Organic Foods -- Are They Worth the Extra Cost?

Organic foods are everywhere--walk down any aisle in the grocery store and will be sure to find several organic products. There is, of course, organic produce--you will likely find an abundance of organic fruits and vegetables in the produce department. But, did you know that you can also find products such as organic peanut butter, organic frozen dinners, organic soups, organic chocolates, and organic cereals? And that is only a small sampling of the hundreds of available organic products--these days, nearly anything you can think of has some kind of organic alternative.

So, what exactly does that mean? What is the difference between the organic grape juice and the non-organic variety, for example? Most simply put, the organic juice has been produced without any additives, preservatives, or chemicals...whereas the non-organic variety probably has preservatives or stabilizers to increase its shelf life and it might have some kind of additives to brighten the juice's color or make it taste sweeter. Some people choose to begin eating organic foods because they want to avoid chemicals such as these in their foods, but there are a lot of people who are more interested in organics because of their health benefits.

Whatever the reason, there in the last few years there has been a rather large increase in the number of people eating organic foods--and, the food manufacturers have responded to this demand by developing as many different organic products as possible. While this may have been very helpful to those who were already dedicated to organic eating, it has been confusing to the average consumer who has decided to give organics a try. Where should this average consumer start? How can this person decide which foods to buy organic and which not? And, can the average consumer even fit organic foods into the family grocery budget?

First of all, understand that a lot of foods that are labeled as "organic" are actually quite unnecessary. One example that comes to mind is the Kraft Organic Macaroni & Cheese that has come on the market recently. The cost is quite a bit higher than other boxed macaroni & cheese mixes, only because it is "organic." Products such as these are really not worth the cost--it is much more cost efficient to purchase some organic pasta (in bulk if you can find it; if not, there are some boxed packages that are not much more in price than the conventional pastas) and make your own cheese sauce with some organic cheese. Yes, you are paying more at the outset because the cheese will cost more, but you will have a larger amount of pasta and cheese (and a much better quality, I must add).

Another product that I feel is unnecessary is the organic frozen dinner. Conventional frozen dinners are costly; organic versions are even more so. Yes, they can be convenient, and I understand that sometimes people appreciate this convenience--but, the price you pay for this convenience is too high, I think. For example, a family of four would require four individual frozen dinners for a meal. Organic meals made by Seeds of Change cost, on average, about $4.00 each. Do the math--this convenient meal ends up costing $16! I don't know about you, but that doesn't really fit into my grocery budget very well. So, what do I do when I need something fast and easy for a meal? I rely on a few tried-and-true quick recipes, such as Whole Wheat Pancakes (yes, we eat those for dinner) or Cheesy Quesadillas. It is simple for me to throw those meals together, and neither is a bank-breaker.

There are also a lot of gimmicky organic products out on the market, which I definitely avoid. I do not see the reasoning behind purchasing organic potato chips, organic cheese puffs, organic snack crackers, or organic cookies. To me, the conventional versions of these products are ones that should be eaten in moderation anyway--none of these are products, therefore, are worth the extra cost to me to buy organic. For any food that is meant to be a special treat, you need to decide if it is worth it to you to spend the extra money to buy the organic version of the product. Personally, I do buy organic chocolate and organic ice cream--basically because I know I and my family enjoy these treats and will likely eat these two foods more often. I rarely keep other "junk" foods in the house, so with other snack-type foods, it isn't an issue whether or not to buy organic.

So, what should you get organic? What is worth the extra cost? I usually decide by considering how much of a certain food my family generally consumes. We try to get a lot of fruits and vegetables in our meals, so those are a no-brainer--I get organic for those, whether I am buying fresh or frozen. My family is not vegetarian, though, and I do make sure to get organic meat, chicken, and fish. We eat a lot from the grain food group as well, so I tend to purchase organic cereals, organic rice, and organic baking goods. Soy milk is also a favorite in our household (the kids especially like the vanilla and chocolate flavors), and we purchase most of our dairy products as organics. Those are the major items that I purchase organic. There may be a few others here and there, but that's it for the most part. I feel that all of those items are worth the extra cost.

We do not purchase organic drinks such as soda (we don't allow the kids to drink it, but my husband and I indulge sometimes), bottled water, and sports drinks (like Powerade). We also don't get organic condiments--ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and the like are used in such small amounts that it is not worth the extra cost to us to purchase organic. And, I use a single-cup coffee maker and haven't been able to find organic coffee pods that work well in it, so I don't purchase organic coffee (though I probably would if I could find some).

How can you fit the extra cost of organic foods into your grocery budget? Careful shopping is key--you have to be willing to check your newspapers for coupons (there are often coupons for soy milk, for example) and you must check the sales ads for your grocery stores. But, that alone is often not enough for many people--organic foods can be so expensive sometimes that coupons and periodic sales just aren't that helpful. So, you have to find other sources for your organics. Try checking area health food stores--you can sometimes find bulk grains and cereals at much cheaper prices at this type of store. Or, think outside the box and head to your local farmer's stand. Ask the people manning the stand how their products are grown and you will find that most small-time farmer's stands grow their food organically even if their products aren't labeled as "organic" (many farmers cannot afford to pay the costs involved in having their farms certified as organic and do not do so, even though products are grown organically). Some farmer's stands have more than just produce, too--you may be able to find cheeses or other dairy products.

So, now even the average consumer, just starting out with buying organic foods, has a place to start. Organic food shopping does not have to be difficult or confusing, as long as you set out with some guidelines as determined by the types of foods that your family generally eats. It is not necessary to buy everything organic--think about what your family eats most and start with that.