Organic Superfoods That Anyone Can Afford

If eating organic superfoods is important to you, but you’re worried about the cost let me show you how you can eat organic superfoods on a budget.

Why Choose Organic Foods Over Non-Organic Foods

Choosing organic superfoods does come with a different price tag than buying non-organic superfoods, but for good reason. Organic didn’t use to be a big deal to us, until people started noticing that food industries were changing their standards and using cheaper ingredients that were grown in poorer-conditions. Now the organic certified products we buy in the stores are actually the same quality of products that we use to purchase 20+ years ago.

Some people believe organic superfoods are just a way to raise prices and take more of your money, but in actuality you are helping your body thrive when you purchase organic.

Cheap Healthy Foods On A Budget

So why should you choose to purchase organic foods? Because they are healthier for you. Some non-organic food ingredients, like grains, are sprayed with pesticides. Towards the end of the growing season, some farmers will spray their crops to kill the weeds, which makes harvesting so much easier. The problem is most weed killers contains glyphosates. Glyphosates have been said to possibly cause serious illness, and with the rising illnesses in America, like cancers and auto-immune disorders, I think that’s something we need to pay attention to.

Is Organic Food More Expensive?

The biggest complaint with organic foods is that they are more expensive. This is very true. Some foods are marked up by 50% higher than non-organic foods. There is definitely a marketing strategy to this and it isn’t fair. However, there are tools you can follow to not feel so cheated by the organic industry.

The key is knowing what you should purchase organic, and what organic foods you should stay away from. Not everything you eat needs to be organic.

How Can I Afford To Buy Organic Superfoods?

There are several organic superfoods you can afford, and it all comes back to cheap healthy foods. If I had to pick one food that is the cheapest organic superfood it would be greens. Greens are naturally very cheap, and still a great price when purchased organic.

If you have a garden, then growing organic greens from seed is definitely the way to go since you can get dozens of seeds for about $2.00 or less. My husband just built me 2 raised garden beds in our backyard and it’s filled with kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and so much more! All of these greens have zero pesticides and are 100% naturally organic. There are also a variety of greens that can grow year round, even in the cold of winter. Check your zone for lists of greens you can grow year round.

How To Grow A Backyard Garden From Seeds

Another affordable organic superfood is seeds! Seeds are so good for detoxing and cleansing your organs. Just imagine that they are dusting rags. A dusting rag picks up all the dust, collects it on the rag, and wipes it away. That’s what seeds do to your organs. They literally collect the toxins and move it through your body to help you be healthier!

I think the best example of this is with chia seeds. Organic chia seeds are so cheap and can be purchased at any grocery store these days, but the best value can be purchased at Costco or Azure Standard. I would really encourage you to get seeds in your diet through smoothies, or topping meals like oatmeal or salads with them. A few favorites that I keep on hand are: chia seeds, hemp seeds (packed with protein), flax seed meal (awesome egg replacer), pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Which Organic Superfoods Should I Buy?

Have you ever heard of the clean 15 and the dirty dozen food lists? We are going to put our focus on these lists, and let me explain why. Several tests have been done to prove these lists to be true. I like research and facts, and that’s exactly what these studies show us.

I love using the app for EWG. EWG stands for Environmental Working Group and they test various household/personal care and food products to determine which store brand or produce options are safe for us to use or consume. If you don’t have the app on your phone, it’s quite interesting and something I enjoy using.

The EWG Dirty Dozen Foods You Should Buy Organic Are:

Strawberries

Spinach

Kale, collard and mustard greens

Nectarines

Apples

Grapes

Cherries

Peaches

Pears

Bell and hot peppers

Celery

Tomatoes

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php

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You might be looking at this list and feeling rather hopeless, but I believe we can find great encouragement and positivity in this list. To be fully honest, this is not a huge list. The only 2 other categories that are not mentioned in this list are grains/seeds and beans. If you eat meat or dairy products, you might add them to this list too.

I do not always purchase these items organic. Not all of these food items are sprayed with pesticides if you know who is growing them. I live in California where a lot of produce is grown. In the Spring and Summer months I head up north and purchase several of these food items from farmers that do not have certified organic farms. I trust them though, and the products they choose to use when growing these produce items.

