How to Switch to an Organic Diet

There are a lot of myths about "green" out there in the world right now. Green is on the minds of everyone - from what we put in our mouths or drive to where we work and how we do business. Green is everywhere, and everyone has an opinion about it.

But, for the sake of the green argument when it comes to our diet, "going green" does not mean a complete overhaul of how you eat, think or spend your money. One of the biggest arguments out there for not going green is that it costs more. However, with many of the major chain grocers now devoting whole aisles to organic foods, costs are coming down as retailers compete for your business. Additionally, buying at local farmers' markets can also help in dispelling the cost argument. Plus, you're supporting local business.

Another argument against converting to an organic diet is the idea that going organic means more time in the kitchen and more time spent hunting for recipes that adhere to being eco-friendly. However, as going green has become more accepted and more on the minds of the masses, it has become that much easier to find good recipes and tips for maintaining a green diet (e.g. edenfoods.com/recipes, wholefoodsmarket.com, myorganicmarket.com).

Most of your time in the kitchen and the headache of planning meals can be saved or avoided by planning ahead for the week and pre-cooking meals on one day of the week to last the rest of the days of the week.

Now, if you're thinking about converting to organic foods, here are some tips for the transition. Depending on your commitment level, you may want to look into all of these tips. For others who do not want to start off with a dramatic change, take some of these tips into consideration and gradually work your way down the list.

Buy Organic When You Can

This sounds easy enough, right? And, it's just about as simple as it sounds. If you're not completely sold on the idea of organic and/or are wary of the cost implications to your weekly household budget, start off slow. No pressure. You don't even have to venture outside of the regular grocery store you normally shop out of.

You can continue shopping at the same grocery store you are already going to - just start shopping in a different aisle. Most grocers nowadays have two or three aisles dedicated to organic foods that are competitively priced with non-organic foods.

Stick to the Outer Limits at the Store

Just like shopping for non-organics, you should stick to the outer edges of the store where you'll find the fresher foods. Processed foods are in the middle and filled with ingredients your body doesn't need or are partially stripped of nutrients.

Go With Grains

Grains are good and most people aren't eating enough of them. Introduce more wheat, brown rice, oats and cornmeal into your diet. These are hearty sides or dishes for meals that will stick to your insides and keep you fuller for longer in contrast to junk foods or sugary meals.

Just remember, whole grains (such as oatmeal and brown rice) are one group of grains, while refined grains (like white bread) are another. Refined grains have been processed, which spells out more pollution for the environment and less nutrition for you. Try swapping white bread for whole grain bread in your sandwiches, or eating oatmeal in the morning instead of corn flakes.

Replace Meats and Dairy First

If you're just starting out and not sure what the priority switch to organic should be, try replacing nonorganic meats or dairy products with organics. Non-organic meats usually have lots of growth hormones, antibiotics and pesticides. You might also try replacing refined grains (white breads, pastas) with whole grains, which have a lot more bran than refined grains. Most people that start greening their diets, usually start out with transitioning to organic milk once they find out about the growth hormones.

Shop Local

Try frequenting the local farmers market, which more and more cities are offering. Not all vendors at the market carry organic foods, so make sure to ask if they use synthetics or pesticides in their growing process. Oftentimes, it can be quite pricey for the small business owner to have that USDA seal of approval, so just ask.

Ultimately, by buying from a local farmer, you're most likely getting a fresher product. Plus, prices will be lower if you're buying foods that are currently in season.

Eat Seasonal Foods

Eating crops that are in season means that they are fresher (nothing surprising there), but that they also have traveled fewer miles on the road and sat in storage for a shorter amount of time.

Preserve Your Food

Related to eating foods in season, if there's something you want that's not in season, you should make it a point to preserve those items while they are in season. Doing this can make some crops last for months.

Preserving food essentially implies canning, drying or pickeling foods. Check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation for more information about how to preserve foods on your own.

Crops to Avoid

Familiarize yourself with the Environmental Working Group's "dirty dozen." The list includes the crops with the largest amount of pesticides that stay on them even after a good washing. These crops, include peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach and potatoes.

Grow Your Own Food
This is for people who have already started converting their diet or who already have completely converted to organic. Try growing your own food. You don't need a massive amount of acreage to feed yourself and your family. Growing your own herbs can also be done in a minimal amount of space.

If you really don't have the space to become your own farmer, some communities are getting together to grow community gardens. You can find a local one near you at the American Community Gardening Association's web site, communitygarden.org.

Bring Your Own Bags-

-to the grocery store, that is. Instead of taking plastic bags, which are not recycled, just bring your own that can be reused again and again.

Compost

Get the nutrients out of every last scrap you have by starting your own compost pile. It will eventually be a benefit to your garden and save you money on fertilizer.

Composting also doesn't have to be brain surgery. All you need to do is section off a small portion of your yard where you can pile up the waste. If you have animals or small children, then you will need to set up some barriers so that they don't get into the pile.

Go to howtocompost.org for more information.