Here in the United States, we have many options for obtaining food. From fast food restaurants to large grocery centers, we make deliberate personal choices about the food we eat and where particularly we go to get it. The organic food trend is on the rise, as more and more people are buying it after they find out about the high toxins in regular packaged foods.
“Four out of ten families said they bought more organic produce than last year.”
Eating utterly organic, however, comes with a price. Organic products in supermarkets tend to be costlier than non-organic options. Places like Whole Foods offer a gold mine of organic produce, but will end up costing you more. A recent study conducted by Wolfe research has found, by comparing the price of organic produce at Whole Foods to the same organic produce at other grocery stores, that you’ll really spend extra money on the same groceries at Whole Foods. The cost of buying all organic produce at Whole Foods totaled $260, while groceries at other stores ended up costing $215, a $45 difference and a prime reason to shop together.
So how can you go organic if everything seems out of your price range?
Your best bet is to check your local co-op. Not only will you benefit your own lifestyle, you will even be helping your community. Many local cooperatives list where their agricultural products come from. Most likely, the farms they source their food from are all local, meaning everything arrives at the shop fresh, not frozen.
Another great way to maximise your spending at your local co-op is to buy produce in bulk. By buying more units, you reduce the overall cost. It’s also more environmentally friendly when you buy in bulk. Think how much plastic we as a society throw away on packaged food. Buying in bulk helps reduce that. Plus, you save money in the long run. Foods like pasta and beans have a long shelf life, once you buy them in bulk you’ll have a consistent supply of food to eat for a long time. When you buy food from the co-op, you help strengthen your local economy. By shopping at your local co-op, you are guaranteeing the jobs of many hard-working farmers and their employees. The produce you eat does not need to go far, so it tastes fresh and is more nutritious when you eat it.
With organic produce quickly becoming the choice of households, shopping at a co-op is not too far away. We are all more snug when we know where our food comes from. The cooperative offers people the opportunity to try delicious local food without the high prices. With a cooperative, you haven’t got to pay more for organic food. You can purchase your favourite products at great prices, and, you may even find astonishing products that come from your own backyard.
