Anyone eating organic and non gmo

[pjlla]

We've been eating about 75% organic and as much non-GMO as possible for a number of years. Sometimes it seems more "do-able" and more affordable than other times. I don't keep very good track of our grocery budget so I cannot tell you exactly what we spend, but I know that Trader Joe's is NOT the only answer out there. Our nearest TJ is an hour away (been there a few times) and our nearest WF is also an hour away (opened a few months ago, I haven't been there yet). And I don't care for the "health halo" that seems to surround those stores..... folks get mislead into thinking that ANYTHING and EVERYTHING they carry is organic and healthy and that simply isn't the case.

Costco usually has a good variety of unusual organics in January/February and again in July/August. The Utz organic pretzels are OUTSTANDING, but sadly I've been unable to find the elsewhere during the rest of the year. They also have organic wines during this time. The organic milk (always available) at Costco is much more affordable than at my local market as well. But unfortunately our nearest Costco is 65 minutes away.

We eat very little corn (we eat pretty low carb here) but I buy frozen organic non-GMO when I need it. DS does like corn tortilla chips, but they aren't hard to find in non-GMO. We only eat tofu occasionally and the Nasoy brand I buy is labeled non-GMO.

When my food budget is tight and I don't feel like I can buy ALL organics, I try to stick with "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" lists that are available on the internet. We also grown our own produce in the summer (right now it is basics like apples, blueberries, tomatoes, eggplant, greens, onions, peppers, squash and asparagus, but we hope to expand that soon). You could also look around for an organic CSA in your area..... we've contemplated joining one for a long time and I think this will be the year! We are friends with one of the farmers that grows for this particular CSA, so that makes it extra nice!

Good job making the BEST choices possible for the health of you and your family and our planet!...................P

 

[SuzanneSLO]

When you are eating more nutritionally balanced diet, your family probably doesn't need to get its micronutrients from pills.http://www.weightymatters.ca/2015/02/take-food-not-vitamins.html The savings from not buying vitamins and supplements can help you feel better about higher prices for fresh fruits and vegetables. -- Suzanne

 

[calypso726]

We also keep a GMO free and mostly organic kitchen and pantry. We buy much of the organic and GMO free products at Costco. They always have a great selection. We will buy Whole P̶a̶y̶c̶h̶e̶c̶k̶ Foods discounted gift cards through Raise or other gift card re-sellers to save on the grocery bill. If we run out of discounted gift cards then we buy the gift cards with our Chase Ink card at Staples and get 5 miles per dollar for the purchase. So we either save money on groceries or increase our miles and points balances with groceries to offset our vacation plans. It's a win/win for us.

 

[ryansstitch]

Not sure if you are already doing this, but review what you are spending on meat. I have a corn allergy and must avoid ALL corn. At this point the only animal products we do are grass fed dairy, grass fed beef, and wild caught seafood. We wind up buying a lot of high end, organic, minimal ingredient foods (there's a ton of corn additives in most organic food too to watch out for), which I hate, because I'm frugal. Anyway, we decided to cook meat only 3 days a week and it makes meals MUCH cheaper. Buying in season helps too. Also, not sure if your family is into a lot of international foods, but we cook foods that would be considered traditional daily foods from countries we have traveled to or would like to go to. For example, 2 pounds of dried chickpeas may cost about $3. That plus a bit of a few other inexpensive organic ingredients will make us a huge container of hummus, several dozen falafel for dinner AND the freezer, and a bit leftover for curry. I can make 16 fresh pita with our specially sourced whole wheat flour for about $1, including ALL ingredients. I can't make 8 meals out of $3 of grass fed beef! Saving so much on most of our meals helps us feel better about having a pasta dinner with $20 mozzarella...it also helps us keep meals interesting. Good, healthy food doesn't have to cost as much as we make it.

 

[hsmamato2]

Your soup sounds delicious! Because there are no health benefits to organic or non-GMO, it may help to keep your budget in line by subbing out foods that are neither and you can then enjoy all the health benefits at a lower cost. -- Suzanne

Aaahhh....... Dis boards....

 

[Alice Sr.]

