Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Nowadays the word organic does not mean what it is supposed to.. ANYTHING can be labeled organic whether it is truly organic or not.....
Also the word quality leaves a lot to be desired...
The only restrictions on using the word 'organic' is the upper max on your business size. Otherwise anyone can use that word on their product.
'Certified Organic' is closely restricted in use. That means there is a third-party group who has inspected the farm, who tracks soil amendments, farming practices and even how the produce is handled.
I have concerns about Big Ag companies that have slid into the 'market', when General Mills, Pepsico, Coke, Kraft and Nabisco own an 'organic' company, then I share your doubts.
I know that our regional Organic Certifier is doing it's job, they originated 'CO' in 1970 and they are still on top of it in this region.
Anyone who is interested in CO produce should really stick to local food. Get to know your farmer.
Interesting thread. I agree with the OP that we should be trying to eat as healthy as possible even if on a budget. Will healthy food ward off diseases like cancer? Possibly, but if it doesn't, at least we'll be in better shape to fight it. We know that healthy eating will help keep heart disease at bay for the majority.
There seems to be some disagreement on this thread as to the value of organic food. I'm now a cheerleader for organic food. I realize that we don't always know if we are getting the quality we pay for. Unless we produce the food ourselves, we just don't know. I do know that the organic market is now being more closely monitored, so I am hopeful. Also, rotating brands gives me a little more peace of mind. Since I am frugal, I naturally rotate brands because I'm always buying the one that is one sale.
Seven years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. I was at a good weight, exercised often, never smoked, and only lightly drank wine. My diet was fair but not the best. I admit to making fun of all of the "idiots" spending money on organic food. That changed with my diagnosis. When something like cancer hits, a rational person will look at what they have done that may have contributed to the situation and change those things. For me, the biggest change was really cleaning up my diet. I'm not saying that food caused the cancer I had, because that is something I'll never know. I'm just saying that since I was doing many things right, I needed to find those things I was doing wrong and do them right. I'm doing what makes me feel like I'm keeping the beast from coming back. Or, if it does (knock wood), I want to be at my healthiest to fight it off again.
Fortunately, the price of organic food has dropped dramatically since my diagnosis. Now, sometimes I find an organic item on sale for less than the same conventional item. Plus, there are so many, many organic items available now. It's wonderful!
I do like most organic food groupies do and try my best to buy organic for the items on the dirty dozen list. Items with a thick rind I always buy conventional. Salad greens I always buy organic but I buy the one on sale. I also buy only organic berries. In summertime I get great deals on fresh berries. The rest of the time, I buy the 2 pound bag of organic blueberries from Walmart for $9.96. It lasts a long time eating a few every day. Only problem is my dogs love them too, but since I'm more willing to be frugal with my food than theirs, they'll always get a couple of frozen blueberries for dessert.
Frozen organic vegetables are the bee's knees. I can make a soup from frozen organic vegetables, bought on sale of course, that will last days. They're so handy to have around.
I don't eat a lot of grains, but I do eat organic oatmeal. I get a canister for $1.99 that lasts about 3 weeks when eaten daily. Talk about a cheap breakfast!
Cruciferous veggies are very important for good health, and they're really important to me as a woman to flush the estrogen from my system. Good old cheap cabbage, which doesn't need to be bought organic because it's on the cleanest vegetables list, will do the trick if you don't want to spend on broccoli, etc.
My husband eats a different diet than I eat (not very healthy, his choice not mine), and his food costs so much more than mine. Aldi has a small but very reasonable selection of organic fruit and veggies. I use all of the coupons and savings such as Target's cartwheel to get the best prices on organic food. I don't eat much meat, but I have been lucky to find half-price organic meat at Target with the next day expiration date. I freeze it and take it out as needed.
My biggest thing is never throwing out anything. A rotting vegetable is a no-no. Throw it in a soup before it gets to that stage. Only buy what you know you will eat. This is a huge money saver.
Buying organic doesn't have to be expensive if you plan, use all of the offers out there, and use your freezer. I even buy organic milk on sale and freeze it in little mason jars. I don't use much milk, but now and then I need it for cooking.
Now, I know that if you have a large family, buying organic at a good price all of the time would be very difficult. You have so many meals to get on the table, that the planning and accessibility would be very time consuming. I'm sure there are many resourceful folks who do it, though. For those of us buying for a small family, it is possible to eat cheap and organically with a little effort. I see it as a fun challenge.
