ORGANIC EATING (I'm ready to switch!)

Britt2Fitjrny

Just recently I watched this documentary called FOOD INC. Ever since then I have been looking up ways to change my diet and eat organic/fresh food. I am done spending my hard earned money on big companies that care more about making themselves money than our own health! I would rather give my money to farmers who grow things naturally! The ones who care about everyone’s health. I am tired of being blind/fooled and stepped on by big corporations that run their business like crap! I have also been reading Fast Food Nation. I wish everyone knew the true behind what we are putting in our bodies. 5 days ago I could care less because I was uneducated about our food system. Now I want to stop supporting the "Bad guys" and start supporting the "good guys"! I want to start making small changes for my health and my families but I feel so overwhelmed doing this on my own! I have no idea where to start or what labels to believe! I know that this will be an expensive change but I care more about my health than my money. Please help in any way that you can. I really need it!

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Molly182

PLEASE send any info you get my way lol!!! I have been interested in the same thing lately! I have been going to library reading various books (if you have any suggestions for reading material please message me) and looking up local places. I am thinking about even volunteering at a farm that participates in the local farmers market.

kbw414

Good for you! I wish more people had this mindset. My family went completely organic about 2 years ago and it's been the greatest investment in our health. I haven't been sick in a year and a half and my husband has a ridiculously high sperm count, haha! I'd recommend starting with looking for an organic CSA (community sponsored agriculture) near you. Mine is about $35/week and I get about two grocery bags of produce each time. We also have an amazing year-round farmer's market that sells some organic things. Do you have a natural foods co-op near you? The one I'm a member of is $10 a year. I also grow a big vegetable garden every year and this year I'm putting in a fruit orchard. If you're into gardening, you could start out small and see how it goes. Certain things like kale, lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, radishes, and squash are very, very easy to grow and need very little care. Feel free to add me as a friend if you like!

supergirl6

Good for you!!!

First, it is very overwhelming, and you don't have to do everything at once. One step at a time and you'll be able to successfully incorporate organic food and clean eating without going totally crazy about it.

Where I live the regular grocery stores have incorporated a health market area that has a lot of great organic food. They also sell some produce from local farmers. This helps because they tend not to be too expensive. When I started, I picked dairy first to change. I swapped out my regular milk for organic skim. The dairy was the most expensive switch but seemed like the best to start with.

A week or two later I started switching out the meat. My grocery store often has the organic turkey on sale so I get that when I can. I like Bare Chicken too, which isn't too expensive for just me and my husband. Here's their website if you want to read up on them: http://www.justbarechicken.com/

Next I did some research on what veggies and fruit I should start switching out. We have AWESOME farmers markets in the spring, summer, and fall. I read that if you can't buy all organic veggies and fruits choose the thin skinned ones first (like berries and peppers). These will take in more of the pesticides than the thick skinned ones (like oranges and bananas). I watch my grocery store ads and plan around what organic veggies they have on sale. This helps.

I saw my budget go up a little, about 15-20, but at the same time we stopped going out to eat all the time which saved us a lot of money.

I buy local honey from a seller at my farmer's market and other staples. I'm looking into a co-op to join this summer and I also grow a small veggie garden of our favorite foods in the summer.

Do research on what you can get easily around your city. The store I shop at is called Hy-Vee, but it's a Midwest store, and also Trader Joe's. Take one thing at a time so you don't get too overwhelmed by it all.

And also, this site is good for knowing what seafood to buy. Very good information! http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx?c=dd

As you get closer to spring and summer, consider growing a few veggies - like peppers and tomatoes, depending on where you are.

calliope_music

i was also going to suggest a CSA. i'm going to join one this summer and i am so excited!

Iamkim73

First I would like to say I work in the produce industry so I probably have a bit more knowledge than the average person on this matter but I don't claim to be an expert.

Making the choice to eat organic has many benefits that I will not dispute. During some times of the year organic produce actually tastes better, but not always.

I will dispute that all large companies do not care about health and only care about making money. There are many people in the produce industry like myself that are passionate about the commodities we work with and the health benefits are a huge part of that.
I love working in this industry! We are proud to be in the indusrty working and selling something that has positive benefits. And when did it become wrong for a company to want to make money? Making money = growth = jobs = substainable business. Basic economics, right?


With that being said there are some things that are not commonly known about produce and organic produce such as:


1) Organic produce regardless of who grows it (large farmers or smaller ones) can be treated with approved chemicals. The list of approved applications is regulated by the USDA? If you buy it in a retail grocery store and it's labeled organic, the farmer has gone through a certification program to prove its organic. All land has to go three years with only approved applications before it can be considered organic. In other words, anything grown on it for three years will be labeled conventional but it will be grown with organic practices until it is certified. That's an expensive investment.