I am lucky enough to have a local grocery store (Woodman's, started in Wisconsin but now also in Illinois) that has a great low(er) cost selection of organic (including fresh) and healthy choice of products. My youngest DD and I split a 1/2 grass fed cow, which averages out to be $5.00 @ pound. My best friend raises heritage breed chickens (combination of hobby/business farm) so other than the summer, when they are selling out at the farmer's market, I get eggs for free. I also buy whole roosters that they end up with because not all the eggs they hatch are hens. She also gardens for her booth at their local farmers market, at the end of the year I get boxes and boxes of tomatoes that I roast and freeze (rather than can). She is not 100% "certified" organic but I know she is, an "as needed" and light user. I buy tons of fresh fruit (berries and peaches) when in season and freeze myself. If you have a farmers market in the summer look for a local organic co-op; I would also look for a market farmer that you click with, let them know you might be interested in taking surplus at the end of the season but can't or have a low tolerance for pesticides. You may not end up with 100% organic initially but smaller non-commercial farmers are generally more frugal with the use of pesticides and the like. If they can't or aren't interested in your quest they may very well be able to put you in touch with someone who shares your philosophy. Any opportunity to stay away from the commercial side of ag is definitely the way to go health wise and economically I think. A couple of suggestions and my personal opinion:

Buy produce in bulk when it is plentiful and the cheapest (and tastiest) from local sources, if at all possible
Look for an organic leaning co-op
Look for and develop relationships with like minded people
Please do not act like because you have this belief/desire/interest it somehow makes you a better/smarter and/or superior individual. This is not aimed at anyone here but just something I see from time to time, even (or especially) from myself.
​

Good luck on your journey to be as organic as possible while not breaking the bank, it is nice to have a choice.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

We are so blessed to have a discount grocery store here in Pa. near our house that has AMAZING prices on organic foods! We also grow a huge garden & can/freeze lots of produce. We don't grow enough to last for the entire year, but certainly for several months which helps a lot. We're members of a local, organic co-op which is nice as they offer different veggies & fruits than the ones we grow. The co-op will also offer bulk prices to it's members who want to freeze or can extra, you could always check into this possibility too. I agree with the other posters that Costco can be a terrific resource for organic foods at reasonable prices. I also make our own non toxic laundry detergent, body wash, shampoo & toothpaste for a lot less than it costs to purchase organic personal care products. I still coupon for TP, paper towels, etc. I find it tough when vacationing to "turn off" my mind while eating at restaurants lol...but I try. Maybe this is one of the reasons I love to stay off site with a kitchen when visiting Disney? Oh, how I wish they would offer some organic restaurants in "The World."

 

[Alice Sr.]

We will buy Whole P̶a̶y̶c̶h̶e̶c̶k̶ Foods discounted gift cards through Raise or other gift card re-sellers to save on the grocery bill. If we run out of discounted gift cards then we buy the gift cards with our Chase Ink card at Staples and get 5 miles per dollar for the purchase.

Wow, great idea.

I find it tough when vacationing to "turn off" my mind while eating at restaurants lol...but I try. Maybe this is one of the reasons I love to stay off site with a kitchen when visiting Disney? Oh, how I wish they would offer some organic restaurants in "The World."

I am a DVCer and find we eat more in the room and less at the restaurants. We have all of our snacks and dairy products delivered to the room. I read a thread here on the DIS where people will pack frozen items in their luggage to cook when they get there. My initial thought was that's crazy but I could see myself trying it sometime in the future. I too wish for organic options, does not have to be a whole dedicated restaurant, although that would be great. I would love a couple options on the existing restaurant menus, just some side veggies and hormone free dairy would be a great improvement.

 

[hsmamato2]

Another thing...(I also love the dried beans and chickpeas,great for all sorts of cooking and easy to store at home) is if you want meats, look for sales,and stock your freezer at that time. That's what I do,and then I use it carefully. My guys love their meat dishes, so I can't just stop them altogther, but we do eat MUCH less meat than back years ago before we started learning things,and I decided for health reasons to change our eating habits.... Like I said, 'clean' eating is a process,and it can never be 100% (just the world it's all grown in) But I try to get our food at least 75% 'clean'..... the other 25% I try to keep as basic and simple as possible,with real food ingredients,made from scratch. And while on vacation, I try not to worry overmuch,this,for me is a general lifestyle plan, not a military grade undertaking that will be destroyed with a few 'off' days at Disney or wherever... I

 

[Dakota731]

I have stopped buying organic produce because so much gets wasted. It goes bad much quicker and often when I get it home from the store I see some of the product is already spoiled when I sort through the berries, grapes etc. The only store near us with organic is Aldi so not sure if it's them or just organics in general.
OP, what type of organic products do you buy from Walmart.com. I tried a search and was overwhelmed by the quantity of choices. What are your favorite items?

