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Today, I want to share my favorite tips to help you lower organic food costs (and food costs in general) so that you will have more money available to build your wealth.
Now that I am on the Path to Financial Independence, being able to lower organic food costs has become a priority for me.
My family enjoys visiting local farmer’s markets, where we can get fresh organic produce year round. I love the huge variety of locally grown heirloom fruits and vegetables, artisan cheeses, wild-caught sustainable seafood, and free-range, grass-fed organic meat and eggs.
Sounds expensive, right? Find out how you can eat organic foods like this and still afford to put extra cash in your retirement fund . . .
How To Lower Organic Food Costs
Organic, high quality REAL food is important to me, so food spending has always seemed like the black hole of our budget.
I’ve learned a few tips and tricks to stay within our grocery budget without feeling deprived. The following money-saving strategies have helped us enjoy mostly organic, high quality food without over spending.
I offer these 8 tips to help you smartly navigate any grocery store or food market so you can avoid the money traps and find cheap healthy eats, too.
Table of Contents
1. Stick to the outside aisles of the grocery store.
The outside aisles along the walls of the grocery store are where you will find the produce, meat and dairy – whole, real food. The center aisles feature processed, packaged foods, which cost more. Processed foods often contain numerous chemicals, fillers, additives, excessive sugar or salt, and very little fiber.
Stretch your grocery dollar by avoiding processed foods.
2. Choose meals you can make from scratch at home.
Processed, packaged foods are a really poor value when it comes to your money. You are mostly paying for the packaging. Processed foods don’t do much for your health, either.
Try some new recipes and add your favorite ones into your weekly or monthly meal rotation.
3. Pack your lunch to lower organic food costs.
It’s easy to blow your food budget by eating out. Making your own lunch could save you lots of money, up to $50 or $75 per week. You control the ingredients when you make your own lunch, so it’s healthier, too!
Even the cost of beverages add up. Rather than spending $4 for a bottle of sparkling kombucha, I’ve started making my own. I’ll pack my own home-brewed kombucha, herbal tea, or green juice before I head out the door. I’m not a coffee drinker, but for those who are, making coffee at home saves money, too.
Bonus: Take the money you save by packing your lunch, and invest it.
Think small amounts of money don’t really make a difference when investing? Try the Rule of 173. Multiply the monthly expense by 173. The result is what you would have if those small amounts were invested in the stock market with a modest 7% return over 10 years.
4. Get to know the “Clean Fifteen” and the “Dirty Dozen”.
If you can’t afford to purchase all organic food, avoid the Dirty Dozen, as these have the highest pesticide residues. Go for the non-organic produce with the least pesticide, known as the Clean Fifteen.
Get your FREE copy of the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This helpful list is updated and published yearly by the Environmental Working Group.
5. Eat simple raw foods.
Although I love to cook, I’ve also experimented with raw food recipes for years. I feel my best when I incorporate more fresh fruits, vegetables and greens into my daily meals. The easiest way to do this is with delicious smoothies.
Bonus! Here’s a simple recipe for the best smoothie ever.
Blend together 2 cups frozen fruit, 2 cups liquid, a big handful of greens, and a scoop of protein powder. You can choose any brand of protein powder, or use this link to order the organic protein powder that I use and love. Sweeten with honey or stevia, if desired.
Supercharge your day with a plant-based, high protein smoothie!
6. Follow the seasons.
There is a reason tomatoes are tasteless in the winter. Eating with the seasons allows you to buy produce when it is the least expensive and most flavorful. Biting into a fragrant, juicy peach at the peak of summer can feel like a delicious luxury.
Purchase produce in season – it costs less and tastes the best.
7. Eat low on the food chain.
You don’t have to become a vegan or switch to strictly vegetarian meals. But going meatless a few times a week can save lots of money. Eating low on the food chain is not only more cost effective, it’s also healthier.
Fill your grocery cart with whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, greens, unprocessed grains and beans. Eating a plant-based diet will keep your waist skinny and your wallet fat.
Plant foods are loaded with antioxidants and a plant-based diet cools inflammation in the body. Healthy aging is all about reducing inflammation! If you’re not sure how to prepare plant-based meals, visit your local library where you can borrow a variety of different cookbooks. Try some new plant-based recipes!
