The Costs of Buying Organic Food

I am a parent of young children and am very conscious of the food they eat. I try to emphasize natural foods such as vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products and generally feel pretty good about the choices I make. However, I recently read a study that prompted me to examine the foods I buy for my family.

In 2006, a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reported that children fed diets of organic foods have six to nine times less pesticides in their urine. In fact, they report that switching to organic foods can quickly have "dramatic and protective effect against exposures" to commonly used agricultural chemicals.

This study was compelling enough for me to want to begin buying organic food. I knew organic food is more expensive, but after reading that my children's health could benefit so much from this change, I decided that it would be worth the cost. Or was it?

I soon went into our local grocery store, armed with my new knowledge and enthusiasm with a small list of things for the kids. This list included baby food, formula, milk, yogurt, and eggs (all organic, of course). Here is what I found regarding the cost of these items:

Organic baby food (5 jars): $7.20

Non-organic baby food (5 jars): $4.90

Organic store brand formula: $14.97

Non-organic store brand formula: $10.34

Half gallon organic milk: $3.72

Half gallon non-organic milk: $1.82

Six pack organic yogurt: $2.98

Six pack non-organic yogurt: $2.05

Organic eggs: $3.34

Non-organic eggs: $0.94

Total bill for organic foods: $32.21

Total bill for non-organic foods: $20.05

The difference between the bill for organic foods vs. non-organic foods was $12.16, or 37%. The list I entered the store with that day was small. I generally spend $125 per week on food. I calculated that if I were to make the switch to a totally organic diet, it would run an additional $46.25 per week. This adds up to a whopping $2,400.00 per year.

I usually shop at Walmart Supercenter because they offer the best price. This is important to me, because our funds are not unlimited and, like most people in the US we are on a budget. While Walmart does not have a big selection of organic food, they do carry some. And I expect that the prices Walmart are less than in other supermarket chains. So, the difference between organic and non-organic may be even greater in other stores.

So, I am finding myself stuck between two options, neither of which is appealing, and both of which can leave me feeling guilty. I can spend an extra 37% for healthier organic food and have our budget suffer elsewhere, or I can feed them non-organic food and save that money.

For now, I am choosing to be selective about the things I purchase that are organic. It is hard work doing the research as to what is important to buy organic vs. non-organic but it is the only way I can manage the cost vs. the health benefits. That is, until organic foods become cheaper.

Reference: Environmental Health Perspectives, 2006, Volume 114: 260-263.