 

[hsmamato2]

And I don't care for the "health halo" that seems to surround those stores..... folks get mislead into thinking that ANYTHING and EVERYTHING they carry is organic and healthy and that simply isn't the case.
We eat very little corn (we eat pretty low carb here) but I buy frozen organic non-GMO when I need it. DS does like corn tortilla chips, but they aren't hard to find in non-GMO.
Good job making the BEST choices possible for the health of you and your family and our planet!

All of this...... Esp. about that 'halo'.... Listen...to all on this thread.... You can eat whatever you like, it's your business. I think a lot of us here are offended by the notion that the ENTIRE world is not using GMO foods,or they require labeling and disclosure,so people have a choice. Here in USA, our only way to avoid certain things is to look for Organic or specific non gmo labeling.(the how and why and cost involved with this is another thread,and debate) The burden of avoiding this is on us,not the other way around,as it is in pretty much the rest of the developed world.
I saw an interesting meme the other day..... it said " If there's a 'Natural Food' section at the grocery store, then WHAT is in all that other food in the other aisles?"

 

[njcarita]

I have stopped buying organic produce because so much gets wasted. It goes bad much quicker and often when I get it home from the store I see some of the product is already spoiled when I sort through the berries, grapes etc. The only store near us with organic is Aldi so not sure if it's them or just organics in general.
OP, what type of organic products do you buy from Walmart.com. I tried a search and was overwhelmed by the quantity of choices. What are your favorite items?

I order a lot of my fruit from door to door organics....delivered to my door and the stuff is amazing...my local stores carry some organic fruits but the quality is hit or miss......
As to the organics thru Wal-Mart.com the simply organic line is fabulous and prices are amazing....I buy a lot of their spices, canned beans and canned veggies if I can't find d good fresh or frozen.....

 

[ryansstitch]

There are a lot of good ideas here. I'm not the OP, but looks like a lot of creative thinkers here! I never thought to talk to a farmer about surplus produce. I may pop into the local farmers market in summer and chat with a few of the farmers about that. It makes sense they would rather sell than tote it all back. Have any of you had luck with finding good untreated (not even wax) produce in Orlando?

 

[North of Mouse]

Interesting thread! Just to say, I have no 'dog in this fight' - try to eat healthy, but cook with a variety of foods, and don't avoid things we enjoy and want.

Having said this, just have some comments about 'organic' labeled foods. I have a relative in an unnamed state on a farm that looked into raising organic meats/vegetables. Found out just how 'lax' everything can be.

For instance chickens fed mostly organic food that are in pens can be labeled organic/free range if they have an 'open' door for a period of time during the day - few will go out, but they 'can'!

Crops (vegetables, fruits) can be planted between areas that are not organic. You can (of course) spray pesticides on the non organic crops and just 'maybe' it will 'drift' into other areas!! Not treated per se!

Same with cattle, hogs, etc. Inspectors typically will turn their backs on lots of things. Will say, my relative does 'not' farm organic! Will 'not' try to deceive!

This will not always be the case, of course, as with all things - know that some will definitely be organic. I can usually tell by the way a lot of things look - have spots, blemishes, and as someone said, usually spoils relatively quickly - again, not all!

The 'only' sure way to eat organic is to raise it yourselves, or have a farmer close by that you can be sure of.

Again, not for or against, just some thoughts!

 

[ryansstitch]

Interesting thread! Just to say, I have no 'dog in this fight' - try to eat healthy, but cook with a variety of foods, and don't avoid things we enjoy and want.

Having said this, just have some comments about 'organic' labeled foods. I have a relative in an unnamed state on a farm that looked into raising organic meats/vegetables. Found out just how 'lax' everything can be.

