make snacks yourself
Finally, you may want to make snacks yourself. Organic snacks tend to be pricey, so why pay a premium for something you could easily prepare at home? You don’t have to be a master chef to create your own energy and granola bars, let alone toasted walnuts. Just set aside some time for the weekend and have it packed to carry around during your working hours.
Final word
Eating organic is everything but cheap. Nevertheless, you don’t have to break the bank — you just have to organize a bit, learn a few tricks, like where to buy ingredients, and voila… soon enough you’ll know everything about preparing healthy meals for yourself and your family. Bon appétit!