When I go grocery shopping I do purchase organic apples, grapes, berries, and greens. I don’t purchase a lot of tomatoes throughout the year, and during the spring and summer months I grow my own, so I don’t tend to worry about purchasing organic tomatoes from the grocery store.

Plant Based Diet and Why I Chose It

We eat plant-based in our home, so we eat a lot of grains and beans. I am very picky about the quality of grains and beans that we buy, so 95% of the time I purchase these items that are certified organic through Azure Standard.

Berries are a huge part of our diet because of their health benefits. I truly believe eating berries on a regular basis boosts our immune systems and keeps us from getting sick. However, organic berries are so expensive. I purchase them fresh when they are in season, because that’s when they are at their cheapest price, but frozen berries are the best option. You can get so many more berries per ounce frozen, than you can fresh.

Organic superfoods are any foods that have high nutritional benefits with minimal calories. All of these foods listed above fall into that category. They can easily carry numerous pesticides, but without them they are some of the healthiest foods you can eat.

Which Superfoods Should I Purchase Certified Organic?

• Berries (organic)
• Seeds (organic)
• Quinoa (not organic)
• Nuts (organic)
• Potatoes (not organic)
• Sweet Potatoes (not organic)
• Greens (organic)
• Citrus (not organic, unless you’re using the zest)
• Avocados (not organic)
• Garlic (not organic)
• Apples (organic)
• Tomatoes (organic)
• Cucumbers (organic)
• Grains (organic)
• Beans (organic)
• Meat (organic)
• Dairy (organic)
• Coconut (not organic)

Are There Organic Foods I Shouldn’t Buy?

There are several organic certified foods on the market that are a total waste of money. This list below shows you what you don’t need to buy organic.

The EWG Clean 15 Non-Organic Safe Foods Are:

Avocados

Sweet corn

Pineapple

Onions

Papaya

Sweet peas (frozen)

Eggplant

Asparagus

Broccoli

Cabbage

Kiwi

Cauliflower

Mushrooms

Honeydew melon

Cantaloupes

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php

This is the food list you really want to focus on when going grocery shopping because these foods do not need to be purchased from the organic section. When tested, these non-organic foods came back with VERY low to no pesticide readings. Make sure you never purchase these items EVER in organic!

If I were you, I would write all of these foods down on a piece of paper and keep it somewhere where you can reference it often, like your recipe binder! Get your recipe binder here: Recipe Keeper – Keep All Of Your Favorite Recipes In One Place! When meal planning you can refer this list and make sure to add these produce options to your meal plan for the week. Also, when you see a sale on these items, stock-up are freeze some for later!

Where Can I Buy Organic Food Near Me?

Organic certified foods are making their way into mostly all grocery stores these days, even Walmart and Target have organic sections now. Aldi’s has some great organic options as well, including their ketchup, which is the best price you’ll find anywhere!

My go-to stores for purchasing organic produce:

• Costco
• Sprouts
• Trader Joe’s
• Aldi’s
• Azure Standard

Costco definitely has amazing organic superfood prices! You can pick-up a 3/lb bag of gala apples for $5.00. They have the best organic berry prices, unless Sprouts is running a sale. Costco also sells organic greens at unbeatable prices.

If you’re familiar with the brand Cal-Organics, they are local to where I live here in California. They grow all sorts of greens, root vegetables, and so much more. Sprouts tends to have the best prices on this brand, but if I’m in a hurry then I’ll run into Albertson’s and pick up some fresh organic lettuce.

Beyond buying organic produce, I purchase monthly from Azure Standard. I purchase all of my bulk grains, beans, seasonings, pantry goods, some produce, and so much more from Azure. There prices are unbeatable for organic, most of the time. I would highly suggest purchasing from Azure Standard if you’re wanting to purchase organic grains and beans, for sure!

Organic foods are everywhere these days, but just remember the best price you’ll ever receive on organic anything is straight from your own garden. That’s where the true savings is!

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