Is Buying Organic Food a Priority in Your Budget? If So, What Organic Foods Are Most Important?

The old adage "You are what you eat" tends to ring true, and my family and I try to abide by that principle. For us, buying organic food is a priority in our budget, and we have even gone to the extent of planting and harvesting an organically grown garden this year.

While buying organic food can sometimes be costly, the health benefits far outweigh the price. My husband, my three children, and I rarely go to the doctor with the exception of our yearly checkups, and I attribute quite a bit of that reason to the diet that we eat.

As far as the organic foods that are most important to me, I have several ones that I feel are best to buy. I will list these foods below as well as the reason why I find them to be significant to purchase.

1. Fresh produce - You can literally taste the difference in organic produce and that which has been exposed to fertilizers and pesticides. Too, fresh organic fruits and vegetables tend to be fresher and last longer than those who have been grown with the aid of chemicals. From our garden, we have harvested a variety of tomatoes, okra, squash, peppers, green beans, lettuce, and eggplants. In the grocery store, I specifically buy the organic forms of grapes, strawberries, bananas, apples, carrots, broccoli, and watermelon.

2. Frozen produce - Again, you really can taste a difference in organic vs. non-organic. I tend to buy the frozen organic strawberries, green beans, corn, and broccoli.

3. Whole grain products - I love to buy organic cereals, breads, granola bars, waffles, oatmeal, and other such products. I am a big fan of the Ezekiel bread and cereal line which is made from sprouted grains.

4. Milk and soymilk - In my opinion, there is no finer soymilk than the Silk Brand. I tend to buy the chocolate, very vanilla, and vanilla flavors of this product. The Silk soymilk also works well in recipes that call for milk. If for some reason I absolutely have to have milk, I will buy the Horizon brand of organic milk.

5. Juices made from organic fresh produce - You just can't beat the health benefits from juice from fresh organic produce. My favorite fruit juices to buy are apple and orange. I have a wonderful recipe for lemonade in which I use organic lemons.

6. Cheeses - Even with organic cheeses, you can tell a difference in taste. My favorite ones to buy are the Horizons brand of mozzarella and cheddar.

7. Coffee - In my opinion, organic coffee is extremely important since the plant from which coffee comes is one of the crops on which the most pesticides are used. With non-organic coffees, you can almost taste the chemicals whereas with organic coffee, you only have the fresh, robust, clean taste.

8. Canned vegetables - I even buy organic canned vegetables. If you are looking to incorporate more organic products in your diet and want to ease into it gently financially, organic veggies in the can are a good place to start. There is only a few cents difference between the organic varieties and those that are not organic. My favorite organic canned vegetables are tomatoes, kidney beans, corn, garbanzo beans, and black beans.

9. Annie's Originals products - This brand of products offers a selection of cereals, cookies, crackers, boxed meals, sauces, and all sorts of goodies. My personal favorites are the Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, Annie's Macaroni and Cheese, and a line of marinades that Annie's Originals carries.

10. Sugar - Organic sugar tends to be less processed than non-organic, refined white sugar. The grains are coarser and deliver lots of flavor.

11. Agave nectar - This plant-derived sweetener is excellent for individuals who suffer from diabetes and other blood-sugar problems. Your body processes this nectar in a very similar way to that of fruits and vegetables, so it is slowly released into the bloodstream. If you are slowly implementing organics into your diet, this product is another good place to start.

In conclusion, organic foods really are worth the extra money. Spending a little more today on the foods that you eat can save you lots of money in the future on medical costs.