One of the big excuses that I see people make when it comes to eating “clean”, whether that’s paleo or an elimination or rotation diet is that they can’t afford to buy organic food or grass-fed meat. Somehow, they think that if they can’t do that, they can’t do the program.
The first step to getting better meat is cutting antibiotics and hormones. This is not necessarily organic, but it’s one heck of a lot better. Watch for sales on the natural or organic meats. Figure out when your grocery store marks down stuff in the meat case – mine usually does it on Tuesday. Cook it or freeze it immediately, and you’ll save some money.
If you can’t manage naturally produced or organic, buy the lean cuts and add healthy fats yourself. Much of the toxins are accumulated in fat, and in CAFO meat, the fat has a lot of Omega-6, which is not something anyone needs more of in their diet. Buy a crock pot, and learn to use marinades to tenderize and flavor your meat.
In some cases, it’s really not necessary to buy organic at all, and even if you can’t afford *any* organic veggies or fruits, you’re better off with conventional foods than using money as an excuse for eating a lousy diet.
Some foods *are* likely to be contaminated, and you will get a benefit from buying organic. You might find that frozen versions of organic foods are cheaper and will not make much difference in the eating. If you’re throwing berries in a shake or smoothie, why buy fresh at all? If you’re cooking your dark leafy veggies anyway, buy them frozen. Organic carrots are just pennies more than conventional where I shop – literally 1 cent per pound more.
Watch for sales, and try to buy in season. Squash tend to be really expensive when they are out of season, as are fresh tomatoes. Try to buy first and plan your meals based on what you’ve got. I’ve found that farmer’s markets are not always cheaper, but the food is always fresher. Learn when your favorite foods are available and buy them then.
To most of you, I’m sure this seems like common sense, but I think people who are resisting change just don’t think things through.
Speaking of farmer’s markets, they are a great place to buy eggs. Small-scale production of eggs is fairly easy, so you can buy them in many places. What you want are chickens that actually eat what they want – generally referred to as pastured since the free-range term has become a bit poisoned. “Vegetarian fed” is not better. Chickens are omnivores, and they pick over dirt to find bugs. All chickens are supplemented with grain, but whether that grain is organic or not is not that big of a deal. Ask the folks selling their eggs where their chickens live and if they are allowed free access to grass. I typically pay $3 per dozen for non-organic feed, naturally raised chickens that spend their days on pasture. I’ve heard that if you demand organic feed, the eggs cost twice that in the DC area farmer’s markets.
If you can’t find local eggs, get the Omega-3 eggs that are raised without hormones or antibiotics. The color of the shell does not matter – that’s just about the chicken breed – and white is almost always cheaper. White, naturally raised (not organic) Omega-3 eggs go for $2.50 – $3 in my area. In the winter, that’s what I buy. In a temperate climate, chickens just don’t lay much in the dark, cold months.
Processed foods are expensive. Once you give those up, you’ll have more money for foods that don’t even need an ingredients label.
OK, now I’m convinced that food prices in Florida are over the top. I pay nearly $4 per dozen eggs at the super market – they are USDA certified organic but to be honest I’m not so sure that means anything any more.
Thank you Nicole–
This is an excellent guide for people who want to know what to eat when you can’t afford to be “perfect”. I agree Farmer’s Markets are a great resource. Plus, they also often have vegetables that you wouldn’t find in a typical grocery store–like peavines–which are really cheap and exceptionally tender and yummy when stir-fried!
Well, it’s possible that my local grocery store is just cheaper, period. To be clear though, I’m also talking about no hormone, no antibiotic eggs. That’s NOT the same as organic.
One thing I came away with from Omnivore’s Dilemma with was the fact that government mandated labels often amount to bullshit.
Pollan visited an organic chicken farm that raises “free-range” chickens. He found that they do all live in one big smelly barn that has a tiny door that goes outside. That way, the chickens have “access” to the outside for the 51% of their lives. The chickens did not seem to be aware of the door, so he was dubious that they ever actually went outside.
Since I live in a rural area, I do get raw milk, eggs and various meats either directly from farms or from a small-scale butcher/slaughter operation that deals with a bunch of local farms. I’ve met some of the farmers when I’ve gone to pick out meat at the butcher. Small-scale slaughter and butchery is really rare though – the owner used to be a USDA inspector, so presumably she really knew the regulations inside and out.
My raw milk is a 30 mile drive each way, so it does require some effort, but she (the farmer) runs a diversified operation that also sells eggs, chicken, beef and lamb. Those animals are the ones I see in her pastures when I go pick up my milk. Her layers are out wandering around and doing their chicken thing. I really don’t care if they are organic – I know the live happy, healthy lives, and that’s what really matters to me.
I really need to write a post on why I think “organic” is a load of nonsense in many cases.
Grass-fed/pastured animal parts are a pain in the ass to get around here. The local Whole Fuds just started selling it out of the meat case; before that they had packaged cuts on occasion but it was hit or miss. Unfortunately it’s got the standard WF profit margin. I order most of my beef online 15-20lbs at a time and can get actual for-reals free-range Maine eggs at WF for $4/doz which isn’t bad. What’s fun is they’re always different colors and sizes, the last doz. were white and blue, before about half white, half brown. The blue eggs tend to have super-dark yolks so I try to find a box that has more of them.
i get the BEST EGGS at the farmers market! oh the organey yolks and many colored shells…love them! and i just got another shipment from US wellness meats…love them! this wortks for me, but if i had a family to feed i do not know how i would manage and change around budgeting…