Buying Organic: Weighing the Costs

I've written in the past about how we don't buy everything much at all organic at the grocery store. Part of the reason why has to do with our current budget (though our CSA share is certainly helping us stock or shelve with great, organic produce at a reasonable price).

Another -- bigger -- part is my own skepticism.



I have read about the "Dirty Dozen" and wonder if produce and other items, like canned goods, dairy products, etc., that fall outside of this list necessitate the higher price tag and organic label. Most people don't have the privilege to buy all organic foods, after all.

Too, I have started to consider how important it is to feed Ada organic. Of course we want the very best for our daughter, but I know I was raised eating the standard Gerber jars (and I was a formula-fed baby). I (think) I turned out pretty well. Organic baby food costs a good .40 cents more per jar, at least at our grocery store. If we fed Ada entirely from jars, that nearly doubles the cost to feed her.

It isn't that I don't value organic. Quite the opposite.



But in our new money situation, I can't necessarily justify the added expense. Still, I feel like I have a lot of preconceived notions about buying organic that I haven't explored. To be fair, I need to find the the truths and misconceptions myself.

So, I have decided to bite the bullet for a week (likely this week coming up) and buy organic for absolutely everything in our cart. E.v.e..r.y.t.h.i.n.g. I want to compare the cost of each item and the overall total to our normal haul. From there, I intend to see what might make sense for our budget and our health.

This is the point where I'd usually write something like: "What do I have to lose?" This time around, I'll lose a couple dollars or more. I imagine it will be worth it to figure out how we can best feed our family and more creatively stretch our money each week.



I'll be comparing this shopping trip to a previous post where we bought groceries for the week within our $60 budget. (The only complication is that our CSA share now takes up $20 each week.)

While I'm at it, I'd like to involve you as well. Do you have any curiosities related to buying organic you'd like me to address? Do you have any tips to share for getting the most bang for my buck? I know on Twitter there was some interest over this whole idea.

Let me know! Just leave a comment below or email us at writingchapterthree [at] gmail [dot] com.

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