For instance chickens fed mostly organic food that are in pens can be labeled organic/free range if they have an 'open' door for a period of time during the day - few will go out, but they 'can'!

Crops (vegetables, fruits) can be planted between areas that are not organic. You can (of course) spray pesticides on the non organic crops and just 'maybe' it will 'drift' into other areas!! Not treated per se!

Same with cattle, hogs, etc. Inspectors typically will turn their backs on lots of things. Will say, my relative does 'not' farm organic! Will 'not' try to deceive!

This will not always be the case, of course, as with all things - know that some will definitely be organic. I can usually tell by the way a lot of things look - have spots, blemishes, and as someone said, usually spoils relatively quickly - again, not all!

The 'only' sure way to eat organic is to raise it yourselves, or have a farmer close by that you can be sure of.

Again, not for or against, just some thoughts!

This is one of the reasons why I'm not a strictly organic shopper. Lots of my friends are, and everyone has to make the choice they can live with. Inadvertently much of what I am now able to eat is organic, but there's so many loopholes, I buy what meets our needs allergy wise, nutritionally, and financially. Having started gardening seriously in the last year, it's interesting to learn what can be considered organic in growing practices. Fortunately we have a ton of natural pest predators so we didn't have to get into pesticides at all in our yard. Thank you mantises and spiders!

 

[Madteaparty001]

I stick to the dirty dozen clean fifteen list as well. My local organic farmers definitely play the game and put a premium on their goods, twice as expensive as the organic options at Meijer or Costco. But there are also a lot of farms that use sustainable practices without the certification that sell at a very low price, for example I get my apples in the fall at about 21 cents per pound.

I found buying in season produce in bulk and then canning/dehydrating/freezing is my best friend in keeping my budget in check. When it's cold out we eat a lot of soup; it's cheap, filling, and extra can be frozen in mason jars with the wide mouth rims. In the summer we eat lots of fruit, salads, and gazpacho. In the fall is baking and dehydrating season, my kitchen runs non stop with breads, muffins, and canned fruit being churned out. I don't think I sit down the entire month of October, but when I look over a sea of prepped food for the next year it's very satisfying. The breads get wrapped and frozen in the deep freezer and the canned goods go in the downstairs pantry.

I find if you buy for the year you save a lot, for example strawberries are $1/lb in July and August, frozen fish is at it's cheapest during lent, baking supplies goes very cheap in November. If you do nothing but buy and eat fresh it's going to add up. Frozen veggies lose very little nutrition, while the zucchini sitting in your fridge for a week before you cook it has lost over half it's nutrients.

You might also want to check out old brands you've written off, cheerios now states on their box that they are GMO free. I read somewhere that GMO labeling has gone up 300% in the past year. So while the FDA may continue to get bought off in the labeling fight, the consumers are definitely making an impact on the market. And to those saying it doesn't pose a threat, I personally know someone who was hospitalized multiple times before the doctor at the hospital diagnosed her with an allergy to GMOs. She can eat corn, wheat, anything as long as it's organic, their food bill has gone up quite a bit, but she's not sick anymore. I don't care if someone eats GMO's but I shouldn't be forced to eat them because others don't have a problem.

 

[aprilchem]

One way we save money is by buying our meat in bulk from a local farm - I got a 1/2 cow at the end of the December at $6.50 a lb and that will last us for a year. I'll get a pig in July at $6 a lb and that will last us for a year as well. We don't do chicken because it's too expensive for my budget.

Also, eliminate processed foods if you can. Cutting out things like chips, cookies, cereal, canned items, boxed items, etc. shaves a lot off the grocery bill. When we want snack-type foods I make them myself from grain I mill at home. I make our own pasta, bake all of our bread, make tortillas, etc. I work full time and have 3 kids so it can be done if you budget your time, and you know exactly what is in the food you eat.

Grow a garden if you have space. I didn't buy any veggies last year from May-August because I was able to grow everything we ate. We only have 1/4 acre but I've planted dwarf pear and apple trees that should start producing this year. We have blackberry vines that give us about 10 quarts of blackberries in the summer (and produce more and more each year). In the summer I grow squash, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, onions, basil, etc. Any extra I freeze and we use up in the winter.

