How Much Should You Spend on Organic Food?

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Herbert Richards
6 years ago
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1 How Much Should You Spend on Organic Food? Six tips for shopping with your family s budget, health, and priorities in mind By Kaitlin Marinelli While standing in the checkout line at the supermarket today, I looked down at my grocery cart and realized that I had done it again; approximately half of the groceries I had selected were organic and the others were not. Part of my selection process was based on availability and price (the organic tomato paste was no more expensive than the standard stuff), but to be perfectly honest, I really wasn t shopping with any strategy at all. When it comes to organic food, I know the basics: By feeding my family organic meats and produce, I m not serving them chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones that are used in conventional agricultural practices. I ve also been told that certain fruits and vegetables are less affected pesticides than others, but I never remember which is which. As I stared at my groceries in perplexity, my thoughts began to spiral: Am I wasting money by arbitrarily choosing certain organic ingredients? Should I be spending more to create a totally organic household? I felt stupid for not having a plan. So, for the sake of my fiscal and physical health, I decided to devise one. Organic Food: A Brief Review According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic agriculture produces products using methods that preserve the environment and avoid most synthetic

2 Marinelli 2 materials, such as pesticides and antibiotics. The exact Organic Standards that farmers and companies must meet in order to label their products as organic can be found on the USDA website. In the meantime, here are the basics: Source: Kaitlin Marinelli, created with data from USDA.gov

3 Marinelli 3 Conflicting Views The USDA has distinguished organic goods from conventional, but does that necessarily mean that they are better for us? This is the million-dollar question that has sparked a contentious debate among scientists, farmers, manufacturers, and consumers throughout the country. A 2012 Stanford study concluded that organic food is no more nutritious than conventional, but newer studies reveal that organic food contains more antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) claims that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are safe for consumption, but most other developed nations have restricted or banned them. I know; it s enough to make your head spin. One thing we can agree upon is that organic food can be expensive. According to a 2015 Consumer Report study, organic food costs an average of 47% more than conventional food. It is important to note, however, that the study s authors observed a significant range in price discrepancies, with honey at a low 13% premium but zucchini at a whopping 303%. I ll tell you how I plan to use this to my advantage later. Setting Priorities I suppose that choosing what you consume is a lot like choosing which political candidate will get your vote: You consider your personal priorities and beliefs. To decide how much to spend, or whether it is important for you to shop organic, contemplate the following:

4 Marinelli 4 How invested are you in protecting the environment? Do you believe eating food that has been treated with pesticides, hormones, and artificial ingredients are harmful to your health? Do you trust that at this day in age, regulating bodies will only allow manufacturers to use safe levels of chemicals and hormones in and on your food? Are you willing to spend more money for a fresher, better tasting apple, or is an apple an apple? Unfortunately, I can t make this simple for you. But I researched all of these questions and more, so I can tell you where I am after drinking from the proverbial (organic, cage-free) fire hose. Six Tips: My Shopping Plan Personally, I do find that organic produce tastes better and that I feel better when I eat less processed food. And I do believe that future research will directly link increased health risks and conditions to consuming genetically modified, pesticide treated, heavily processed food. I just do. I also believe in voting with my dollars. If I want to support non-industrial farms, sustainability practices, animal welfare, and affordable prices for healthy food, I need to shop accordingly. For example, wherever possible, I need to avoid genetically modified food, research the source of my animal products, and in many cases, buy organic. For the moment, organic food is pricey and I need to be mindful of my expenses. Here is the shopping plan I developed, which--for the time being--balances my personal beliefs and my budget:

5 Marinelli 5 1. Build a budget, for lots of reasons. I tend to avoid confronting my finances at all costs, but the benefits of developing and sticking to a financial plan are hard to rebut. When it comes to food shopping, Forbes, CNBC, and others recommend that people spend 10-14% of their monthly budget on food and groceries. When I shop, I will use my food priorities and the tips below to fit as many organic products as possible into my budget, and fill the rest in with conventional. That being said, I m one of those people who lives to eat as opposed to eating to live. I will likely opt to expand my budget to, say, 20% and sacrifice elsewhere. 2. Branch out. Do you buy all of your organic goods from the supermarket or Whole Foods? You ll be pleased to know that some unexpected retailers have gotten on the all-natural bandwagon. Of course, Trader Joe s has some nice offerings, but so do Aldi, BJ's, and Walmart. By shopping at these stores, I can save 25% on organics versus the higher-priced competition. I would be remiss if I didn t suggest that you shop at your local farmers markets. By buying directly from small and medium-sized farms, you re likely to find good deals on fresh, seasonal food, connect with your community, and help local farmers compete in the agribusiness marketplace. 3. Mind the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen. Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases a list of conventionally farmed produce that contains the lowest and

6 Marinelli 6 highest pesticide levels. I m confident that I can fit all of the Dirty Dozen items into my food budget. Source: organics.org Instead of trying to remember which items are which, or fumbling with my cell phone in the store, I m going to print this handy pocket-size guide and keep it in my wallet.

7 Marinelli 7 4. Everything in moderation. As the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) reminds us, The more a person is exposed to a particular substance, the greater the chance of harm. Regardless of its place on the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen list, if I eat a lot of it, I plan to buy the organic version when possible. If I find it unrealistic to fit that item into my budget every time, I can rotate between organic and conventional. 5. Research meat sources. Animal welfare is important to me and I m also leery of hormones and antibiotics. Unfortunately, buying organic meat exclusively could eat up the majority of my food budget. So when the price is right (check for great bulk deals at Whole Foods or even BJ's and freeze them), I ll go organic. Otherwise, I choose meats with busy labels listing all of the things that aren t in them and avoid companies that are known for poor animal farming practices. To save a few bucks, I will look into less expensive, but "natural meats, like those from Aldi's new Never Any! line. P.S. For health and budgeting purposes, I am also cutting meat out of one or two home-cooked meals per week. Please don t tell my husband; so far, he doesn't seem to notice. 6. Compare prices. I can t afford to shop for all of my household needs at Whole Foods, but I do buy a few things there just about every week. And as it turns out, I m not necessarily breaking the bank with my visits to the natural food giant. Kiplinger cites a list of organic items that are often comparable or the same price as their conventional counterparts, including lettuce and olive oil. They also found that specialty stores like Whole Foods offer surprisingly low prices on milk, chicken broth, and peanut butter. I ll opt for the organic options on these.

8 Marinelli 8 This is not a one-size-fits-all plan, but I hope these guidelines help you develop your own. While we wait for conclusive guidelines or prices to drop we can at least navigate the supermarket with a little peace of mind.

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