I'm just saying to take another look at organic food. There are no guarantees of anything, but give yourself the best chance by buying as healthy as possible. I'm big on lots of fruits and veggies, and I know I feel tons better when they are the majority of my diet.
Old world saying is that good health comes thru the mouth, in oder words watch what you eat and eat healthy.
Saving on food and going shoping in those discount stores is worst thing you can do to your self and your health.
Never save on food quality, eat organic produce as much as possible, stay away from products in the bag, like chips and etc. Eath fresh vegetables, fruits, wild caught fish, ( stay away from farmed fish, eath organic veggies and fruits ), nuts, drink fresh juices, eath garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper.
Save and live frugal on everything else if you want, but don't do it on food quality. Buy only quality food and stay away from proceseed foods if you want to avoid Cancer in the future.
Good Luck!!!
Lots of foods labeled "organic" are anything but. I think a it is a big scam.
Lots of foods labeled "organic" are anything but. I think a it is a big scam.
So do I. A friend of mine will only eat organic apples. He says the others have pesticides in the skin. Then I find out they don't spray apple trees when the fruit is on them. He's a pale, sickly looking man, too.
Whole grains (barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa, etc.) And lots and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. And a smallish amount of animal protein if you wish such as chicken, beef, fish. Otherwise, there are beans and rice and tofu and such for ample protein.
Organic is good if affordable for you, but with the whole foods, water, and exercise and we're much healthier than eating a highly processed and/or fast food diet. Sodas are among the worst food choices you can pick. Liquid sugar.
When folks say they can't afford a whole food diet, I wonder if they know how inexpensive it can be? Millions and millions of people world-wide live on beans, rice, and small amounts of vegetables and fruit and as a treat a bit of animal protein.
Think of the Chinese, the Thai, the Vietnamese people, the people in South America. Low heart disease, low HBP. And very few are obese.
^ This! A whole foods diet is not expensive. It does, however, take more time to prepare meals from whole foods than just opening a bag, and that's where I think most struggle.
^ This! A whole foods diet is not expensive. It does, however, take more time to prepare meals from whole foods than just opening a bag, and that's where I think most struggle.
Yep-- or a lot of people don't know much about cooking. Baking a potato and topping with salsa is easy, though--and so are tortillas spread with refried beans, sprinkled with shredded cheese then zapped or baked until the cheese melts and then topped with salsa and maybe some lettuce and chopped avocado ...cheap and easy.
I could go on. Kinda a hobby of mine to cook cheap and healthy and easy.
On average, if you are comparing supermarket produce aisles of national brand names the difference is 15%.
$1:00 vs $1:15
$2:00 vs $2:30
15%
I do not believe it to be beyond the budget of most Americans. Not when most Americans spend more on electronic gadgets and telecom services than they do on sound healthy food.
Yes. That is too expensive. Many people live hand to mouth with no expendable income. When I was poor, I couldn't buy meat at all. Middle class people count pennies. An extra dollar here and there for something special is one thing, but to buy organic on a regular basis would add hundreds of dollars, and possibly over $1,000, to a family's food budget. Esp when you consider that it doesn't contain any more nutrients than non-organic.
When I grow fruit and veggies, I like to do organic. Fewer chemicals. And I don't like to grow things that I know will require poison. But that doesn't cost me more money.
Yes. That is too expensive. Many people live hand to mouth with no expendable income. When I was poor, I couldn't buy meat at all
The poor have lots of problems. Nobody is getting rid of the poor.
Fortunately in our culture, once you go into poverty there are programs to help.
I am very fortunate, my pension is equal to Minimum-Wage. So we are well above poverty and able to support a family.
Quote:
... Middle class people count pennies. An extra dollar here and there for something special is one thing, but to buy organic on a regular basis would add hundreds of dollars, and possibly over $1,000, to a family's food budget
$1,000/month ?
Really?
Lets say your feeding a family of four, on a food budget of $250/month. 15% is $37.50 extra.
So your budget goes up to $287.50/month
If you are having reactions to pesticides in the food, that may we be worth it.
Quote:
... Esp when you consider that it doesn't contain any more nutrients than non-organic.
Nobody suggested more nutrients.
The purpose is less poisons.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