I can’t say it any better than author Michael Pollan in his New York Times Bestseller book, In Defense of Food:
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
8. Visit your local farmer’s market.
When you shop at a farmer’s market, you get to know the people who grow your food. I would rather support a small scale farmer than a giant corporation that puts profit before people. That is only one of the reasons that I quit shopping at Whole Foods. I have more fun at the farmer’s market, too!
You will find the freshest local and organic produce, along with great variety at a seasonal farmer’s market. But to save money, look for ugly fruits and veggies, which taste just as good and are often less expensive. Farmers may also mark down produce at the end of the day, when the best deals are to be had. Another way to lower organic food costs!
Apply the money you save to your retirement fund.
By adopting some or all of these 8 tips for lowering organic food costs, you will save money, enhance your health, and be able to contribute more to your retirement savings. WIN-WIN-WIN!!!
Question: What money-saving tips can you share with the rest of us for stretching your food budget while maintaining a healthy diet?
These are such great tips to keep costs in check. I want to eat more organic foods but the price tag can be intimidating. Focusing on the dirty dozen and staying in season will really help to save money. And as a former vegetarian I appreciate the suggestion to go meatless a few days a week!
Thanks, Amanda! Eating with the seasons not only saves money, but everything is fresher. Tastes so much better, too!
We don’t spend a ton on food as we do most of our shopping at Aldi, but I could definitely incorporate more raw food and meatless recipes into my meal plan. I’ll also try your recipe for your green smoothie. Getting all my veggies, especially leafy greens, is a challenge for me!
It’s so easy to get in your veggies & leafy greens by adding them to delicious smoothies, Elaine! Once you’ve made your green smoothie, you’ll have to come back & let us know how you liked it!
I’ve never found that going to our local farmers’ markets SAVED me money for organic food!!! The markup is higher than at Whole Paycheck. The better option in my area (New England) seems to be joining a CSA, or community-supported agriculture, endeavor. Seasonal fresh produce from local organic farms at bulk prices, and we’re helping our local farms survive by providing reliable capital. Ours offer different packages and deliver to central locations.
Another great option is the local food co-op—sounds like your Oliver’s, but these allow you to join and become a member. Ours doesn’t charge for membership; instead we volunteer for a certain number of hours there, or can become part of the ownership structure by buying shares if we choose. A member gets 5% off everything, though anyone can shop there, and the selection is derived largely from local farms, with almost all organic produce.
I guess your strategies really have to depend on where you live…
A good tip for saving money at Farmers’ Markets is to go at the end of the day – farmers are often willing to mark produce way down so they don’t have to cart it back home.
I’ve participated in a couple CSA programs over the years and it can be fun trying something new or unusual from local farmers. I found certain things to be less expensive, but not all.
When I lived in a different town, I was a member of a food co-op, like you, Rani. I loved volunteering and getting the discount, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t a food co-op where I live now. So you are right, Rani, some strategies depend on where you live!
Great tips, and great ways to save money i need to lean more towards organic foods thank you for sharing this information .
Thanks, Kristina! So glad you enjoyed these tips on saving money on food! A good place to start with organic foods is to buy the fruits & vegetables that have the most pesticide residue organic when you can. These are the “Dirty Dozen” updated by the Environmental Working Group each year. Thanks for stopping by & commenting!
This post is right up my alley. I love to provide organic, whole foods for my family. Your tips show people that it is possible to do so and stay within budget.
Glad you enjoyed it, Brooke! Some organic food can be more expensive, but there are definitely ways to lower the costs.
We have recently been consciously eating organic foods, we have subconsciously been following these guide lines you have provided. Good to know we are on the right track 🙂
Yay! Glad to hear it, Mr & Mrs FDU!
It’s never bothered me if food has been grown organic or not, because organic food is still grown with dangerous pesticides anyway. The only way to have truly organic food is to grow it yourself, which I can’t do in my living situation. So there’s no point paying a premium for a label that says organic, which is just marketing strategy. Organic or not, you still should wash them properly to get any pesticides off of them
Thanks for commenting, Unwanted Life! By the way, another option for growing some of your own food is to try sprouting. I’ve sprouted sunflower seeds, garbanzo beans, alfalfa seeds, mung bean seeds, and broccoli seeds in jars on my kitchen counter. No dirt or garden plot required.