We also avoid the farmer's markets and go straight to the farms instead - I actually find I save a good deal of money that way. Local free-range chicken eggs are $4.50 a dozen at my farmer's market but I pay $2.50 a dozen from a lady who works with me. Meat costs $8-10 a lb but I save $2 a lb by driving to the farm and buying in bulk.

 

[Colleen27]

The best advice I can offer - and this is a tough time of year to take it, unless you're in a very warm part of the US - is look locally. And talk to growers. The organic label is an expensive process and you can often find small growers who don't have the money or time to pursue certification, although they adhere to organic methods. This is especially true if you have the ability to go to more rural areas to get your food. In that same vein, look into 4H/FFA youth auctions in your area. The meat isn't going to be certified organic but pastured meat seldom is, and by stepping outside the mass-production food system you're getting away from antibiotics as growth supplements and some of the other more damaging practices of "factory" farming methods and getting a better product without the organic price tag.

The biggest thing, for us, was learning to prep to avoid convenience foods. Sure, I could spend extra money and get organic boxed mac & cheese for the kids to fix, or frozen meals for when I'm too busy to cook, but that adds a lot more $$$$ to the grocery bill than prepping home-made heat-and-serve options. And gardening helps. I don't do much indoors because houseplants don't make enough noise to avoid being forgotten in our house, but during the summers i keep a big garden and can/freeze things when they're in season to have throughout the winter.

 

[hpfan100]

Not sure if are already using them but look into cash back apps like mobisave Ibotta and checkout 51. They have produce, dairy and bread any brand offers that could help you out. Also, not sure if this store is in your area but we 99 cent only stores and I found tons of organic items there. Mostly canned items but often I find produce and snacks too.

 

[Disneytam]

Interesting thread! Just to say, I have no 'dog in this fight' - try to eat healthy, but cook with a variety of foods, and don't avoid things we enjoy and want.

Having said this, just have some comments about 'organic' labeled foods. I have a relative in an unnamed state on a farm that looked into raising organic meats/vegetables. Found out just how 'lax' everything can be.

For instance chickens fed mostly organic food that are in pens can be labeled organic/free range if they have an 'open' door for a period of time during the day - few will go out, but they 'can'!

Crops (vegetables, fruits) can be planted between areas that are not organic. You can (of course) spray pesticides on the non organic crops and just 'maybe' it will 'drift' into other areas!! Not treated per se!

Same with cattle, hogs, etc. Inspectors typically will turn their backs on lots of things. Will say, my relative does 'not' farm organic! Will 'not' try to deceive!

This will not always be the case, of course, as with all things - know that some will definitely be organic. I can usually tell by the way a lot of things look - have spots, blemishes, and as someone said, usually spoils relatively quickly - again, not all!

The 'only' sure way to eat organic is to raise it yourselves, or have a farmer close by that you can be sure of.

Again, not for or against, just some thoughts!

I have been reading this thread with interest but I DO have a dog in this fight so to speak and can not let this statement go by without a commit. My husband and I own and operate a certified organic dairy farm and this statement is so far off the mark it is laughable! To be clear we are a small (75 milking cows) family farm operated by my husband, son and myself. We have one inspection a year that we know about and one or more a year that we don't know about. Our cows are outside grazing everyday except when they are being milked. When weather is bad they have the option of being in the barn or outside. There has been many a morning when I wish they were inside instead of out when it was pouring out or snowing as I trudge out to bring them in. Our cows are happy and healthy and a part of our family.

Implying that you can plant row crops "every other row" and spray every other row is so not true. We have to have a minimum 50 foot buffer between our organic crop land and any land that is not organic. This is to prevent any spray drift. I have had inspectors measure the buffer zone to make sure we comply. It is interesting to note that the wild deer around here love our GMO free corn, and will eat it over our neighbors GMO corn. They have done studios showing that chickens will always pick GMO free corn every time over GMO corn when given a choice.

In our area of the country organic inspectors take their jobs very seriously and in just the past year have decertified two farms that they thought were being lax with the organic standard! This is very close to my heart and I'm sorry to get on my soapbox but I couldn't let it go. Thank you to all of you that buy organic and for listening to me vent.