2). Smaller local farmers do not always have strong of food saftry programms if they have one at all. Most food safety programs are self regulated and it's not uncommon for the "small" farmer not to have a program. For example the water used to irrigate the field... Where does it come from.... Are there and animals or other contaminants near the planted block of land? If you buy produce in a retail grocery store it has been through a food safety program, if you buy it at a farmers market it does not have to go through a program. Let me be clear, this does not mean all produce at a farmers market is bad! It just means it is not regulated?

3). There is a misconception that big corporations are driving out the small independent farmer. It may happen in some cases but do some research of the larger industry leaders in the produce field... They are either co-ops for smaller growers or marketers for a bunch of independent growers. in many cases the independent grower would be driven out of business unless it pooled it's commodity with other growers to get a good return.

4) growing organic simply costs more and has lower yields. The average consumer is not willing to pay the higher price at retail. If you really wanna organic produce pay the higher price for it or the grower is not making enough to be substainable. The premium needed for organic produce can range from 30% to 50% depending on the time of year or commodity. Sometimes it can be less than that but not often.

With that being said there is nothing wrong with eating produce. Organic or not, that's a personal choice. Just keep in mind large companies are not all bad!

Eat lots of produce it's good for you!

sc1572

bump!!!

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

I would love to eat organic! But unfortunately it is VERY expensive and hardly any organic produce is ever on sale. I just try to eat organic when I can for now, then one day when I'm filthy rich I'll make the switch :happy:

Pepper2185

FOOD INC. = excellent movie.

I cringe at the thought of eating anything with a connection to Monsanto. Or any U.S. meat products...

deniserenee_02

Good for you! If I had enough $ I would do the same

marsellient

Have you read Michael Pollan's books? The farmer in one chapter of his Omnivore's Dilemna, Joel Salatin also has a newer book called something like "Folks, this ain't Normal".

edryer123

I too am making my way towards a more organic lifestyle. Don't forget to look at what is in your shampoos and conditioners, and lotions, and lip gloss. sulfates, parbens, petrochemicals. all equal not good.

savannahgro

I am looking into eating more organic/produce in general and trying to kick all things processed. I have an autoimmune disease that has flared up (first time in about 7-8 years/my "adult life") and I have researched anti-inflammatory/all natural diets to read only good things about it!

I'm finding it very hard to do, though!
Good luck!

zbstngrl

My husband and I eat organic diet, we try to stay about 80% organic on all food. It is EXPENSIVE, which everyone knows. I feel it would be wrong of me to preach to everyone and say you must eat ONLY organic food. It is very personal choice and also everyone has different financial priorities. Again, it is very expensive to feed the whole family organic diet. However, when switching to organic we started with animal products (dairy, meats etc) Yes produce is important but for me it was more important to start with animal products and then with fresh produce, pantry items etc. Making any changes towards better quality food already is a great step.
In addition, to comment on the movie, it is one of my "pass around DVDs" that I happily share with friends of friends and family. Some of the reaction I get from people: oh this is an eye opener, that's it I am throwing everything away and replacing with 100% organic stuff, then many get overwhelmed and give up or find excuses to go back to stuff they used to buy/eat...etc. My point is like with any new information that has an emotional impact on us, take time to digest it, research, plan and execute

live4turns

shop at costco. it is cheaper than whole foods and just about everything is organic.

jennifershoo

bump

(no time to read it now, but organic rocks!! If only my organic avocados were not $3.49 each!)

ichorica

My family has been eating organic for over 6 years. Id say about 90%. It can get expensive at time. But if you make a plan and follow it very closely then its not too out there. We buy lots of an item when it is on sale, we get our meat from a local meat market that is natural/organic family operated.

My advice is to start small, get your fruits and veggies going. Find a store with a good selection, hit up farmers markets and don't buy prepackaged items, like snacks, those can be super duper expensive! CSA are awesome for trying out new produce if you've never had a beet....lol its reasonably priced and comes to you! Buy in bulk, azurestandards.com is an awesome company that sales in bulks and delivers to drop points! Check into it if there is one close to you.

My biggest advice is gardening! Try to grow some of your own veggies and fruits! Easiest i believe, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes (usually, although some of my friends had issues with theirs last year, i had 200 plants all producing like crazy), potatoes (i still have some from fall) and many others depending on your area! For fruits strawberries and raspberries are fairly easy. Great thing is not much space is needed! But whatever you grow means less money to spend at the store. Also lots of canning and freezing can be done, which can be a savings long into falll and winter! Gardening is another way to help with cost! Plus it is fun and a good workout!

granolagrl85

Cook from scratch, meal plan, get in season and local whenever possible. Don't trust places like Whole Foods.