Thank you so much for such a brilliant post! I really enjoyed learning about ways to save for purchasing organic food. I especially love the point on farmers’ market.
Farmer’s markets are fun to visit, Bella Wanana! So glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your kind comments!
Love this post. During the lockdown, we managed to set up our little garden, and currently, we are harvesting zucchini, tomatoes and so far one watermelon. That’s definitely from the backyard to the kitchen. We mostly cook food and make sure we eat more veggies. As for grocery shopping, most of the veggies we get are fresh and not so much on processed food. We should all be conscious on what we eat. And let’s support our local farmers!
Your garden sounds amazing, Vinn! I’ve never had success growing watermelon. Excellent point about supporting local farmers! Thanks for reading & commenting!
Avoiding processed foods and snacks is something I do as well. And veggie meals including beans or lentils are so healthy and budget conscious. Thanks for sharing these tips! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the tips, Alison! Thanks for mentioning the low-cost, high nutrition content of beans & lentils. They are so versatile, too.
I really love these tips – its so hard to eat healthy and not spend a fortune. These are really good ideas. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you, Sarah! Glad you found these tips for eating healthy while saving money helpful.
Informative! I’ll try to eat healthy food this year as part of my fitness goals.
http://www.lifebeginsattwenty.com
Thanks, Monique! Eating healthy is a great strategy that will help you reach your fitness goals. We can’t eat junk and expect to work it off (at least not for the long-term). Eventually, poor diets have a negative impact on health. Thank you for reading & commenting!
Great tips Kathy! I love my fruits and veggies and feel very fortunate about that. I also avoid center aisles at the grocery store and love to hit the farmers market for fresh in season food. Thanks for the tips!
Visiting the Farmer’s Market is a great way to enjoy the freshest fruits and veggies, Clarissa. It also supports local farmers and has a smaller environmental impact. Shopping toward the end of the day is a good way to get some deals and save money.
I’m not sure I fully understand what organic actually means in terms of food? Is it where the farmer hasn’t used pesticides etc? I know packaged goods aren’t organic but I think I’ve always assumed that all vegetables and fruits are haha!
Great question, Nicci! Any food with the certified organic label, including packaged food, must follow strict organic guidelines. Certified organic food is grown without synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. It also is free from genetically engineered genes (GMOs).
There are several levels for organic food labels:
* 100% certified organic – all ingredients (except salt or water) must be organically grown (as noted above).
* Organic – must contain at least 95% organic ingredients.
* Made With Organic Ingredients- must contain at least 70% organic ingredients.
Hope that helps, Nicci!
Great tips! Visting the farmer market is a new idea and seems good. These would help to save money on food. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, these tips will definitely help stretch your food budget. Saving money on food is important, but so is quality. So glad you enjoyed the post, Fransic!
I love this post! I think that making meals from scratch can be a lot cheaper sometimes. In the UK we also have organic vegetables and items that are a bit misshapen and so no-one wants to buy them. They sell them for much cheaper, and they’re exactly the same!
Aw, thank you so much, Eleanor! We have a similar service here in the US called “Imperfect Foods” that keeps misshapen produce from going to the landfill. It is supposed to help you save 30% on groceries, too! I recently signed up for it and have been very pleased with it so far.
You have really great tips here! I’ve been making a point of shopping organic more and cooking from scratch, particularly the vegetables that come in a box that are misshapen and cost less as they aren’t deemed “shelf worthy” yet they taste the exact same and more times than not they last a lot longer.
That is so wonderful that you’re saving money on organic food with a subscription delivery box, Jordanne! I think I’m signed up for that same service, which is Imperfect Foods.
Great! I just learned loads from this.
Thank you, Jamieadstories! Glad you enjoyed the post.
These are some great tips. I didn’t know that point about the outside aisles of the supermarket though! I’d like to eat more organic fresh food. When I move and the food shopping is my responsibility, I’ll definitely keep it in mind to do.
Great tips! I always try to cook with seasonal products and chop everything myself, which helps a lot. Home-made is always better when it comes to budgeting (and often health as well).