Going Organic is Getting Cheaper!

The world of organic is getting cheaper!  Which is good news.  First off, I don’t think cheap is the best driver of motivation, because quality and expense tend to go hand in hand in the food world.  However, there are certain foods, that it makes perfect sense to go ahead and go cheap with, and then make up the difference elsewhere.

Applegate "Natural" Turkey - 2 packs for $6.99

That being said, I took a shopping trip through BJ’s today, and was excited to see what has transpired there! First I went into the area of the deli meats.  There are few deli meats that I would recommend, though it is nice to actually have a deli sandwich or in my case just a quick piece of deli meat with a piece of real raw cheese!  It was nice to see that Applegate Naturals has their meat on sale for a better price than most other stores.  Biggest problem here, it isn’t organic.

Applegate makes an organic product, but it is not the easiest to find.  I typically buy natural, because Trader Joe’s and Publix carry the natural version, where organic is only found at Harry’s/Whole Foods, or the Natural Food Warehouse, or other specialty food sellers.  The difference, well, there are still chemicals used in the feed of natural poultry.  Just no nitrites, no antibiotics or any hormone.

So as I moved on, I did find some organic products, and that was a great step, as the next thing we found was a large bag of apples.  Now for those about to start on the healing diet, you need to turn your back on the Gala Apples in the picture to the right, but feel free to buy into the Granny Smith apples below that.  My household likes apples, and we buy them organic.  The price of organic apples at BJ’s, versus Trader Joe’s is a pretty good savings.  However, bananas (don’t eat many of these sugar rich treats), were about the same price, if not cheaper at Trader Joe’s.

I found lemons,  and spinach and mixed greens, and some other random items.  All in bulk, so that was good.  NOW, lets address the why we don’t want to buy everything organic from BJ’s.  As you know, organic isn’t our only focus.  We do want clean foods, but just because it is clean, it isn’t necessarily healthy.  And of course, according to the Cornucopia Institute, not all organic is made equal.  And produce is not all that different from dairy or meat farming… differences do exist.

For example, the Local Food Stop vegetables are RICH in nutrient density.  How do I know?  Practice (yeah, I eat a lot).  Seriously, when you have eaten many different vegetables from back yard gardens, and from organic sources via commercial purchases, you get to know the difference between a crop grown in high nutrient environments, vs those grown in overused farm territory.  Local Food Stop has been impressive so far.  I would much rather you find a source like that for your dark greens, than “Organic Girl” spinach and mixed greens.  Cute name… but there isn’t much in a name. Now, that being said, you won’t always be able to buy perfect greens, so buy this cute named box of greens, before a bag of conventional lettuce.

All in all, the shopping excursion was good.  I was able to pickup a 32GB flash drive for $30, which is why I went in the first place, so the convenience of organic grocery shopping, while getting a great deal on technology is hard to scoff at.  So, the last thing I should mention as a parting note, is that my aquaponics garden will start flowing in about one month.  I’ll get the fish in, the fluid dynamics balanced, and we will be experimenting with aquaculture meets super veges all Spring long!  If you have an option, putting one of these in will be well worth it for your health, and your long term budget.

Be well, eat well – Dr. E