Britt2Fitjrny

Thank you everyone! I am still overwhelmed but I was slowly start to switch!

pixiechick8321

What a great choice - I wish we could do the same, but the expense is too much right now.

There are some great tips already - I wanted to highlight a few.

1. Check around locally - in Colorado, there are a lot of farms for meat, veggies, fruits, etc that don't have a lot of advertising (road side stands and such are the norm.)

2. Just because it's not labeled "organic" doesn't mean it's not! It can cost a lot to get that label and small farmers' cannot afford it...just ask them at the market (since local places have the direct connection).

3. During the summer, shop the farmer's market - if you don't see it, talk to someone! CSA sign-up is also really big at the market (and Groupon or LivingSocial often have deals to try them out for 1 month free).

4. Some things matter more than others - there's a list of "dirty dozen" (think thin skin, like peaches) and other things (like bananas, which you don't eat the skin and they don't touch the ground) don't matter as much.

5. A lot of companies are cashing in on "organic" by making prepacked snacks and such with that label - it's more important to eat healthy than to stick with "organic" foods so do read the packages and think for yourself.

6. If you can, grow stuff yourself - even basil, mint, etc are easy to make organic (pot, soil, water, seeds...put in a sunny spot).

Finally, don't forget the flip side - compost and recycle!

jodyblanchard

You go! I don't think I want to know what goes into our fast food. Pink slime in McNuggets is as far as I can stand to go.

steffiejoe

shop at costco. it is cheaper than whole foods and just about everything is organic.

Thanks for this tip. I did not know that carried alot of organic foods.

Britt2Fitjrny

Great tip! This is going to help me a lot! For my birthday (may) I am thinking about asking for one of those indoor veggie growers. Anyone have any opinions on those? I don't really have room for an outside garden....

Also in school I had an assignment. This assignment lead me to two sites that I really enjoyed. One is called Slowfood.com and the other is farmaid.org. If you have time you should check them out and let me know what you think.

foodcart

This gives a list of vegetables you should buy organic and those you can get away with buying conventional. It may help you make your shift as far as fruits and vegetables go:
http://www.prevention.com/dirtiestcleanest/

(edited to fix link)

reka74

Good choice! Good for you!
...Take a step further and read this books! You are going to love them: Dr Collins: China Study and Dr Keon:Whitewash.

awoodwaring

http://www.localharvest.org/

That site will help you locate local farmers. If you are Northern CA, I can sell you free range/GMO free heritage pork or free range lamb.

Beckym1205

I'm not a big milk drinker, so I tend to buy milk, and then it spoils before I finnish the carton. So I would waste so much money on the milk because I thew out to much of it. When I started buying organic I found that the expiration date on organic milk tends to be an entire month later than non organic milk. So, while the carton of organic milk is about a dollar more, I am really saving about 2 dollars by not having to thow out spoiled milk. So I'll never switch back to non organic milk.

Also, my husband would get an upset stomach in the mornings when he would drink a glass of milk, since switching to organic milk he has not had this issue again. Sooo, is lactose intolerance really more about the crap in the milk and less about the milk itself?

kbw414

It is true that organic food is expensive. But Americans actually allocate a very small percentage of their total budget for (conventionally grown) food; food is cheaper here than it is in most countries, because a lot of things here are subsidized. In fact, food prices in the U.S. were actually much higher in previous decades. When I get down about how much I'm spending on organic food, I try to think that really I'm just spending the "normal" amount that a person would normally spend on food if everything in this country wasn't made so dirt cheap by stores such as Wal-Mart. Besides, investing in nutrition is investing in health. It's also participating in a philosophy of how to treat the earth and the people living on it.

kbw414

I wanted to add, too, that when we buy organic, we recognize the higher price tags and are compelled to eat ALL of what we buy, without wasting anything. When something is expensive, you'll think twice about buying more than what you need and you'll put what you get to good use.

kbw414

http://www.localharvest.org/

That site will help you locate local farmers. If you are Northern CA, I can sell you free range/GMO free heritage pork or free range lamb.

I don't live in California, but this sounds amazing! Thank you for providing good healthy food options for others!

floweringcurrant

Organic clean eating and taking care of my body nutritionally has become somewhat of a hobby to me. I now have a very developed taste and love for fruits, vegetables and whole grains - it's great. Organic eating will take some getting used to and adjusting (as well a figuring out how to budget, etc.) but once you start eating that way your body will continue to crave it. Good luck to you, there are many people willing to offer support or advice (including me) if you want it!