1. Put your green bargaining cap on and talk
with farmers at the markets to negotiate a lower price for your produce. We
know they work hard for their money but it can’t hurt to ask. Bartering for
fare isn’t as strange as it sounds. Maybe they’ll unload the less popular
fruits and vegetables for less too.
2. Everyone’s looking for the perfect
specimen. You might want to choose produce that’s been passed over, because of
minimal bruising and spotting, and ask for a lower price. Let’s face it, basil
is going to wilt anyways once you chop it up or cook it so buying some that’s
already on its way isn’t going to affect its flavor. It just means that you’ll
want to use it sooner than later — which isn’t a bad thing.
3. More and more of the bigger food warehouse
stores (like Sam’s Club, for example) are carrying organic items. If you can
buy in bulk (dried beans, rice, canned tomatoes, organic coffee, etc.) this
will save you a few dollars too. If you want to buy vegetables in greater
quantities because of price, some will freeze nicely if slightly blanched
beforehand. Asparagus, green beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, turnips and
squashes can all be frozen.
4. Before you go to the Farmer’s Market and
get pulled into the romance of it all (“I must have those gorgeous garlic
scapes – now what do I do with them?”), plan ahead and go with a set list in
mind. If an item is too expensive because it’s just come in season, wait a week
and the price may go down.
5. The proliferation of websites that sell
organic food and related items is ever-growing and with the incentive of free
shipping on some sites, this may be a great alternative for you. Amazon.com is
even dabbling in selling organic grocery store items, so you’ll have a variety
of sources from which to choose.
6. Just as you search for coupons in your
local supermarket flyers (or watch them haphazardly fall out of your weekend
newspaper), many of the organic brand websites offer a way to print out coupons
too. If you don’t have access to a printer, some of the websites will simply
send you the coupons if you supply your snail mail address.
What To Do When You Can't Find Organics Or Pesticide-Free Fruits and Vegetables? If you don't have the advantage of buying organic and your local supermarket only carries fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides, reduce your risk by finding out which ones are the worst. Check: Reducing Your Risk To Pesticides: 47 Fruits and Veggies and Their Pesticide Load
What To Do When You Can't Find Organics Or Pesticide-Free Fruits and Vegetables? If you don't have the advantage of buying organic and your local supermarket only carries fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides, reduce your risk by finding out which ones are the worst. Check: Reducing Your Risk To Pesticides: 47 Fruits and Veggies and Their Pesticide Load
Source: http://preventdisease.com
As an organic farmer, I know how much work I put into my produce, how much extra I paid for the seeds I started, how much more I paid for the organic seed starter and how much I pay in labour to have my garden beds weeded by hand and how many hours I put into my back and legs to the end result. I object to having someone "barter" with me. I don't bring inferior products to my customers, we eat the less-than-perfect produce ourselves. I'd hate to see everyone arriving at a Farmers' Market at the end of it to see if they can get lower prices, how can an organic farmer survive on this kind of sale? I am not certified organic but I know that it is expensive and those farmers need to charge more for that reason. Therefore, I disagree with your suggestion.
ReplyDeleteIt is only a matter of eating enough and balanced, not too much. We gotta get use to take what we need, this will save as money and more important, keep us healthy.
ReplyDeleteIt is only a matter of eating enough and balanced,. We gotta get use to take what we need, that will save us money and more important, keep us healthy.
ReplyDeleteThe first two are prettying the same: ask for lower price. This is a useless suggestion because not only is it disrespectful to the farmer (at the farmer market) it's next to impossible to get a chain store to sell even their molding organic produce at any discount whatsoever (they often send it in to supplier for a partial credit back to themselves).
ReplyDeleteThe suggestion of buyig in bulk is great, but not suitable for an article to "not break the bank" because buying in bulk is costly (membership plus cost of goods).
The list idea is a no brainer- not actually a "savings" on organic food items.
In regards to coupons- organic companies inly out out occasional coupons- so this woulndt be a dependable way to consistantly eat organic.
Wish this article actually had useful suggestions.
:( I was displeased enough to actually comment.